Sea World Origin – San Diego
Sea World San Diego is one of the famous theme park in the world. Sea World originated with four UCLA fraternity brothers who wanted to open a restaurant with a marine show. Instead, they wound up opening a giant aquarium, and with a starting investment of $1.5 million, Sea World San Diego . At the time the park 45 employees were employed and had a handful of sea lions and one saltwater aquarium. Now there are 3 Sea world in America, at Orlando (Florida), San Antonio (Texas) & San Diego.
As usual, book your ticket online to save time and money as it is cheaper to book online. Print out the voucher and show at the gate so that the staff can scan the bar code.
Hand On Pools
Once you enter the gate, there are several pools for you to have a close and intimate time with the sea creatures. You will find wavy top snails, round rays, spiny sea urchins and opaleye fish.
Different touch pools has different type of living sea creatures, go touch them, pat them, hold them or tickle them as you wish as you are allow to do anything except eat them.
I decided to let the smaller fish to kiss my hand, quite ticklish!
Free Fish Spa
After the fish spa, you can wash your hands with soaps and air dry at the side of the hand-on pools.
Sea world Store
Sky Tower
I suggest after touching the sea creatures in the hand-on pools, the next thing you should do is a ride on the Sky Tower. Why? This enable you to have a good look at the whole Sea World from the top!
This little capsule will bring the visitors up at a rate of 46 meter per min while spinning really slow. It is about 6 mins ride.
At the top, you will have a clearer view of the Sea World and the traffic situation. I would say, go up Sky Tower first, as it serve as an introduction to the whole Sea World.
View from the top at some of the performing pools area.
At the top, you are able to check out where the crowds are and avoid going those places first.
Dolphins Show
You will be surely entertained by these friendly and playful dolphins, quite many of them.
Beware if you are sitting at the front seats as you may get wet when these dolphins splashing water at the audience.
Manta Ride – High Thrill
This is another high thrill ride in the park, a roller coaster speed up to 69 km per hour.
After the ride, you can touch the bat rays at the touch pool near Manta.
Bayside Skyride
Bayside Skyride is a small gondola carrying about 4 visitors up to the top so that you can enjoy the breathtaking views of San Diego and enjoy a moment of tranquil beauty and natural melody of scenic Mission Bay!
View from the Gondola Ride
As there is no window at the gondola, it was really nice to see the 360 degree unblocked view and the feeling at the top is simply amazing. Pretty cold for me when the wind blows.
View from the Gondola Ride
Pelican Pond
Sea Lion Point
White Xmas Trees
Sea World Staff selling bubbles toys.
Turtle Reef
At Turtle Reef you will find 60 sea turtles in an aquarium living together with a variety of fish.
One cool sea turtle posing patiently with the girls.
Shark Pools
Most sharks are harmless, only two dozen are dangerous to us.
Wild Arctic
First, we queue for the Wild Arctic Ride, about half an hour later, we boarded onto an old helicopter with motion simulator and it brings you to the wild arctic. The ride can be a slightly rough so bucket up your seat belts before the helicopter takes off.
Beluga whale Point
After the wild arctic ride, you need to walk out through a little museum full of the wild arctic artifacts. Then you will come to meet the Beluga whales. Pretty cold inside here.
Beluga whales also known as white whales can also be found here. Not able to take a clearer picture. The head of the Beluga Whale looks like a melon so sometimes it is also called as Melonhead.
Penguin Point
At the Penguin point housing 7 species: Emperor, King, Gentoo, Macaroni, Adélie, Chinstrap, and Magellanic.
You can get up close with the penguin by joining the tour, have a face to face experience and know what is behind the scene of the Penguin encounter.
Penguin having fun & swimming happily.
Christmas Vibe
Journey to Atlantis – Must Ride!
This is one of the highlight in Sea World San Diego. If you sit at the front of the water coaster, the chances of getting wet is very high, so bring along a poncho!
This is graded as high thrill so if you love thrill, a must to sit on this water coaster and get yourself wet!
At the exit of the ride is a large aquarium home to cownose rays, spotted eagle rays and southern stingrays.
Sesame Street Bay of Play
Children Playground with the theme of Sesame Street.
Tea Cup Spin
Rest Area
Ocra Show – Killing Whales
Ocra also known as killer whale. They were being called as killer whale because they can attack other whales or even kill the biggest blue whale and eat them. The first killer whale in Sea World San Diego was named Shamu.
Some scientist consider them to be smarter than chimpanzees. You will know how smart these Orca after watching them perform. Throughout the show, you will not see any of the human performers/trainers went down the water swimming together with these Ocra as there were incidents that Ocra attacked some of the trainers and killed. The trainers would stay outside the pool and give instruction throughout the show.
There are 5.8 million gallons of water to keep these killer whales. I think the water and spaces are still not as big when compare to the big ocean. So you know why these killer whales get upset sometimes and attack human, too stress. But then they love training and being feed by human.
Sea Pixels
Go get your pictures taken at Sea Pixel counter if there is any.
Parking at Sea World : USD $17.00
There are plenty of packing space outside sea world and the cheapest charge is USD $17.00. There are car park which are nearer and you have to pay slightly more than USD $17. Just remember where you park before you leave else you end up having a hard time finding your car.
Final thoughts :
Tips no 1 tip to explore Sea World San Diego is go early with an extra set of clothes & a cheap poncho in case your young one want to play with water. You need a poncho for the water coaster ride – Journey to Atlantis. Things you should not missed are the Orca / Killer Whales Show and the ride water coaster ride & roller coaster ride. Wild Arctic ride is also something very interesting for me.
Other attractions in San Diego California :