Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mission Beach
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SeaWorld San Diego
THEME PARK
$84/78; daily; )
SeaWorld opened in San Diego in 1964 and remains one of California's most popular
theme parks. Many visitors spend the whole day here, shuttling between shows, rides and
exhibits - you can pick up a map at the entrance to plan your day around scheduled events.
The attraction is best known for the live shows featuring trained dolphins, sea lions and
killer whales.
One Ocean
is the most visually impressive, a 30-minute show featuring the
famous Shamu and other killer whales gliding through the water while interacting with
each other, their trainers and the audience.
There are numerous other installations where you can see and learn about aquatic life: in
Penguin Encounter
several penguin species share a habitat that simulates Antarctic living
conditions; while
Shark Encounter
offers the chance to see different species of shark as
you walk through a 57ft acrylic tunnel. Several amusement-park-style rides are also avail-
able. The new
Manta Ray
roller coaster swoops across the park at up to 43mph;
Journey
to Atlantis
is a combination flume ride and roller coaster; and
Wild Arctic
is a simulated
helicopter flight followed by a walk past beluga whales and polar bears. Expect long waits
for rides, shows and exhibits during peak seasons.
Theme parks like SeaWorld have begun to attract controversy in recent years. While the
park maintains that it does its share of animal conservation, rescue, rehabilitation, breeding
and research, animal welfare groups disagree, questioning the whole idea of places like
SeaWorld, and criticizing them for keeping the marine life in captivity, arguing that the
conditions and treatment of the animals are harmful and stressful, and that all of this is ex-
acerbated further by human interaction. A bill in the California state legislature in 2014
proposed to do away with killer whale shows; it was sent back for further study.
SeaWorld can also be an expensive day out, what with loud advertisements as you wait
in line and omnipresent corporate logos and gift shops (mostly designed with young visit-
ors in mind) encouraging additional souvenir spending. That said, good deals are often
available for multiday or combination tickets with other parks, including San Diego Zoo
and Wild Animal Park, Universal Studios Hollywood and/or Disneyland. Inquire at tourist
offices and hotels. To save on food, all-you-can-eat passes to multiple SeaWorld restaur-
