Start your day by reserving an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet alongside Shamu’s tank and then catch the first showing of Believe, the most popular attraction at the park. During this spectacular show, you’ll see Shamu slide onto the stage, jump through the air, and splash guests. You’re almost guaranteed to get soaked in the first 15 rows.
Next, grab about $20 from the ATM outside the Skytower and head over to Rocky Point Preserve, where you can lightly touch and feed the dolphins. It’s one of the most memorable attractions at the park. Each tray of anchovies is $5 (cash only)
For more dolphin fun, don’t miss the Dolphin Discovery Show where you’ll see Dolly and her friends jump and fly through the air in an amazing acrobatic display. As with all stadium shows, arrive 15 minutes early to get front-row seats.
When you’re ready to beat the heat, Sea World’s two water rides are worth the wait. Drop down a 60-foot waterfall on Journey to Atlantis, or bounce down the river in a 9-person inner tube on Shipwreck Rapids. Minimum height is 42 inches.
In 2008, Sea World celebrated the 25th year of Penguin Encounter, where you can cool off on a moving walkway while enjoying a show of more than 350 antarctic birds jumping, swimming and playing in a snowy environment.
Another great draw is Shark Encounter, a dark maze of over-water and under-water viewing tanks filled with every type of shark imaginable. A tankful of vicious piranhas awaits you next door in the freshwater aquarium.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick tour of Sea World San Diego. If you want to beat the crowds, be sure to visit between mid September and early March.