SeaWorld!

One of the more action-packed days of our San Diego vacation was the day we spent at SeaWorld. It was a blast!

The day started out on a high note - we stopped by a talk on animal training and to our surprise we got a chance to pet a dolphin! Then we headed over to catch the Shamu show, where we enjoyed watching everyone get thoroughly soaked while we (by complete chance) stayed high and dry. Those killer whales are impressively large creatures. Next we headed over to the manta ray feeding pool and the brand new manta ray themed roller coaster. It was supposed to feel smooth and powerful like a ray swimming through the ocean, and it was pretty fun!

Ready for the Shamu show!

After lunch we saw a couple more shows. The show with dolphins, beluga whales, exotic birds, and human divers and trapeze artists was my favorite of the day. The dolphins could definitely win a medal for their synchronized swimming, and they can jump so high! We also loved the "Sea Lions Live" show in which sea lions and otters acted out scenes from popular TV shows including "Seal-S-I" and "Dancing with the Seals". We also made sure to swing by the arctic exhibit to check out more beluga whales and a walrus but sadly didn't get to see any polar bears or penguins. To end the day, we rode a gondola out across the Mission Bay harbor for yet another spectacular view of the gorgeous Southern California coast.

On the gondola