Family vacations have never been more important these days. More and more amusement and theme parks have come up with their own different kind of spectacle to ensure a constant population of visitors. Surprisingly, one of the many favorite vacation opportunities for families and groups has got to be the experience of swimming with the dolphins.
Lucky for those who reside in The Golden State, some of the best places to swim with dolphins in California would be a quick car ride away. So for those of you looking into a unique and very memorable way to spend their vacation, take note of these spectacular places you can visit.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Located in Vallejo, California, the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom started out as Six Flags Marine World, a Bay Area park that caters to those who love the marine life and of course get the opportunity to swim with the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins.
The facility allows its visitors a quick session that will introduce them to dolphins as well as teach them how to go about the experience of being with the dolphins in the tank. Through the Dolphin Discovery program guests are able to learn more about the dolphins they will be interacting with and be provided with the full experience including being provided a wetsuit.
SeaWorld San Diego California Theme Park
Another excellent venue that lets guests experience interaction with dolphins is through the Dolphin Interaction Program at SeaWorld at San Diego, California.
Swimming with the dolphins is a very unique experience and even more so when you get the opportunity to communicate with these amazing sea creatures. As you get to experience being in the water with them, there will be in-house trainers who will help you out and teach you hand signals for communication and play plus you get to touch and feed the dolphins too.
Laguna Beach
For all those who love to surf, an excellent experience that will surely find you swimming alongside dolphins would be to head on down to Southern California and visit the waves of Laguna Beach.
There is nothing more special than being able to experience the natural habitat where dolphins reside and seeing them swim together with you. This is a sure up-close and personal chance for visitors who head on down during the summer, as the dolphins of Southern California are known to love the company of surfers as they hit the waves during these times.
Baja California Peninsula
Known to be an area that caters to dolphins because of the rich resources of fish this south of Monterey Bay area commonly known as Baja, also welcomes guests to experience interactions with the dolphins in the water.
With most of the personal interactions with dolphins alongside a professional trainer, guests are able to spend quality time really interacting and communicating with these lovable sea creatures. The entire experience helps guests to become well acquainted with the dolphins and be able to play with them in the water.
Tips For When You Swim With Dolphins In California
It is normal to be fascinated by swimming with dolphins. This feeling has been around for ages. You most likely dreamt about interacting with dolphins many times till now.
You surely want to enjoy your experience in California so you want to remember the following tips for your very first swim with dolphins:
- Listen to your guide
Whether you swim with dolphins in the wild or in other places, you meet skilled professionals that are fully informed about dolphin behavior, habits and physiology. These people are always eager to share information.
Take advantage of the knowledge of your guide and the trainers that you meet. This allows you to learn a lot about dolphins and especially those dolphins that you end up swimming with.
- Your health is important
When you swim with dolphins you will have a physical, adrenaline filled and very emotional experience. This is why you are not allowed to swim with dolphins in California if you have a back or heart problem, or if you are pregnant. If you do not feel comfortable in the water with the dolphins, you will not feel great with the experience, even if it is really special.
- You only need your bathing suit
You should know that the skin of a dolphin is really sensitive. This is why, when you want to swim with one, you should not wear perfumes, lotions, oils or sunscreen. This is especially the case in the event that you swim in a lagoon area. Similarly, watches, hats, jewelry and electronic devices should be left behind. All of these are risks for the dolphins.
- Enjoy and relax
The best way to interact with a dolphin is to swim with them since you are going to do this in their natural habitat. It allows you to be as close to the dolphin as you could. Just make sure that you listen to everything that the trainer says. When you do this, you can ride, kiss and hug a dolphin, which is a surreal experience in California.
