Vacations Blog

Legoland front entrace

My husband and I have amusement park-phobia.  (There must be a scientific name for that.  For now, I’ll go with the clunky made-up version.)  When we travel, we prefer to head to destinations in the middle of nature, with as few other people around as possible.  Now that we have two young children, however, entertainment and conveniences are much more necessary.  Stick a ton of both of those things in one place, jack up the price, and poof!  You have an amusement park. Read More »

I sent my field team to SeaWorld San Diego to check the park out from the perspective of a family who could actually enjoy an entire day there.  (With my own two boys under 4, everything we do is limited by naptime).  My intrepid team consisted of M – the narrator, the-9-year-old – her sister, and her father.  These are their stories.

Shamu strikes a pose

We started out at Shamu’s show. All in all, it was incredible. The 9-year-old said that it was by far the best part of the day. The orcas are gorgeous and always look bigger up close than you expect them to. We sat in the last row of the “soak zone,” so we didn’t get splashed nearly as much as some. Some people got absolutely drenched. The trainers were very talented as well. The 9-year-old told me that she wants me to become a trainer so she can get first dibs on meeting the animals up close. I told her she should become a trainer instead. She said, “Yeah, that’s a better idea.”

Of course, there was a young female volunteer who got up and got to touch Shamu. The 9-year-old was jealous.

Hey, jealousy

Sea dogs

Then we went to the “Pets Rule” show, where they have trained dogs, cats, and pigs. This was also very impressive. The 9-year-old giggled throughout the whole show. I think her favorite part was when a dog stood up on its hind legs and rotated a wheel on a “Hot Dog Cart,” which proceeded to produce four dachshund puppies. Very, very cute. Certainly not something you’d expect to see at SeaWorld, but there were plenty of chances to get sprayed by the hydrant or the “TNT” explosion.

After this, we got a chocolate brownie funnel cake. Always good from a nine year old’s perspective: “This could be the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

Next we went to the dolphin show. Very impressive. The dolphins jumped amazing heights. Again, we sat at the way back of the splash zone. The people sitting front and center looked like they had jumped into the pool with the dolphins after the show, but we stayed nice and dry. The 9-year-old’s favorite animal is the dolphin, so she was disappointed when the show didn’t last hours and hours. I thought each show was perfect at 20-30 minutes long, as did my father.

Not cool.

We did a bit of walking around. We didn’t go into the Sesame Street playground, but all three of us (me, my sister and my father) were all in agreement that it looked like a blast. [Although this attraction is aimed at younger children] I can certainly say, as an adult, I really wanted to just let loose in that place. So many things to climb… it looked like a blast! The 9-year-old was afraid of looking uncool, so we didn’t venture in.

Shark Encounter

We also did the “Shark Encounter” where you go through an underwater acrylic tube to see the sharks all around you. Unfortunately the floor of the tube was a moving platform, like the one in airports, so you didn’t get to look at the sharks as long as you wanted to. But there was a separate flat-panel of acrylic past the tube that was nice to look at.

We also went into one of the aquariums- the “Sea Life” one or something like that, where there were just several types of fish. Some of the fish were bigger than the 9-year-old, so she was very impressed.

Equal opportunity screaming

To end our trip, we went on the Atlantis roller coaster. I’d say it’s not for the faint-at-heart. There are two plummeting 50+ foot drops. The 9-year-old had a good time, but she didn’t admit it until we were on the car ride home. She was scared out of her mind during the ride, and I have to say that I, personally, had no idea I could scream like that. It’s been nearly two hours and my throat is still sore.

L.A. local note:  if you go with older kids who can suck it up for the car ride, this can actually count as a super long day trip.  If not, and who can blame you, here are some links to San Diego hotels reviewed by Uptake bloggers .

[field work and photos by Martha King-Devine]

Washington State Ferry from Seattle Waterfront

Seattle is a port city. It exists and thrives today because of its long history of maritime shipping, trade, and proximity to the natural resources of the Great Northwest. Scenically nestled at the edge of Elliot Bay on Washington’s Puget Sound, Seattle  still has a unique and intertwined relationship with the sea. If you are interested in experiencing a taste of that relationship the next time you visit, leave the high-tech, cosmopolitan atmosphere behind for a refreshing and scenic nearby side trip. No car required, just head down the hill from the heart of downtown shopping and dining, until you find yourself at the waterfront along Alaskan Way.

If you are interested in a walking tour of Seattle’s Waterfront, try starting on the southern end at Pier 52, where Washington’s famous ferries depart Seattle for Vashon and Bainbridge Islands, or Bremerton on the Olympic Peninsula. It’s enough fun to watch the big boats come and go, but if you’re feeling especially adventurous, you can walk on for a $7.00 round trip fare. It would be well worth your time, because on a clear day, the views are outstanding and the air refreshing, though cold, so dress warmly.

Walking North on along the waterfront you will shortly come to Pier 54 and another Seattle icon, Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, a store loaded with interesting artifacts, novelty items, oddities, and the main attraction a pair of actual mummies on display, as well as rice grain carvings (seriously!) and other curiousties. It’s a bit tacky, but fun, so I recommend you stop in and take a peek, so you can at least say you have been there.

Waterfront Pier

Pier 56 is home to Argosy Cruises, where you can book a sightseeing or dinner cruise, book a sailing expedition on Puget Sound, or board the Elliot Bay Water Taxi ($3.00 one way) for a 20 minute crossing to West Seattle and Alki Beach which offers abundant dining and recreational activities.  A free bus shuttle on the other side will take you to Alki Beach or the West Seattle Junction (more on this neighborhood in a future post).

Walking further north along the waterfront, you will pass several shops and restaurants, including Ivar’s Seafood Bar and Elliot’s Oyster House (where I dined on delicious fresh pacific oysters during a rare night out not long ago). Eventually, you will come to The Seattle Aquarium at Pier 59. The recently remodeled Aquarium is a world class facility with several fascinating permanent exhibits focusing on Pacific marine life, including a 360 degree glass domed room which will be a hit with the small people in attendance. I have been a member, and highly recommend the aquarium.

As you continue north along Alaskan Way, you will be treated to abundant breathtaking views of Elliot Bay, and on a clear day, the Majestic Olympic Mountains beyond. Once you reach Pier 67 you will come to an attractive lodging option for your next Seattle stay, the luxury Edgewater Inn. The Edgewater, situated right on the water and which many will remember as the place where the Beatles famously fished out of the window of their hotel room during a 1964 Seattle concert visit, offers what could very well be the most unique and scenic lodging experience in the city.

Fab 4 Fishing from Edgewater Inn

Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park  (free to the public) is a wonderful outdoor space, just before the scenic and peaceful Myrtle Edwards Park. The Olympic Sculpture Park is a spectacular new waterfront park where visitors can view a variety of sculptures 365 days a year, in an outdoor setting. I have not been there yet, but my better half has, and she was duly impressed with the layout and interesting variety of the thought provoking sculpture.

You can check out nearly all these spots in a single day (with the exception of the ferry rides), but they are so nice you might want to take your time!

Enter an underwater world at Shark Reef.

Located in the hot, dry Mojave Desert and hundreds of miles from the Pacific Ocean, one might not expect Las Vegas to be home to a variety of marine life, including sharks, dolphins and sting rays. Luckily, Las Vegas has always made the unconventional into a reality. Today, millions of gallons of blue seawater fill several aquarium attractions to provide visitors an up-close view of the world’s most fascinating marine animal species.

A favorite for our family is the Shark Reef, located inside the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, it is North America’s only predator-based aquarium and exhibit. Filled with over 1.6 million gallons of seawater, Shark Reef’s aquariums are home to more than 2,000 sea animals, including several species of sharks, along with saw fish, giant rays, endangered sea turtles, piranha, jelly fish and the rare golden crocodiles.

A popular exhibit, especially for young children, is the petting pool where visitors can touch the wet, velvety skin of sting rays as they glide by in shallow water. A washing station is conveniently located adjacent to the pool to clean the hands of curious kids.

Shark Reef's sting ray petting pool is a big hit.

Glowing jelly fish float calmly at Shark Reef.

Shark Reef is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. General admission is $16.95 for adults and $10.95 for children age five to 12. Children under four years old are free. Packages are a great buy and come with photos and souvenirs for the whole family or dinner at Mandalay Bay’s Bayside Buffet. Tickets may be purchased online or at the main entrance to Shark Reef.

Another great close encounter with marine life is at The Mirage where Siegfried & Roy’s 2.5-million-gallon Dolphin Habitat is home to a pod of Atlantic bottle nose dolphins. The habitat consists of four connected pools containing an artificial coral reef system and sandy bottom. Opened in 1991 with the purpose of educating the public about marine mammals and their environment, the habitat offers visitors the opportunity to see natural behaviors of dolphins.

Huf n Puff (mom) and new calf at The Mirage Dolphin Habitat.

Visitors are also invited to make their vacation an unforgettable experience by taking part in the Dolphin Trainer for a Day program. Participants get to work side-by-side with dolphin trainers as they participate in daily activities with the dolphins, including playing, training and feeding them. Participants must be at least 13 years old. However, participants 13 to 15 years old require an adult in the program to accompany them, either as a participant or an observer.

For general admission, group VIP and Dolphin Training for a Day prices, call     (702) 792-7889     .

For families on a budget, there are several other aquariums to visit at no cost. At The Mirage, wander over to the main lobby and see the enormous aquarium filled with a variety of fish and sharks of all sizes. Inside The Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, an aquarium filled with tropical fish is located across from the Cheesecake Factory. It provides an excellent view while waiting to be seated for dinner.

The recently remodeled Silverton Lodge & Casino is also home to several colorful salt and fresh-water aquariums, all of which are free to the public. The main 117,000 gallon aquarium contains an artificial reef and more than 4,000 tropical fish from all over the world, three species of stingrays and three species of sharks. The octagonal aquarium offers premier viewing on all sides.

The adjacent Mermaid Lounge features two colorfully lit 500-gallon jellyfish aquariums and the nearby entrance to the Bass Pro Shop features an 18,000 gallon water feature stocked with over 100 Koi fish. Inside the large Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts there are additional freshwater aquariums, including a 4,000 gallon representation of a spring fed Nevada stream stocked with trout and a 20,000 gallon Nevada lake display stocked with channel catfish, huge carp and bass.

With so many aquarium attractions in Las Vegas, ocean lovers can experience the beauty of exotic marine life while also enjoying the excitement of Las Vegas. You’ll forget you’re in the desert.

Photos by Jason Roth and The Mirage.