Where better than the beach to get close to aquatic
life? At Gulf World Marine Park in
Panama City Beach, Florida families can explore life under the seas with
entertaining show, intriguing exhibits and hands-on interactive with animals. Located on Front Beach Road, just across the
street from the ocean, Gulf World is an easy way to add hours of fun to your
Panama City Beach vacation.
During my visit, I found the shows to be the real standout
of the Gulf World Panama City Beach. Daily shows feature
dolphins, sea lions, reptiles, tropical birds and other furry animals. Best of all, you can pay one price and see them
all. You can check the schedule for show
times, but in my opinion the two can’t miss shows star sea lions and
dolphins. I recommend going early in the
day to watch the sea lion show first. It
is held in a smaller stadium, where you get up-close with these charming sea
creatures. Watch as two of lovable sea
lions compete to in a series of ever-increasing challenges, then see if you’re
picked from the audience to interact with them.
You may even score a sea lion kiss!
Moreover, the show has an educational tone about water safety, habitats
and the importance of keeping our waters clean.
Stick around after the show and you can get your photo with a sea lion
for a fantastic souvenir. I had to get a
sea lion kiss before I left and thought the $10 price for the photo was well
worth it.
The dolphin show is held in a much larger stadium and
aquatic tank, allowing enough space for these incredible creatures to
agilely glide, flip and spin through the water.
The show speaks of the skills of the park’s trainers and their work with
these bottle nosed dolphins. An open-air
environment makes the clear blue skies of Panama City Beach the perfect
backdrop for viewing dolphin behaviors.
Plus, a few lucky audience members get to meet, greet and touch a
dolphin during the show. Eagerly volunteer and you might get picked like I did!
If you would like to upgrade your
ticket, you can even swim with the dolphins.
The experience, which lasts 90 minutes, consists of two parts. The first of which is an educational session
regarding dolphin conservation and behavior, while the second puts participants
in waist-deep water where they can enjoy a dolphin kiss or handshake and a
dorsal fin pull around the pool. If the
trainer side of operations appeals to you then try out the Trainer for a Day
Programs (additional fee). The all-day
program lets you work behind the scenes with trainers, caring and interacting
with the park’s animals. Talk about a memory in the making!
Other animal shows feature tropical birds and reptiles. The parrot show shines the spotlight on birds
accomplishing amazing tricks, while the reptile show gives guests the
opportunity to view snakes, alligators, lizards, toads and tarantulas. Let’s just say little boys love this show
which discusses misconceptions regarding these animals, as well as showing how
these slimy and slippery creatures can be fun too. The only non-animal show hosted at Gulf World
is the X-Treme High Dive Team. Audiences watch as a group of divers with acrobatic
skills perform an afternoon magic show and variety show at night.
Of course, there is much more to see and do at Gulf World. Encounter a live shark and
turtle feeding experience, then visit the sting ray petting pool. Be sure to explore exhibits showcasing
penguins, flamingos, sea turtles and much more, all while immersing yourself in
the botanical splendor of the indoor and outdoor tropical gardens.
Save your receipt or simply get your hand stamped and you
can come and go to the park throughout the day.
It’s a great way to see all the animal show and experience available on
your schedule. 
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