Rating: You Should Go
For our 2nd anniversary, I thought it would be fun to fulfill a lifelong dream of mine...to touch a penguin. I knew Sea World offered special tours that would allow this dream to become a reality, so I bought our tickets online and away we went.
Sea World San Diego is an interesting combination of things (although maybe all Sea Worlds are the same, I
really wouldn't know). It's like a zoo and aquarium in that you can walk around and stare at sea animals in simulated-natural habitats. It's like a theme park in that it has shows and rides for visitors to enjoy. It even has a petting zoo area of non-aquatic animals, which seems a little out of place. Whatever it is, it's a lot of fun for people of all ages.
Sea World is
a surprisingly good deal. Even though the ticket prices now compete with Disneyland, you can find coupons if you just wait a little while (right now McDonald's has an offer of $20 off any age ticket for up to 6 tickets). They also offer an annual pass for the price of a one-day ticket if you live in the area. The ticket price includes access to the tall Skytower ride in the center of the park and the only operating Skyride I've seen around. It does not include access to the exclusive animal interactions, however (like the Penguin Experience Tour). If you have an annual pass, though, it may be worth the extra cash for the unique opportunity to interact with the animals.
Penguin Experience Tour - Rating: You Should Go/You Might Like It
I LOVE penguins, so I will definitely say it was worth every penny. For those of you not as easily won-over by flightless birds, let me explain the tour and you can decide for yourselves if it's worth the cost. The tour group meets by a planter in front of the penguin exhibit. Our tour guide was friendly and informative. She took us to see the penguins
outside the exhibit, explaining some facts about them, and then did the same
inside the exhibit. Then she took us back stage. There were flamingos and other birds back there, as well as informative displays about the penguins we would be seeing. We were led into a room where an expert with penguins told us what to expect. He went out to fetch the penguin and set him on a block of ice. Then the fun began; we got to take turns petting the penguin. It was very friendly. It loved to pick at jewelry, hair, and freckles but only lightly. We each got plenty of time and our tour guide took pictures for us. Afterward, our group of only 12 split in half and took turns going inside the exhibit. It was very cold (26 Fahrenheit), but I had brought a coat and scarf in preparation. We went inside for a little longer, gaining more information and asking any questions we had, before letting the other group come in. After that, we just looked at some eggs and feathers before the tour was over. Exchanging
$42 a person for the priceless chance to pet a macaroni penguin was well worth it for me. My only advice would be to go in winter, because our seasons are opposite from Antarctica's and it was very dark in the exhibit when we went.
Price: A single day ticket is usually
$69.99 for adults and
$61.99 for children. Two day passes and length of stay passes are currently the same price as a single day. Parking is
$12 a car, which can be purchased online. Fun Card
annual passes are
$74.99 for adults and
$66.99 for children. There is even a
meal deal that gives you a pass for 3 meals during the day (including dessert and drink) for
$30 per adult and less than $20 per child. All in all, I think Sea World San Diego is a great time, especially for children.
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