San Diego SeaWorld

Seeing sea lions perform for treats, observing penguins and sharks up close and touching stingrays were wondrous experiences, but nothing compared to the total delight and amazement of seeing massive orcas and delicate dolphins dive through the air and splash into performance pools at a trainer's command.  And that's just how us adults felt! Ethan was mesmerized by the dolphin and whale performances at Sea World, and went crazy for the penguins, stingrays, and sharks.  We had an amazing and very full day at SeaWorld as we attempted to see and do it all, shows and animals included.  We even made sure we saved some time to play at the Sesame Street Playground.

Feeding sea lions.

The walrus.

Touching stingrays.

The Blue Horizons Show had just opened on the weekend.  It was truly spectacular, completely unique and incredibly crowded.  There were dolphins, pilot whales (Reuben and I thought they looked like black belugas), parrots, acrobatic performers and trainers all involved in a story about a girl who longed to explore the sky and sea beyond her bedroom.

The pilot whales and acrobatic performers were amazing.  We had never seen pilot whales before and they really set the stage for the darker side of the show.

The parrots were a fun addition, but it was the dolphins that stole the show.

Trick after trick, dolphins never disappoint!

The famous Shamu show, 'Believe' was next on the list.  Apparently, the goal of the show was to make the audience believe that anyone can connect with the magnificent orca whale.  While I'm not sure that happened, we were definitely in awe of the beauty, power and brilliance these mammals possessed.

We sure laughed at all of the parents, who were somehow talked into sitting in the "Soak Zone"... what were they thinking?

We also took in the Cirque de la Mer show.  The acrobatics and special effects were exciting and fun to watch.

The highlight for Ethan was the playground.  The measure of a truly good day is always the amount of time spent on a playground.  I love the energy and joy he oozes with in that environment! :)

Watching the 4D show lasted about 5 minutes...we're just not ready for that kind of fun yet, especially when it involves getting sprayed with a little water...oops!

Not sure what he was thinking (or doing), but his face made me laugh and I had to share!! 

SeaWorld was an amazing, must-see attraction with spectacular shows and exhibits.  But, it was also exhausting!  My advice; when visiting attractions with three boys, don't have an agenda that involves more details than can be easily written within the bounds of a day on a calendar.  It is really NOT in anyones best interest.  A relaxed, carefree day is always a better choice, especially when on holidays.  And really, life is just as much fun when spent on a playground... a lesson I learn from my 4 year old. :)