A swim with dolphins Florida experience is something that many travelers look to add to their itineraries when planning their trip to the Sunshine State. The opportunity to interact with such intelligent creatures is a temptation that is easy to understand, and there are plenty of places to make that happen. One such example is the Miami Seaquarium, which is located in Key Biscayne and offers an experience called Dolphin Odyssey. This experience includes an short educational presentation that is followed by a 30-minute session in the water with the dolphins. Guests are even treated to a dolphin ride across the water. The Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach offers a similar experience that lasts about an hour-and-a-half. You can read about other swim with dolphins Florida experiences below and get an even better idea as to what the possibilities are.

Theater of the Sea Florida Keys

One of the most popular family attractions in the Florida Keys, Theater of the Sea allows guests the opportunity to swim with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, not to mention California sea lions and stingrays. As is true of some of the other places where you can swim with dolphins in Florida, the Theater by the Sea offers animal shows and other diversions. You can take a bottomless boat ride, for example, or go on a snorkeling cruise. Theater by the Sea is open every day of the year and is more specifically situated at mile marker 84.5 on the island of Islamorada. General admission tickets include guided tours of marine life exhibits, access to a lagoon-side beach, a bottomless boat ride, and animal shows. The animal swimming experiences cost extra.

Discovery Cove Orlando Dolphin Swim

Anyone who is headed to Orlando can look to add a swim with dolphins Florida experience to their agenda. The place to go for such an experience is Discovery Cove, which is located at 6000 Discovery Cove Way. At this popular attraction, those who purchase a dolphin swim are treated to 30-minute dolphin swimming experiences that allow for one-on-one interactions with these fascinating and intelligent creatures. Also available are special "Trainer for a Day" packages that come with additional instruction and access. Other options for things to do at Discovery Cove include snorkeling alongside tropical fish, enjoying face-to-face encounters with otters and marmosets at Freshwater Oasis, and interacting with colorful birds at the Explorer’s Aviary. There’s also SeaVenture, which is an experience that involves putting on a special dive helmet and going on an underwater walking tour. As a side note, there are Discovery Cove ticket packages that also allow for admission to SeaWorld Orlando, the Aquatica Orlando water park, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

Florida Map

Key Largo Swim with Dolphins

Back down in the Florida Keys, there are several more opportunities to enjoy Florida dolphin swimming experiences. Among the best islands to target for such experiences is Key Largo. It is there that you will find Dolphins Plus (pictured), Dolphin Cove, and the Dolphin Research Center. Between these three attractions, there are dolphin swimming programs to fit a variety of ages and interests. Visitors can also interest themselves in the various other things that these attractions have to offer, such as animal shows and summer camp programs. If you want to expand your Florida Keys dolphin swimming options, venture over to the island of Duck Key. There, you will find the Hawks Cay Resort, which features its own dolphin research facility, Dolphin Connection. Dolphin encounters at Dolphin Connection can be enjoyed both dockside and in a saltwater lagoon.