Located in Islamorada, Theater of the Sea is one of the oldest mammal facilities in the world. Established in 1946 by the P.F. McKinney family, this attraction was originally a rock quarry excavated for Henry Flagler's railroad in the early 1900's. Today, the lagoons and lush tropical gardens that comprise the facility are home to a wide variety of species. Some of which were collected and others were born there, many are non-releasable as a result of imprinting and/or injuries sustained in the wild.
Open 365 days a year, general admission to Theater of the Sea includes dolphin, sea lion, parrot and guided marine life shows, access to the lagoon-side beach and a 5 minute bottomless boat ride around the dolphin lagoon. One of the shows is always taking place; guests can join the show in progress when they arrive and should plan to spend two to three hours in the park for the complete experience.
A pioneer in animal interactive programs, Theater of the Sea offers several encounters with dolphins, sea lions, rays, turtles and even sharks! They first began offering interactive programs in 1987 with their 'Swim with the Dolphin' encounter. In 1994 they made the additions of their 'Meet the Sea Lion' and 'Meet the Dolphin' programs. On our visit to Theater of the Sea we had the great opportunity to get up close and personal with some awesome nurse sharks!
In the 'Swim the the Sharks' experience you get to feed, pet, and hold nurse sharks while seated on an in-water bench and snorkel with them and tropical fish in a natural salt-water lagoon! Participants must be at least 5 years old and children age 5, 6, and 7 must be accompanied by a an adult or guardian. Liability waivers must be signed by a parent or appointed guardian prior to participation. The program includes a 10 minute orientation and 20 minute animal interaction time per group.
At Theater of the Sea, the health and well-being of their animals takes precedence over all other interests. Each animal is personally cared for in a manner that exceeds most regulations. When training the animals, caretakers strive to provide an enriching environment for each species and they view training as a two-way communication, not as a display of dominance.
Certain restrictions apply to take part in the animal interaction programs and it is advised to make your reservations in advance online, by phone or in person for these popular activities. Visit their reservation page or give them a call today at (305) 664-2431.
For more information about their different animal interaction programs and more just visit the Theater of the Sea website.
Theater of the Sea is located at:
84721 Overseas Hwy (Mile Marker 84.5)
Islamorada, FL 33036
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