Swim with sharks, dolphins at this Florida resort - AL.com

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Swim with sharks, dolphins at this Florida resort - AL.com Posted: 30 Jan 2020 08:01 AM PST On a sunny November day, I put on my snorkel mask and plunge below the surface of crystal-clear water. Right below me are fish in every color of the rainbow, swimming in and out of neon coral. A bright yellow puffer fish—more closely resembling a mango than a fish—is focused on biting some algae off a rock. As I dive down to get a closer look, I verbally squeal (unfortunately allowing salt water into my snorkel) as a purplish ray with white spots glides right by me. As I pop to the surface sputtering, I yell for my friends to come experience what I've just discovered. One might think I'm somewhere in the Caribbean Sea or a far-flung tropical island paradise, but I'm actually nowhere near the ocean. In fact, the closest beach is at least an hour's drive away. No, this oasis is part of Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida. A member of SeaWorld's park system, Discovery Cove is an all-inclusive experience designed to offer guests up-close encounters with marine life. Classified as a resort rather than an amusement park, admission to Discovery Cove includes access to the park's Grand Reef, Freshwater Oasis, aviary, and lazy river, as well as a dolphin swim and unlimited food and beverages. That means you can kick back on one of the white-sand beaches and enjoy a cold beer or glass of wine while your kids snorkel with more than 8,000 fish and rays. Of course, it's not just kids that enjoy Discovery Cove. Visiting as an adult with two of my girl friends, I can say we had just as much fun as every kid there. And with the option to upgrade your experience with additional activities, there are plenty of opportunities for both adults and kids to enjoy. We started our day by snorkeling in The Grand Reef, which has numerous hidden coves and varying depths of water. Discovery Cove provides guests with snorkels and masks, as well as waterproof fish identification guides to take with you. As you swim throughout the reef, you'll stumble upon the shark tank—don't worry, there's glass separating you, but the opportunity to come face to face with a shark while underwater will get your heart pumping nonetheless. Later in the day, we had the chance to meet those sharks (sans glass) on a Shark Swim. The special encounters are offered only twice a day for an additional cost, so be sure to book far in advance. After suiting up in a wetsuit, gloves, and booties, you will be led into the shark tank, where you'll swim with 22 peaceful nurse sharks, blacktip reef sharks, and small hammerheads. For the second portion of the swim, you'll interact with three sharks who are in training. While we were there, we met two nurse sharks (including Triton, a 200-pound gentle giant who just minutes earlier decided swimming through my legs was a fun idea) and a beautiful spotted leopard shark named Vertigo. You'll get to touch their sandpapery backs, feel how they use suction to eat, and even hold one of the sharks. If you've seen Jaws a few too many times and would prefer to admire the sharks from a distance, consider booking the SeaVenture experience. This underwater walk will take you along the ocean floor through the Grand Reef (and past the shark tank). No scuba experience is required—you'll instead sport a 75-pound helmet (which only feels like 15 pounds underwater and helps to weigh you down) that allows you to breath as you would above water. The experience is like being on another planet, and as sea creatures hurry past you on their busy daily tasks, you'll understand you're getting a rare fisheye view. The pinnacle experience of Discovery Cove is the dolphin swim. During the 30-minute interaction with an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, you'll get to rub its back and belly, teach the dolphin how to do certain behaviors, and maybe even have a splash fight. Of course, the most fun part of the experience is the dorsal pull, where you'll swim out to meet your dolphin and it will transport you back to shore as you hold on to its dorsal fin. Since Discovery Cove limits the number of visiting guests to just 1,300 per day, there will never be more than nine guests in a dolphin interaction at once. While you have the option to pack your day with activities at Discovery Cove, there's also ample opportunity to relax. Private cabanas are available to rent, which come with chairs, towels, a snack basket, and a mini fridge stocked with beverages. All cabanas also have views of the park's waterways. If a cabana isn't your style, you can rent a daybed, or park yourself at one of the many available lounge chairs scattered throughout the resort. Once you've had your fill of snorkeling at The Grand Reef, visit the Freshwater Oasis to see marmosets (small monkeys) and river otters (which also can be viewed from underwater). Or grab a pool noodle and head to Wind-Away River, a lazy river under a rainforest canopy that takes you through a cave, under waterfalls, and into the aviary. You'll begin and end at Serenity Bay, a tropical resort pool where the water always is 85 degrees. When you're ready to refuel, breakfast and lunch are served cafeteria style at Laguna Grill. If you need a quick pick-me-up before your next activity, snack stands are found throughout the resort, offering treats like soft pretzels and warm chocolate chip cookies. Kids will enjoy unlimited slushies, and adults have the option to upgrade their included beer and wine drink package to premium options and liquor. As much as Discovery Cove aims to provide fun and relaxation to their guests, they also have a dual mission that emphasizes conservation, education, and research. Many of the park's inhabitants were rescued and rehabbed (including sharks who were abandoned by personal aquarium owners who didn't realize they would get big), and others are part of a species preservation plan implemented by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plans. In addition, several of the resort's experiences, including the Shark Swim and SeaVenture, donate a portion of the proceeds to organizations such as the Rising Tide Conservation initiative and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. You'll find animal-safe sunscreen provided throughout the resort, and in 2018, Discovery Cove rid the resort of plastic straws, bags, and lids. The education piece comes naturally—when guests come face to face with marine life, interest and respect is instinctually piqued. And for those who may not have the chance to experience animals like this in the wild—or prefer to do so in a controlled environment—Discovery Cove provides unique interactions that will forever resonate with its guests. As you reach out to gently touch the back of a silky-smooth ray, or swim through a swirling school of angelfish, you'll realize paradise is closer than you think. Where to Stay Paradise doesn't have to end when you leave Discovery Cove. Reunion Resort in Kissimmee, Florida plays host to many families and groups visiting the Orlando parks. The AAA Four-Diamond property has several accommodation options, including hotel rooms, villas, and homes. Activities for kids and adults abound, including a waterpark, golf, footgolf, pickleball and tennis courts, and several pools (including a rooftop pool) found throughout the immaculately kept grounds. To make it easy on guests, a complimentary shuttle is provided 24 hours a day to take you around the 2,300-acre resort. Splurge on dinner at Eleven, the resort's signature steakhouse on the 11th floor of the hotel (also where the rooftop pool is located). Be sure to order the Sizzling Roasted Garlic and Bourbon Shrimp appetizers, and indulge in a filet mignon with truffle butter for your entree. The best part about Eleven? You'll be able to see Disney's nightly fireworks from its adjoining rooftop bar. Three in One Round out your weekend in Orlando with a visit to Discovery Cove's sister parks, SeaWorld and Aquatica. Purchase a combo ticket from Discovery Cove that bundles the three parks (and additionally Busch Gardens). At SeaWorld, you can see even more marine life, including manatees, penguins, dolphins, sharks and more; experience a thrill on rollercoasters and raft rides; and, of course, see the famous Shamu show. Aquatica is a sprawling waterpark with more than 25 slides, two lazy rivers, a wave pool, and kids' areas. Continuing the marine life theme, Aquatica offers two slides called the Dolphin Plunge where riders (enclosed in tube slides) shoot right through the Commerson's dolphin tank. At Loggerhead Lane lazy river, you can float in a tube past tropical fish tanks and the dolphin tank. The KareKare Kurl is Aquatica's newest ride, and you'll feel weightless as you zoom out of a freefall drop and up a halfpipe vertical wave wall. If you're a daredevil, you'll want to try Ihu's Breakway Falls, the steepest multi-drop tower in Orlando, with three "drop-box" slides (meaning you'll start standing on solid ground before the floor falls out beneath you and you shoot down the almost-90-degree slide). Details Find more information at discoverycove.com. This story appears in Birmingham magazine's January 2020 issue. Subscribe today!

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