Family Fun at Miami Seaquarium


by Adam Singleton - Date: 2007-06-25 - Word Count: 455 Share This!

Often dubbed "America's Riviera", Miami, Florida, is well known for its sparkling blue waters, bustling beaches and cosmopolitan atmosphere. However, while many people on holiday in Miami are likely to spend their days on Miami Beach and their nights in Miami's legendary nightclubs, there are a variety of family-friendly attractions that offer travellers a memorable experience. Miami Seaquarium, for instance, is often described as a smaller version of Orlando's SeaWorld and has attracted visitors in their hoards since its first opening in 1955.

Stretching across 15 hectares of land, Miami Seaquarium is located on Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay. It is a complete marine life park that fully devotes its resources to the protection of aquatic creatures, while educating visitors about them at the same time. Although the Miami Seaquarium was devastated during Hurricane Wilma in 2005, it has successfully bounced back and now offers a variety of marine animal shows, exhibits and learning facilities for visitors of all ages.

The Seaquarium is home to a number of marine mammals, but in addition also houses sharks, fish, sea turtles, birds, reptiles and manatees. Among its prize possessions are its dolphins, which take part in the daily Flipper Show. The Flipper Lagoon, well-known as the filming site of 1960s television show "Flipper", sees dolphins perform tricks to music. Moreover, Miami Seaquarium is also highly regarded for its Water and Dolphin Exploration Program (WADE), which allows visitors to touch and swim with dolphins in the Flipper Lagoon for up to two hours with a one-on-one trainer.

The Killer Whale Show is also a central part of Miami Seaquarium's repertoire. In it, visitors will be able to see the antics of the marine park's star attraction - the killer whale Lolita. Some controversy has surrounded the marine park as a result of the conditions in which Lolita is kept, but the Seaquarium has managed to successfully defend itself against any accusations of animal cruelty. To date, Miami Seaquarium also works on a range of conservation issues, especially with regard to the endangered Florida Manatee and the rehabilitation of injured sea animals.

If you visit Miami with children, the Seaquarium offers many opportunities for visitors to feed the marine animals that live there - an activity that most kids are sure to love! You'll be able to buy small fish to feed the noisy Sea Lions, or even feed some large fish to a group of small sharks.

Holidaymakers planning to visit Miami will be able to find a range of flights to Miami from the UK on a regular basis. What's more, if you're staying at a hotel in Miami, the Miami Seaquarium is easy to locate - simply take the Rickenbacker Causeway towards Key Biscayne and you'll be there in no time!


Related Tags: miami, dolphins, flipper, hurricane wilma, seaquarium, seaworld, killer whale, marine park

Adam Singleton is an online, freelance journalist and keen amateur photographer. His portfolio, called Capquest Photography is available to view online.

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