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.:A Desert Lifestyle Article:.

Regional Travel: A Trip To SeaWorld
By: Lala Bevilacqua

What’s black, white and doesn’t end with “-anda bear”?  The undisputed star of acrobatic marine mammals at SeaWorld San Diego, Shamu!  Currently mesmerizing thousands of visitors each day, SeaWorld’s feature presentation, Believe, is a show worth braving the summer heat and long bathroom lines.  Believe is a captivating performance of three giant killer whales sailing effortlessly through the air, synchronized to an inspirational soundtrack recorded by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.   The high-flying show is punctuated by four enormous screens showing the action up close.  These screens are choreographed to move in elaborate schemes adding to the intricacy of this visual masterpiece that took SeaWorld two years to perfect.

Busch Entertainment Corporation, a division of Anheuser-Busch and owner of SeaWorld Adventure Parks, is a loyal supporter of military members and their families. Through a program aptly titled “Here’s to the Heroes”, active duty military ID card holders and their families receive one day free entry to the park during the year.  Patriotic signs beckoning us to remember our military are scattered throughout the park.  And, in a poignant moment in the beginning of “Believe”, the orca trainers call on all past and present members of the military and their families to stand and be recognized.  As the stadium erupts in applause, appropriate focus is restored on those who sacrifice for our freedom. 

Believe is unlike any other sea mammal show you’ve ever seen.  It is fluid, dramatic and distinctive.  According to a press release issued by SeaWorld, many of the orcas’ movements in the show are derived from behavior never before seen in any other SeaWorld show.  Kids are up on their feet, eyes glued to the orca’s every move.  Even parents forget their role and cheer along with the crowd as the enormous killer whale launches out of the Caribbean blue pool to perform a jaw dropping back flip. 

Be sure to pick up a map at the park entrance and check out the day’s show schedule to plan a course of attack.  Between shows, I recommend visiting Shark Encounter where visitors can experience an “underwater” tour of the sharks’ habitat.  Or check out Wild Arctic, a rough, motion ride simulating an expedition in a helicopter through snowy mountains and cracking glaciers.  Experience the arctic world where polar bears and beluga whales play in icy water.  Always popular with the kids, the Forbidden Reef provides an opportunity to get up close and personal with bat rays gliding lazily in a shallow lagoon.  Don’t forget to sign-up for the Dolphin Encounter where these intelligent and fun-loving animals are just hands reach away.

For the adrenaline junky in you, take a ride through a long-lost city on Journey to Atlantis.  Remember to hang on as you plummet down a 60 foot drop that causes quite a splash.  Prepare to be drenched head-to-toe, but don’t worry, with the summer sun, you’ll be dry within an hour.  But if your fashion statement is “soggy”, then make a beeline for the Shipwreck Rapids.  As you raft through quick rapids you become a moving target for the entertainment of merciless park visitors waiting for you behind small but effective water cannons. 

With the hot summer days creeping in, why not take a trip with your family to sunny San Diego and cool off with the beautiful residents of SeaWorld?  Remember, a day of fun-filled excitement at SeaWorld San Diego is free for our heroes and their families.  And for your visits thereafter, ITT offers park tickets for a great discounted price. 

So start your engine, Shamu’s waiting.