Don't Miss Sea World When You Visit Orlando

When people visit Orlando, Florida they are sure to include visits to the main theme parks: Disney World and Universal Studios, but if I were to choose the third must-see attraction in this region then my choice would be Sea World. This is a theme park that manages to combine fun, education, nature conservation and amusement park thrills all in one locale. If you are curious to know what you can expect to find in Sea World, then read on and we will have a look at the main features of the park.

If you have kids, or if you are a big kid yourself, then the unique charm of Sea World is to be able to get up close to exotic and mysterious creatures such as sea turtles, dolphins, penguins and stingrays. Sea World accomplishes this by placing these animals in themed areas that closely match the natural habitats.

For example, one of the popular areas at Sea World is the Wild Arctic. The Arctic eco-system is replicated here with thick walls of ice and an old ship. Visitors get to see real walruses, beluga whales and polar bears as well.

Going to the other side of the earth, Sea World also has an Antarctic themed area where you can watch penguins (real ones, not theme-park replicas) frolic in their ?Penguin Encounter? area.

As this is Florida, warm water creatures are also featured 'stars? of the show. At the Stingray Lagoon you can watch 200 rays glide in a protected habitat. Now, before you let the name scare you, Stingrays are nice and docile animals, in fact you can even get them to 'high-five? you if you place your hand in the water! The lagoon also features a stingray nursery where you can watch the pups play. Animal experts are also on hand to answer your questions about these unusually grace creatures.

One of the earth's oldest species is the turtle. At Sea World's Turtle point you can get a close look at 300 sea turtles, ranging in size from the tiny hatchlings to six foot long leatherbacks. The turtles live in a natural lagoon that includes a beach, sand dunes and characteristic plant life of the turtle's natural habitat.

Although Sea World is situated in Florida, the park's creators did a great job of recreating a Los Angeles nature preserve featuring California sea lions. At the park's ?Pacific Point Preserve? you can meet, touch and feed these gregarious animals. Feeding time is the big moment for this part of the park, as the sea lions and harbor seals always put on a great show for the visitors.

And if the magnificent sea animals are not enough to entertain you and your family the park has some more attractions in the form of sea-themed rides and adventures. One of the newest attractions is called Journey to Atlantis. You get to see the legendary lost continent in a water coaster that features steep and wet plunges. (You will get wet on this ride, so be prepared).

The park also has a 15 storey roller coaster that features floorless cars! I said 'floorless? and that means there are no floors in the riding cars. This coaster puts you upside down seven times at speeds that reach 65 mph.

Rounding out the offerings at Sea World is the Waterfront, a dining and entertainment complex where you can relax after enjoying all the sights and action of Sea World. As you can see, Sea World has an attractive array of activities. So, when you visit Orlando, put it on your 'must-see? list.

Janice McSherry is an Orlando vacations specialist. She is the proprietor of Homes Near Disney (http://www.homesneardisney.us) and Florida Vacation Villas (http://www.floridavacationsvillas.com). Visit her websites for deals on Vacation Rental Homes in Orlando.