SeaWorld San Antonio - San Antonio, TX Review

The Case

I live in Austin, Texas, which means I have it good, because Austin is centrally located.  I have an even traveling distance to the other big Texas cities, most notably San Antonio - home of the Alamo, the Riverwalk, and SeaWorld.  And boy, do I love SeaWorld!

The Good

I've never been to any of the other SeaWorld parks, but I'd be willing to bet that San Antonio's version rates just as high as the rest of them, if not better.  The grounds are clean, the staff is friendly and helpful, the water park is fun and kid-friendly, and the overall feeling of the park is enjoyable, laid-back, and relaxing.

I've always had a fascination with marine life, and marine mammals in particular, and I never get sick of seeing the whales, dolphins, sea lions, and the rest.  Also, unlike some zoos I've been to, SeaWorld really seems to love its animals, and I never get that sad vibe of captivity that you sometimes find in other animal parks.  The shows are classy, entertaining, and educational.  They've got substance and soul, not glitz and glamour.

And lastly, the pricing is really, really reasonable.  A one-day pass is $44 for adults and $35 for children, which isn't bad at all, especially compared to some other types of attraction parks.  Of course, if you live near a SeaWorld, the season passes are totally worth the buy.  For only $59, you can get a pass for the whole year, for as many visits as you can make.  Plus, you get 10% off everything in the park (food, souvenirs, etc.) with your season pass.

The Bad

The only thing I wish that SeaWorld had more of is interactive areas, especially for kids.  I've been to a lot of aquariums with rock pools for touching rays and sharks, and those types of things are sadly lacking.  They do have the dolphin cove, though, which is pretty sweet.  Of course, the dolphins are smart and fairly used to humans gawking at them, so your best chance of actually touching one is to wait for feeding time to purchase a carton of fish for a few bucks.  And trust me, those few bucks are totally worth the look on a kid's face when they get to touch a dolphin for the first time in their lives.

Some Tips

Sleep good the night before!  A day at SeaWorld is exhausting!  Get to the park right when it opens to take advantage of the activities offered.  Grab a map and scope the layout.  You'll save yourself a lot of extra detours that way.  It's usually best to hit the shows and rides in the morning, and the penguins, aquariums, and water park in the afternoon.  Not only will you ensure a good seat in the stadiums and a shorter time in the lines, you'll also spend the hottest part of the day in the cool places chilling, rather than in the humid bleachers and queues waiting.  It is Texas - don't forget sunscreen and apply it often, especially to the kids!

Eat right before you get there so you can hold off on the restaurants until after the mad lunch rush between 12 and 2.  The lockers in the water park are totally worth the price, and the water park is a good place to end the day, or you'll be walking around wet.  The souvenir shops are actually the exits from the park, so wait to do your shopping 'till right before you're ready to leave.  That way you won't have to carry more stuff around with you.

And have fun!

The Verdict

Five stars!  For a Texas-sized good time, don't miss SeaWorld San Antonio!

www.seaworld.com