Cheap Places to Swim With Dolphins in Florida

Cheap Places to Swim With Dolphins in Florida

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Swimming with dolphins in Florida is an exciting vacation plan. Facilities that allow human interaction with these intelligent marine mammals are licensed and provide an unforgettable educational experience. All programs include training in how to interact with the dolphins and lessons in local marine ecosystems. As of 2010, options range from encounters with free dolphins in the ocean to interacting with trained captive dolphins in a pool, and prices start at about $100 for each swimmer.

Water Planet in Panama City, Florida

Water Planet offers a one-day excursion for under $100 a person during the off-season. You can bring your own snorkeling gear or rent gear there. This facility was one of the first to develop specialized programs for children with special needs, such as physical disabilities or autism. Programs take place in the wild.

Water Planet

5709 N. Lagoon Drive

Panama City Beach, FL 32408

850-230-6030 (local) or 866-449-5591 (toll free)

waterplanetusa.com

Marineland in St. Augustine, Florida

Delphinschwimmen image by Angelika Bentin from Fotolia.com

Marineland offers a wide range of programs and fees, beginning at less than $150 per person, for 20 or more minutes of swimming with captive dolphins. You can also reserve a private session for a group of two to four people.

Marineland

9600 Oceanshore Boulevard

St. Augustine, FL 32080

904-471-1111

marineland.net

Dolphins Plus in Key Largo, Florida

Dolphins Plus offers half-hour natural swims, in which you have free time with the dolphins, for less than $150 per person. You can also choose a structured half-hour swim with trained dolphins for less than $200 for each swimmer. A combination program permits both free time and structured games in the Dolphins Plus facility.

Dolphins Plus

31 Corrine Place

Key Largo, FL 33037

305-451-1993 (local) or 866-860-7946 (toll free)

dolphinsplus.com

Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key, Florida

smiling dolphin image by Vadim_Rogol from Fotolia.com

The Dolphin Research Center offers programs starting at just over $100 per person for 25 minutes of structured play time with the dolphins, such as tossing balls in the water and sharing a flipper shake. For less than $200 you can get in the water to take a “dorsal fin ride.” Many of the resident dolphins have lineage that goes back to the original Flipper of Hollywood fame.

Dolphin Research Center

58901 Overseas Highway

Grassy Key, FL 33050

305-289-0002 (program reservations) or 305-289-1121 (offices)

dolphins.org

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