|
|
 Marineland
is a seven-acre marine life theme park, which is located on the beach along A1A, 30 minutes north of Daytona Beach and 15 minutes south of St. Augustine. It’s the world’s first oceanarium, and contains two large aquariums, a presentation studio and several other smaller exhibits. Marineland is not a theme park in the usual sense, however. There are no shows to watch the animals do tricks, but rather it’s a park that shows visitors how marine life learns, hunts and lives in their natural environment. It was originally conceived as a way to provide a “window to the ocean.” Today Marineland continues to serve as a link between the public and the sea world, promoting awareness of the fragile marine and coastal environments and inspiring everyone to protect these precious resources. Marineland is a wonderful place for people of all ages to get a close up look at some of the fascinating creatures that live within our oceans, and is both educational and entertaining.
Marineland Address and Phone Number
9600 Ocean Shore Boulevard
Marineland, Florida 32080-8613
(904) 460-1275 or 1-888-279-9194
reservations@marineland.net
Marineland Programs and Attractions
Snorkel or scuba dive in the 450,000-gallon oceanarium tank. Included in the cost of this event includes admission into the park. Each dive experience is 45 minutes in length. Guests bring their swimsuit, all other gear is provided.
Snorkel Dive cost: $35.00 plus tax. This includes the use of mask, fins and snorkel. If you prefer you can use your own equipment. Wetsuit rental is available for a $10.00 charge.
Scuba diving cost: $65.00 per person. Scuba divers must bring their own gear and provide proof of certification. A certification card is necessary. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
Paint With The Dolphins
Choose either a canvas or tee shirt and hold them for the dolphin to create a beautiful three color masterpiece. Also included is a photo of you and your dolphin creating your picture. Cost $44.95 plus tax. Park admission is NOT included in the price.
Dolphin Touch and Feed
Accompanied by a professional trainer, guests can touch and feed a real dolphin. The cost for this program is $19.95 plus tax, and it includes a photo of you during this very special encounter. Admission to the park is not included.
Dolphin Encounter/The Immersion
Accompanied by a professional trainer begin this experience with classroom instruction followed by a swim with a dolphin. The park’s most interactive program, guests spend twenty minutes in the shallow water and ten minutes in the deeper portions of the habitat. The entire program lasts 90 minutes and the cost is $120.00 plus tax. This fee includes admission into the park. The classroom portion includes safety tips, dolphin anatomy and natural history. As with all interactive programs, the entire adventure is photographed. To participate, you must be at least five years of age. Participants under nine years of age must be accompanied by another participant who is at least 16 years old.
Flippers and Fins/Discover Dolphins
Learn about Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins while interacting with them from a custom designed dry location adjacent to the dolphin habitat. Our professional staff photographers will photograph all participants during their interaction. This program is available to anyone three years of age and older, but guests under eight years of age must be accompanied by a paying and participating adult 13 years and older.
Marineland History
Marineland began in the 1930s when a group of men visualized an indoor “ocean,” with tanks large enough for underwater filming and a realistic replication of underwater marine life. Designed by St. Augustine architect, Fred Henderick, Marineland features a Nautical Modern style, incorporating Art Deco, streamline and nautical features. The scale and size of Marineland’s tanks are an engineering feat that had never been accomplished before anywhere in the world. The Round Tank, which is 75 feet in diameter and 11 feet deep, and the Rectangular Tank, which measures 100 feet long, 40 feet wide and 18 feet deep, are surrounded by 200 portholes of glass for viewing and filming. It was first named “Marine Studios,” and later changed to Marineland, and became the state’s most successful tourist attraction. The original founders of the Marineland project were W. Douglas Burden, great-great-grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt; Burden’s cousin, Cornelius Vanderbilt (CV) Whitney; Sherman Pratt, descendant of a founding Standard Oil partner; and Count Ilia Tolstoy, grandson of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy.
Marineland Park Map (click on map for larger view)
|
|
|
