Discovery Cove Orlando

We love visiting water parks in and around North Florida, and if you’ve looking for a fun day trip from Jacksonville, a visit to Discovery Cove Orlando might be perfect for your family. Our family recently visited and while it’s not an inexpensive day out, the overall quality of our experience was amazing.

The Snorkeling is Amazing

If your kids love to snorkel or even if they’ve never tried it, a highlight of your visit will be snorkeling the Grand Reef. Discovery Cove provides you with wet suits and snorkel gear so you don’t need to worry about having the right equipment. At the Grand Reef in Discovery Cove you can swim with fish, sting rays and other beautiful sea creatures.

Everything is Included

Discovery Cove is considered an all inclusive resort experience, and they aren’t kidding. Breakfast and lunch are served at specific times and you can eat as much as you’d like. There are also snack bar huts around Discovery Cove where you can get drinks and snacks, all day long at no additional charge. In addition to the food, they also provide you with complimentary lockers, towels, sunscreen, snorkel gear and wet suits.

You Can Swim with Dolphins

Although Discovery Cove is all inclusive, there are additional experiences you can pay for while you’re there. One of them is a dolphin swim. If you want to swim with the dolphins at you need to make a reservation before you arrive. These spots fill up fast so don’t wait. When you arrive at the park you’ll get a time slot for your dolphin encounter (or any other extra experience you’ve reserved).

It’s the Perfect Place to Relax

 Being a native Floridian, our family has visited a lot of theme parks throughout the year. Typically I find them stressful. Discovery Cove was a completely different experience. Our family was able to relax and enjoy themselves unlike any other park we’ve visited. Having everything provided and the ability to float along the lazy river and hop out for snacks when we got hungry made this an easy trip for this mom of two.

There are Tons of Activities Kids Will Love

Yes, we loved the dolphins and snorkeling, but there are tons of other great activities for kids of all ages. The aviary at Discovery Cove Orlando lets you feed a variety of fun birds and the bird food is all complementary so you can come back as much as you want and there’s no extra charge to continue feeding them.

Discovery Cove exceeded our expectations and everyone felt like it was one of our most fun family trips. If you’re thinking of visiting be sure to book your tickets early, pricing increases as it gets more crowded.

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Shannon Beckham is a former Special Education teacher, turned SAHM that doesn’t spend a lot of time staying at home. Mom to Cole & Kiley, she loves cheering on the Gators, early morning visits to the beach and traveling with her family. She blogs about her adventures at The Beckham Project, and hosts the podcast, Jacksonville Momcast, where she chats with Jacksonville moms about motherhood and more in the 904.