Swimming with the Dolphins in Miami

By Monica Dyben

I arranged the Dolphin Swim through Dolphin World Tours, who made everything easy and convenient. Dolphin World books dolphin swims and dolphin encounter vacation packages in several locations all over the world. I chose Miami because it was close to home and perfect for a one-day dolphin adventure with my children. My son and daughter, ages 5 and 10, were jumping up and down with excitement the morning of our swim. I had given them the tickets as a Christmas present, and they simply could not wait to get into the water with the dolphins. Neither could I.

Swim with Dolphins Miami

When we arrived at Miami Seaquarium, our dolphin adventure began. Our tour guide, John, was both friendly and courteous, as was the Seaquarium staff. After checking in at the gate, John showed us around the park. We had time to watch two of the marine animal shows and see some park exhibits before our Dolphin Swim, which was all included in the price of swimming with the dolphins. My kids were thrilled. John then led us to the Dolphin Harbor building to get us signed in for the swim. When we were all set, he let us explore the park on our own.

The first show we saw was the Sea Lion show. It delighted my 5-year-old son like nothing I’ve ever seen. His face simply lit up as he watched. He relished sitting in the “splash zone,” even though we didn’t get very wet. My 10-year-old daughter found the show hilarious as well. I loved seeing the joy on their faces as they watched the silly sea lion escapades.

Next, we were off to the Dolphin show. It was enchanting, as dolphins always are, and made us even more excited about our upcoming swim. We then had about 40 minutes to walk around, grab something to eat, and explore the park. My son was happy to expend some of his unlimited energy on the big pirate ship playground. From there we went to the aquarium (complete with live diver), the manatees, the crocodiles, and sea turtles. We even saw two deer before it was time for our Dolphin Swim.

Meeting John back at the Dolphin Harbor building, we were brimming with excitement! After he took our picture by the pool, we got our wetsuits and booties, changed, and put our things into a locker. Then it was time for the dolphin briefing. The 15 minute talk was very informative, educating us on a dolphin’s anatomy, how best to interact with them, and what to expect during our Dolphin Swim. We learned that dolphins have 88-100 teeth which close like a zipper, so keep your fingers out of their mouths! No problem. At last, it was time to get in the water.

The water was a little cold, which made my son a little bit hyper, as it was waist deep on him. I think he was also a little intimidated by the size of the dolphins. The average adult body length varies from 6.5 ft. to 13 ft., with males being slightly larger than females. That’s pretty big when you’re 5 years old. Fortunately, the trainers were terrific and knew exactly how to make the experience fun for each of us.

It was a perfect day. The park wasn’t busy right after the holidays, so it was just the three of us in our own little group with the trainer. We worked with four dolphins, three females and one male named Abaco. We had a fabulous time learning about each one and how they slightly differ from each other. My daughter and I loved petting the dolphins, rubbing them, and giving them kisses. We learned training commands and made them flip and do tricks, fed them fish, the whole 9 yards. It was fantastic!

My son got over his inhibitions by playing catch with the dolphin using a small basketball. It was a great first interaction for him, and he was thrilled when the dolphin threw the ball back! After that he was comfortable and decided to pet the dolphin, which he really enjoyed. However, he wanted no part of kissing one. He did shake a flipper though, and that was enough. And of course, he was delighted to no end every time the dolphin splashed us!

The highlight of the Miami Seaquarium Dolphin Odyssey, as the swim properly called, is the dorsal-fin ride. If you are over 52 inches tall, you have the opportunity to get into the deep water with a dolphin and go for a ride! What else could possibly compare? You feel so special being able to bond with these precious mammals and play with them in the water. There’s nothing else like it. As you hold on tightly to the dolphin’s dorsal-fin, he pulls you for an exhilarating ride around the pool that is simply magical. I smile just thinking about it.

Our time with the dolphins was over way too soon, but we treasured every minute of it. The pictures we took that day we will cherish for the rest of our lives. I look at them often, whenever I need to bring a smile to my face. Our time swimming with the dolphins in Miami was truly an unforgettable experience; one we will repeat as often as possible.