Aquatica, the newest theme park which officially opened its doors on March, 2008, is part of SeaWorld in Orlando Florida. It has been said that SeaWorld knows water so they built the most exciting water park in the country. The 59 acre water park has become very popular amongst children and adults with all kinds of water rides for a day of sun and fun. It was constructed to resemble the Southern Island Seas of New Zealand and Australia. (photo courtesy of Flickr)

Aquatica located across the street from SeaWorld has something to offer for everyone with a combination of animal experiences, all sorts of water rides and slides, and relaxing sandy beaches where you can relax in the shade on your own personal cabana. There is also a separate children’s pool and even those not old enough to walk yet can still slide down in tubes with their parents in specially built rafts.

If your idea of a family vacation is spending time at a water park then Aquatica is for you as it is designed to be one of the biggest and most interactive water parks in the world. It offers the most thrilling water rides with 36 slides, 6 rivers and lagoons, and approximately 80 thousand square feet of beautiful beach area. You can also spend a day just swimming in one of Aquatica’s real wave pools and it will feel as if you were swimming in the ocean. (Photo courtesy of Orlando Sentinel)

The “dolphin plunge” is Aquatica’s most active ride which is a side-by-side body slide that sends riders through a pool with black and white playful friendly dolphins. Friends of mine who spent their family vacation at Aquatica mentioned that the lines for the “dolphin plunge” can be very long and you should expect a long wait. But, you can still see the playful dolphins by going over to Loggerhead Lane which is Aquatica’s lazy river attraction and usually there is no waiting here. At this beautifully landscaped attraction, you can go past an underwater window into the dolphin pool. It also passes through a grotto that displays a brightly colored African fish aquarium. (Photo courtesy of Disney Villa)

At Aquatica by SeaWorld, there is something for everyone. Here is a partial list of what to expect:

Dolphin Plunge – is the main attraction at the park
Taumata Racer – is an eight lane racing slide through enclosed and open sections
Whanau Way – is a tower with four double-raft slides
Tassie’s Twisters – funnel-like slides that you can ride in single or double rafts
Walhalla Wave – a slide that twists in enclosed dark segments
HooRoo Run – a triple dip slide that is short but fast
Roa’s Rapids – a fast and aggressive water ride that even has speed zones
Loggerhead Lane – a lazy river that passes through a grotto and dolphin exhibit

So, on your next Florida travel, you can plan your vacation at the most incredible marine life adventures found in the world, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica, all adjacent to one another in Orlando Florida. (Photo courtesy of Flickr)