Dolphin Encounter at Georgia Aquarium
A couple of weeks ago my boys and their friend participated in the Georgia Aquarium’s Dolphin Encounter program where they were able to touch and feed they a dolphin, meet a trainer, and learn about dolphin care.
We showed up for our scheduled time slot about 20 minutes early to sign release forms. After receiving a breakdown of program, the boys joined a small group who also signed up for the dolphin experience, and went backstage with the dolphin trainers.
A group of up to 8 visitors can be in each group. Every encounter varies slightly based on the mood of the dolphins and the trainers discretion, but most include 15-20 minutes of actual poolside time with a dolphin.
The group went to a large pool where they met a bottlenose dolphin. They learned some training methods and hand signals, and were able to use them to get the dolphin to flip, move backwards in the water by skimming her tail, and jump to make a big splash.
The dolphins were very vocal, and the boys had not heard that sound up close before. They were very interested in her voice and what she was saying. Their other favorite parts were getting splashed and petting the dolphin, who I hear feels like a raw hot dog.
The boys were allowed to give the dolphin some fish as a treat for following the commands. They thought this was very cool, but I will warn that they smelled like fish for the rest of the day.
Overall, I thought this was a fun and unique experience for my boys. It is pricey, but I would consider it for a Birthday or Christmas gift instead of another toy they are sure to lose interest in.
Additional Information:
The aquarium also offers otter, penguin, sea lion, and seal encounters as well as a Beluga Whale experience.
Price - $69.95 / General Admission into the aquarium is not included.
Children must be 7 years of age or older to participate and children under 16 years of age must have a paying adult with them throughout the encounter.
**Book early! These encounters can fill up months in advance.