Since the early 1960s, SeaWorld has transformed itself from a modest attraction with mock mermaids and performing dolphins into an internationally known park sheltering more than 12,000 marine and aquatic animals. More than half a dozen shows and twenty other watery attractions showcase the splendour and infinite variety of the world’s oceans, from San Diego’s own tide pools to the South Seas and Arctic wilderness.

Welcoming four million visitors per year, SeaWorld is one of San Diego’s most popular tourist attractions. The park has emerged as a local leader in wildlife conservation and public education. From the performing killer whales to the walk-through shark habitat to the hands-on stingray pool, nearly every SeaWorld attraction mixes entertainment with an environmental message.

SeaWorld’s trademark is the killer whale, exemplified by the popular Shamu Adventure Show, in which the gorgeous black-and-white creatures interact with wet-suited trainers in a massive, seven-million-gallon saltwater habitat.