Sea Life Park was founded in 1964 as a part of the Oceanic Institute. In 1972, the park was spun off from the Oceanic Institute and developed into a separate entity that today attracts more than 350,000 visitors each year. The park still has a strong focus on ocean ecology and the education of children but it is a fun place for ocean lovers of all ages. It is open seven days a week and offers a variety of specialty programs like swimming with dolphins, manta ray encounters and feeding the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles. Tickets are $25 per person.
Sea Life Park has suffered criticism through the years for the wildlife shows but does not offer the whale shows which mainland parks have been rightly criticized for. The dolphins at Sea Life Park are mainly animals which have been raised in captivity and most likely would not survive in the wild. The trainers and handlers treat the animals with respect and love. If you are a fan of wildlife parks, you really don’t want to miss this one.