Swim with Dolphins at SeaWorld San Antonio

Kissing Brady

Guess what?  I recently fulfilled a lifelong dream.  I was able to swim with a dolphin, so fun!  I was invited to take part in a Dolphin Interaction at Discovery Point in SeaWorld San Antonio.  After changing into a wetsuit and while accompanied by a trainer, a small group of us waded into the shallows of Dolphin Lagoon (at Discovery Point) and met Brady, a 17 year old bottle nose dolphin who couldn't have been sweeter.  There were several other dolphins there but I spent all my time with Brady.

 

 Taking a ride with Brady!

We were able to give him kisses, rubdowns, and even go for a short swim.  It was so fun to be so close to such a beautiful animal and learn about him. 

Learning some of the commands and having fun with Brady

Oh, and we got a little wet!

SeaWorld San Antonio has several interaction experiences available including the Dolphin Encounter, Beluga Encounter and the Sea Lion Encounter.  Interested in booking an Interaction at SeaWorld San Antonio?  Check out the link below for Blue Friday savings and make sure to come back on Thursday for even more savings.  These hands-on-experiences make great gifts as well.  Make someone happy and give an experience this holiday season.

SeaWorld's Blue Friday Sale Sneak Peek

AdventureCon15

I am back from AdventureCon15 (SeaWorld's blogging conference) and vacation as well!  AdventureCon15 was such a blast.  AdventureCon13 was the first blogging conference I ever attended.  David and the kids met me for a day when I went to AdventureCon14.  This was our first year to experience the conference as a whole family and we had a lot of fun.  When I was in blogging sessions, David and the kids were at the park having fun with other families.  Of course it didn't feel like "sessions", it felt like I was hanging out with friends and family that know a lot about blogging and social media!  I am excited and inspired to start implementing many of the things I learned!

And I have to end with some fun photos of course, enjoy!

David and the oldest five with Shamu

 B approves of her lunch!

 A and F having water fun.

 Aquatica has some great places to relax.

 D loved the sand.

E excited to see the new Sea Lion High show.

Disclosure:  I am a SeaWorld Texas Wildside blogger.  I received complimentary passes for myself and family and have the opportunity to receive other perks throughout the year.  All opinions expressed here are my own.

SeaWorld AdventureCon15

Guess what?  I am headed to AdventureCon again this year and I am so excited!  This will be my third year to attend (my first year as a Wildside Ambassador).  Three years ago I attended by myself and I was blown away by the information and content as well as the friendliness of the attendees, wildsiders, and the park itself.  And every year, it just gets better.  Last year, David and the kids came up for one day and met me at various times throughout the conference.  This year, we will be doing the entire conference as a family and I cannot wait.  The speakers look amazing and there is so much to learn.  So join me in my #AdventureCon15 adventures as I have fun and take my blog to the next level.

You can follow along our adventures on facebook, twitter, instagram, etc. by looking for the hashtag #AdventureCon15.

Oh, and we are really hoping to see the baby beluga whale that was born just last week.  Enjoy the video below.

SeaWorld, Sea Lions, Such Fun

A few of the Wildside Bloggers!  Thanks to Noel Bracy for this photo.

A few weeks ago my friend and I had the privilege of attending a special, after hours event at SeaWorld San Antonio, a perk for being a SeaWorld Wildside Blogger.  We were able to get a sneak peak of the all new Sea Lion show, Sea Lion High.  We had so much fun!  We enjoyed so much delicious food, desserts and beverages, had our caricatures made, met and fed the sea lions and of course enjoyed the new show!  The new construction of Pacific Point Preserve is beautiful.  I love that you can see and interact with the sea lions more - and so do they!  If you haven't seen the show it is really fun and I would highly recommend it.

 Heading into the event.

 Pacific Point Preserve

The stars of the area, the sea lions!

 Check out this fruit sculptor, such talent!

 Caricature time

Finished - looks pretty good!

 I actually went home and put mine in a frame :).

Food

More Food

Love that this photo captures the friendly staff.  Not only was the food absolutely delicious but the staff was all smiles.

The newly constructed Sea Lion show set.

President Dan Decker introducing the new show.

Science Class

Show Fun

The Principal

Sea Lion High is a super cute show.  Clyde and Seamore go back to high school in pursuit of their diplomas.  It seems that they have missed a few classes and may not graduate after all.  The animal behaviors are a treat to watch and the trainers do a great job keeping you engaged with fun audience interaction.  Will these two graduate?  Check out the show for yourself and let me know what you think!

Disclosure:  I am a SeaWorld Texas Wildside blogger.  I received complimentary passes for myself and family and have the opportunity to receive other perks throughout the year.  All opinions expressed here are my own.

AdventureCon14

Photo taken by Julie Pippert

Remember when I attended AdventureCon13 last year?  It was my first blogging conference and I wasn't sure what to expect.  It was chock-full of so much information, so many wonderful people and a park that never ceases to amaze me.  Well, this year I was able to attend AdventureCon14 last month and it didn't disappoint.  Unlike last year, my whole family was able to come to the park and enjoy some of the event with me!

 Baby F and I with a very special guest.

The first night was a blogger mingle.   AdventureCon14 was a time to see old friends and make new ones.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to get to know some truly amazing people who just happen to be amazing bloggers as well.

 Introducing infants

Elayna and I were both pregnant at last year's AdventureCon.  It was so fun for our babies to meet!  Elayna - it is always a pleasure to see you and your sweet family.  The list goes on and on of amazing people that are special to me at AdventureCon.

 Those little touches

Returning to AdventureCon14 this year was like going to a family reunion.  I met new people and realized I miss those that I don't see more often.  Everyone is so welcoming, encouraging and the conference is full of little touches.  Like when I checked into my room and found the above note waiting for me.  Things like this just make me smile! 

AdventureCon14 was an amazing mixture of information and experience.  I love that we were able sit down and dive deeper into some blogging improvement and that we had interactions and experiences within the park.  It truly is a great mix.

SeaWorld Highlights

Roa's Aviary is a new attraction within Aquatica


These are some of the birds you will find within the Aviary (there is a back side too).


Roseate Spoonbills

Some of my favorite birds were the Roseate Spoonbills.  Similar to flamingos, their beautiful color is diet derived.  Their pink color combined with their long bills make them quite beautiful to view.

Kookaburra

Another thing that we were able to do was meet some of SeaWorld's Animal Ambassadors.  The Kookaburra was a hoot when it made its loud call which resembles human laughing.  There is something quite amazing when you are able to see animals up close and personal. 

A and B riding Shamu Express

The kids had a lot of fun riding different rides!  A, B, C, D and E all rode the Shamu Express.  It was D and E's first time.  Shamu Express has become our traditional family first roller coaster.  We just need for Baby F to grow so he can join in on the fun.  My oldest three were also able to ride Journey to Atlantis for the first time during this visit.  I was a nervous Momma bird but I am so glad for the opportunity for them to spread their wings while I am still in the picture.

Conference Sessions

Learning about Pinterest

This is what it is like to be in a session.  The speakers this year were so insightful and down to earth.  I loved that they were approachable and willing to share their insight.  We learned how to think like a reporter, how to be a great media source, what community storytelling is all about,  tips and tricks for pinterest, Google+ and much more.  Colleen, one of the Sea World Wildside bloggers, created this awesome post of tips from the conference.  If you are a blogger and thinking about going to a conference I cannot say enough good things about AdventureCon.  Take the plunge!  Go here and sign up for more information about AdventureCon15.  I hope to see you there.

SeaWorld San Antonio AdventureCon13

 AdventureCon13 Participants
(Special thanks to the photographer for allowing me use of this photo)

Last weekend I had the privilege to attend my first ever blogging conference, AdventureCon13 at SeaWorld San Antonio.  It was an amazing experience chock-full of great information, fabulous people and of course was hosted by a one-of-a-kind park!  I learned tips and tricks of how to think like an editor, ways to attract brands, how to improve my photography skills and found out about a ton of blogging tools I had never heard of.  I will be spending the next few months really diving into the material and seeing how I can incorporate what I learned here on Cummins Life.  Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the conference and a special thanks to SeaWorld for really striving for relationships!

While I was there I had the opportunity to experience being at SeaWorld.  Let me show you some of the fun!

 

Did you know that SeaWorld San Antonio has an Animal Ambassador program?  You can find them at the Animal Connection Conservation Center at the park.  They also travel (so be on the lookout for them coming to you) making media and public appearances to raise awareness for conservation and species in danger.  I met two of SeaWorld's Ambassadors at the conference.  Above I was able to get the closest I have ever been to an armadillo.

 Meet Wilson -  adorable

Meet Alena 

I have always been fascinated by lemurs so again this was a super fun experience to get so close.  I love SeaWorld's passion for conservation and education!

I was able to see three different shows at the conference: One Ocean (Shamu Show), Azul and Pet's Ahoy.

Amazing leaps and jumps


Shamu poses

One Ocean will entertain you and educate you at the same time.  We can all make a difference and have an impact in our world.  

Azul features Beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, an array of colorful birds and superb acrobatics!  You will see the animals , the trainers and the acrobats all perform incredible tricks.  Expect to be entertained and remember this show really is a must see.

Pet's Ahoy is a brand new comical show featuring an array of animals rescued from animal shelters including dogs, cats, birds, rats, pot-belly pigs, and an assortment of feathery friends.  I loved seeing this show in action and it had me in stitches!

 Aquatica

I made my way over to Aquatica which in some ways reminded me of a tropical paradise.  They have a bit of something for everyone.

 Seating in the sand

Just want to relax, no problem.  How about the beach chairs in the sand?  And if you are looking for a more interactive experience, you must check out the stingrays.

Stingray Encounter features a unique opportunity to get in the water with stingrays.  You will be able to touch them, feed them and stand in awe of these amazing creatures. 

These encounters happen at certain times during the day so make sure to book ahead.  I will definitely be taking my family back for this one.

Again, a big thanks to the Wildside Bloggers, other attendees of the conference and SeaWorld San Antonio for everything they did to pull this conference off.  I met some truly superb people and I hope to have opportunities to get to know them even better.

Disclosure:  I was provided with discount tickets to SeaWorld and Aquatica through participating in AdventureCon13.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.