After a two-month hiatus due to statewide stay-at-home order restrictions, SeaWorld San Diego has reopened in Southern California, but with its offerings limited to outdoor exhibits and shows in adherence to current zoo safety guidelines.
We visited the park this past Saturday for its reopening day, and streamed an hour-long broadcast as I walked around its perimeter exploring the sights and sounds of SeaWorld San Diego for the first time in 2021.
Watch Live From SeaWorld San Diego – Park Reopening:
Upon arriving at the park, we found additional screening measures and queue dividers set up outside the entrance. A sign informed us that due to “current state of California COVID-19 guidelines,” indoor exhibits, rides, and outdoor play elements would not be available to SeaWorld guests.
Inside the entrance, more queue dividers had been set up to encourage physical distancing around the popular touch pools.
Indoor exhibits such as Shark Encounter, Turtle Reef, Penguin Encounter, and Wild Arctic are not currently accessible.
Physical distancing partitions have also been installed around outdoor enclosures to allow for more guests to gather and enjoy the animals while staying safely divided.
During our visit we got to see a number of delightful aquatic residents of SeaWorld San Diego, including turtles, flamingoes, penguins, seals, and sea lions.
We even saw animal handlers feeding the penguins fish, which was a real treat.
Kids will get a kick out of the Sesame Street walkaround characters who stand on floats for photo opportunities in the park. We saw Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Zoe, and Telly Monster on Saturday. There’s also a fun Sesame Street backdrop photo op nearby featuring Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Rosita.
A construction wall in the theme park advertises SeaWorld San Diego’s ambitious 2021 special events lineup, with upcoming celebrations including the Electric Ocean Drive-Thru, SeaWorld Seven Seas Craft Beer & Food Festival, Sesame Street Kids’ Weekends, SeaWorld BBQ & Brews, Howl-O-Scream, SeaWorld Spooktacular, SeaWorld Christmas Celebration, and more.
“Thank you for celebrating the world of the sea!”
SeaWorld San Diego is currently open Fridays through Sundays, with the Sesame Street Parade of Lights drive-through experience running Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For more information and to purchase advance tickets, be sure to visit the official SeaWorld website.