Do you want to swim with stingrays in Florida? You’re in luck because there are many aquariums and marine parks in Florida that offer this experience.
The following is a list of stingray encounters in Florida:
Discovery Cove:
Address: 6000 Discovery Cove Way, Orlando, FL
Website: discoverycove.com/orlando
Established in 2000, Discovery Cove is an all-inclusive family resort and theme park in Orlando. The resort features white sand beaches, tropical lagoons and unlimited food and drinks as well as fun animal experiences.
The resort offers a Ray Feeding encounter during which guests can swim with and feed Cownose and Southern stingrays.
In addition to the Ray Feeding encounter, the resort also offers other types of animal encounters, such as a Swim with Sharks encounter, a Swim with Dolphins encounter, Flamingo encounter and an Otter encounter.
In 2022, U.S. News Travel named Discovery Cove one of the 33 best water parks in the U.S.
Discovery Cove is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is owned and operated by Seaworld Parks & Entertainment.
Florida Keys Aquariums Encounters:
Address: 11710 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL
Website: floridakeysaquariumencounters.com
Established in 2014, the Florida Keys Aquariums Encounters is a marine life facility in Marathon that features diving, snorkeling, feeding activities and a touch tank.
The facility offers a Stingray Encounter during which guests can interact with a stingray in waist-deep water while a photographer takes photos of the encounter.
In addition to the Stingray Encounter, the facility also offers other types of animal encounters such as a Shark Encounter, a Nursery Encounter, a Coral Reef Encounter and a Lagoon Snorkel Encounter.
Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters is owned by Ben Daughtry.
Gulf World Marine Park:
Address: 15412 Front Beach Road, Panama City Beach, Florida
Website: gulfworldmarinepark.com
Established in 1969, Gulf World Marine Park is a marine park in Panama City Beach that is home to dolphins, seals, seal lions, stingrays, penguins and tropical birds.
The marine park offers a Stingray Interactive Program during which guests can swim with two species of stingrays, Cownose and Southern, while they touch, feed and play with them.
The marine park also offers other types of animal encounters, such as a Dolphin Encounter, Sea Lion Encounter, Seal Encounter, and a Penguin Encounter.
The Gulf World Marine Park is owned by Ron Hardy.
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park:
Address: 1010 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL
Website: www.gulfarium.com
Established in 1955, Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park is a marine park at Fort Walton Beach that is home to dolphin, sharks and stingrays.
The park offers a Stingray Bay Snorkel Encounter during which visitors can snorkel with stingrays, bamboo sharks and tropical fish.
In addition to the String Ray Encounter, the park also offers other types of animal encounters, such as various types of dolphin encounters, a seal encounter, a penguin encounter, a gator encounter, a turtle encounter and more.
The Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park was incorporated in 1954 by 15 scientists at the University of Miami and fifty local residents.
Miami Seaquarium:
Address: 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne, FL
Website: miamiseaquarium.com
Established in 1955, the Miami Seaquarium is a 38-acre oceanarium in Key Biscayne that is home to dolphins, sea turtles, sea lions, stingrays and penguins.
The seaqarium offers a Stingray Encounter during which visitors can swim with cownose stingrays while they learn more about these animals.
The seaqarium also offers other types of animal encounters, such as a Seal Swim Encounter, Dolphin Encounter, Penguin Encounter, and a Sea Trek Reef Encounter.
Miami Seaquarium is accredited by Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums, IMATA’s Animal Trainer Development Program and by American Humane.
Miami Seaquarium is owned by the Dolphin Company.
If you would like to visit Miami Seaquarium and want to save money on tickets, check out this article on Miami Seaqarium discount tickets.
Theater of the Sea:
Address: 84721 Overseas Hwy (Mile Marker 84.5) Islamorada, FL
Website: theaterofthesea.com
Established in 1946, Theater of the Sea is a marine mammal park in Islmadora that is home to alligators, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, sting rays and sea lions.
The park offers a Swim with the Rays Encounter, during which visitors can swim with, feed and touch stingrays in shallow water.
The park also offers other types of animal encounters, such as a shark encounter, dolphin encounter, a sea turtle encounter, and an alligator encounter.
Theater of the Sea is owned by P.F. McKenney, Jr.
Sources:
“Ray Feeding.” Discovery Cove, discoverycove.com/orlando/upgrades/ray-feeding
“Stingray Encounters.” Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters, floridakeysaquariumencounters.com/encounters/stingray-encounters
“Stingray Interactive Program.” Gulf World Marine Park, gulfworldmarinepark.com/sting-ray-interactive-program
“Animal Encounters.” Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, gulfarium.com/animal_encounters
“Animal Encounters.” Miami Seaquarium, miamiseaquarium.com/plan-a-visit/tickets-and-programs/
“Swim with the Rays.” Theater of the Sea, theaterofthesea.com/attractions/animal-interaction-programs/shark-ray-encounters/swim-with-the-rays/
“History.” Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, gulfarium.com/history
“About Us.” Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, gulfarium.com/about
“About Us.” Gulf World Marine Park, gulfworldmarinepark.com/about-us
“About Aquarium Encounters.” Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters, floridakeysaquariumencounters.com/company/about-us/
McCarthy, Kyle and Holly Johnson. “The 33 Best Water Parks in the USA.” US News Travel, 14 April. 2022, travel.usnews.com/gallery/the-best-water-parks-in-the-usa
“AZA Accredited and Certified Members.” Association of Zoos & Aquariums, aza.org/inst-status
