What do you get when you mix animals, tropical lagoons and an all-inclusive food & beverage package together? I’ll give you a hint, Discovery Cove and it’s a front-runner in my aquatic travel repertoire!

Hello, my name is Dawn and I’m an all-inclusive junkie! This mama of two eased herself into a hammock a little faster as a result of Discovery Cove’s all-inclusive package. Thankfully, it provided me with more time to chillax and absorb the sounds of nature.

Here are 8 tips to help first timers relax, unwind, and feel like they’re on island time. Well, until they close and kick you out, but until then, you can soak up the suds and swim with the Sea Rays.

8 tips for first timers at Discovery Cove~

1. Book your reservation in advance. It felt as though I was on my own private island with attendance limited to 1,300 guests per day.
2. Upgrade your base ticket to include extras that interest your family, like SeaVenture, a 20 minute underwater walking tour that includes a diving helmet or relax in a private Cabana with your very own cabana host. Upgrades consist of animal encounters or relax packages. Check them out Discovery Cove Upgrades
3. The best part of this all-inclusive package is that they do the cooking for you and it’s not your typical theme-park fare. Breakfast 7:15-10:30am, Lunch 11-3pm, and unlimited Snacks and Beverages are provided, including Alcohol with the price of your base ticket, woot!
4. Wetsuits, Life Vests and Snorkel Equipment are provided by Discovery Cove and required in the wet areas. Discretion is their middle name when selecting wetsuits for underwater customers. If you’re not a size 6, don’t fret, most people aren’t and Discovery Cove is very considerate and discrete.
5. Wait, don’t lather on the SPF 3000, Discovery Cove has your safety and the animals in mind with specially formulated sunscreen provided in the locker areas.
6. To participate in animal encounters you must be at least 6 years old and comfortable in the water. Some animal encounters require children ages 10 & above, so please check the specific encounter before upgrading. Also children ages 10-13 must be accompanied by a paying adult in the participating experience.
7. Leave your Jewelry, Inflatables, and Coolers behind. Discovery Cove supplies what you need, as well as Towels and Lockers.
8. Last but not least, bring a waterproof camera and/or cellphone sleeve to protect your phone from getting wet!

Leave your cares behind, head over to Discovery Cove for a day of fun in the sun.

Sponsored by Discovery Cove and Mediavine as part of the “We Grow Retreat 2018!” All opinions are my own. **Also, Discovery Cove is a certified Autism park!