Dad Trip Adventure 2 – SeaWorld, Jellyfish Awe, Military Freebies & Family Wins

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 Dad Trip Adventure 2: Day Two at SeaWorld – Surprise Edition

Day two of our spontaneous San Diego trip kicked off with one big surprise after another. The kids still had no clue why we were even in town. That’s when my brother, aka “Juice Boy” rolled up from Apple Valley and knocked on our hotel door. The kids opened it and he hit them with, “Let’s go to SeaWorld!”

Maggie’s first question was, “Where’s Andy?” (his girlfriend, who couldn’t make it because she was on call as an ER nurse, shoutout to her for being a real-life hero). Still, the surprise was a hit. The kids lit up.

Military Freebies, Dolphins, and Dodging Splash Zones

We loaded up and rolled out to SeaWorld, and that’s when the lightbulbs started going off—so that’s why we’ve been hearing fireworks every night!

Big PSA for military families: SeaWorld’s Waves of Honor program gives you up to five free tickets with a military or veteran ID. Yup—B, the kids, and I got in for free. Only had to buy one discounted ticket for Juice Boy. Can’t beat that.

The day was packed. Dolphin shows, sea lion tricks, the whole Shamu-style splash zone. Funny thing, we tried to sit where we’d get soaked… and somehow stayed bone dry while everyone else got blasted. Kids were kind of bummed at first, but they got over it when the dolphins started doing flips.

Jellyfish Vibes & Chill

Now, I gotta say, the jellyfish exhibit? Hands down one of the coolest parts of the entire trip. The lighting, the way those things float around like little glowing aliens, it was mesmerizing. Even the kids slowed down and just stood there in awe for a bit. Which, if you’ve ever road-tripped with little ones, you know how rare that is. It was like the calm in the middle of all the theme park chaos. Totally worth the stop.



Waka Flocka, Penguins & Old Friends

Later in the day, the kids got their first concert experience, and it wasn’t exactly Baby Shark. Nope. Waka Flocka Flame was performing right there at SeaWorld. They had no clue what was happening, but they were all in. Dancing, clapping, big smiles.

And in classic “small world” fashion, we randomly ran into the same friends we’d had dinner with the night before, right by the penguin exhibit. What are the odds?



Comic-Con Curveball & A Meaningful Wrap-Up

Quick dad tip: always check the local event calendar. We didn’t realize it was Comic-Con weekend, which explained the packed hotels and the extra shoulder-to-shoulder crowds at the park. Lesson learned.

At the end of the night, we drove up the coast to get ready for the next day’s LEGOLAND adventure. My brother said his goodbyes and headed back to Apple Valley, and it honestly hit me, this trip wasn’t just for the kids. It meant a lot to him too. We didn’t grow up doing big trips like this, so watching him laugh with the kids, be part of those core memories, that was special. One of those moments that makes you stop and think, “Yeah, this is why we do this.”

We wrapped up the day tired, happy, and already looking forward to whatever adventure came next.

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Location: 500 Sea World Dr., San Diego, CA 92109, USA

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