Many years ago we made the discovery of the joys and untold pleasure to be gained by visiting the Gulf Coast and in particular the beaches of South West Florida,   There is something unique about still being able in this busy world  to walk along an empty beach of clear white sand with the occasional appearance of a dolphin  freely swimming close to the shore line looking a for meal, the only company.

We have encountered this scenario many times along South beach  Boca Grande and  and Stumps Pass Englewood to name a few, the locals do not bat an eyelid when the dolphins meander past, they are just used to it.  Whilst the visitor myself included will alert to the wife in excited way that dolphins are off shore, I can just visualised the locals muttering to themselves, typical tourists.  You can see dolphins along any beach on the gulf coast but there is no doubt they like quiet areas and when they come close to shore to feed.

The peak Gulf coast vacation rental season on the gulf coast is the winter months December to April when the North Americans and Canadians flood into South West Florida especially to escape the cold temperatures and snow in the Northern States.  The months of May and June are considered the off season which has always amazed me, I have been sat on a sun chair on a quiet beach in hot and sunny weather with the temperatures in the 90s and reading the local papers which talk about the busy season being over. When on some of the beaches in Europe in similar conditions you would be climbing over people to get to the sea.

Yes some of the beaches will still be busy, the likes of Fort Myers and Sarasota but there are still plenty of beaches to explore which offer the type of experience I have described above.

I first visited Sea World in California in 1984 so things have changed a bit since then. One of the highlights for me and probably lots of other people is the Clyde & Seymour show, I know every single corny joke but it’s always good fun and the mime showing people in is hilarious. If you’ve ever been caught you know to get in early next time!

Of course the main attraction is the Shamu show which is just fantastic, I love the fact that there is a conservation programme going on as well and it’s wonderful to see these intelligent, lovable animals and the obvious understanding with them and their trainers.

The dolphin show has changed quite a bit recently, now including tropical birds and performers as well as the dolphins. It’s great entertainment for everyone. There are areas where you can just observe the animals aswell, in a habitat which has been created to be as close the their native home as possible. You can watch the seals and feed them at certain times, they are very noisy and fun to watch, at the dolphin pool you might be lucky and have them come close enough for you to touch, more often they duck away at the last minute.

You can see penguins, polar bears, manattees, sting rays, sharks and a host of creatures you might never otherwise get to see, let alone interact with. The shark experience is very good, walking through a glass tunnel with sharks swimming overhead and all around. In every area there is a conservation and educational theme so you can learn more about the animals you see.

I also like the fact that they have a ‘Help the Heroes’ programme and show their support for servicemen and women everywhere, they show a tribute during the Shamu show which is quite moving.

The park is owned by a brewery and the Shire horses are beautIful, the tack and all the other equipment is beautifully maintained and at times you can see them tacking up the horses and taking out the drey.