Panama City is a beach resort town on the Florida Panhandle, roughly halfway between Pensacola and Tallahassee. Powdery white sugar sand, an average of 320 days of sunshine a year and world-class fishing opportunities draw 6 million visitors per year. Panama City also has a particularly high concentration of bottlenose dolphins, and four businesses offer visitors the opportunity to swim with them.
Gulf World Marine Park (gulfworldmarinepark.com) is an all-day marine life experience. Opened in 1969, the park offers visitors the opportunity to observe sharks, alligators, sea turtles, sea lions and many other marine animals in both exhibits and interactive shows. The "Swim with a Dolphin" experience includes admission to the park. The dolphin encounter includes a training session in which you will learn basic commands and interact one-on-one with your dolphin. The highlight of the experience is a dorsal fin ride in which the dolphin will pull you around its enclosure. Children must be 48 inches tall and at least 5 years old to participate.
Blue Dolphin Tours (bluedolphintour.com) specializes in small-group encounters with wild bottlenose dolphins. Tours depart multiple times per day year-round and last approximately two hours. With only six people per boat, Blue Dolphin provides a personalized experience, including instruction on the best way to approach wild dolphins. Snorkeling gear is provided. The company has two identical boats, allowing larger groups to enjoy the tour together. Groups of fewer than six may be placed together to fill the boat, unless you pay to charter the entire boat.
Island Time Sailing (islandtimesailing.com) offers a three-and-a-half hour snorkel and dolphin swim sailing cruise year-round. Snorkeling equipment, optional wetsuits, snacks and life jackets are included. The snorkeling spot is approximately 4 feet deep, while the dolphin swim area is 10 to 15 feet. All tour participants must wear life jackets in the dolphin swim location. Tours depart one or two times per day in winter and three times per day during summer.
Water Planet USA (waterplanetusa.com) focuses on ecotourism and public education. The group offers one-day, three-day and week-long dolphin swims, as well as two dolphin encounter programs for children with special needs. All programs offer an educational component in which you will learn about dolphin physiology and social behavior, guidelines for wild encounters and water safety. Boat crew members enter the water with you to ensure a safe and productive experience.
Fritscher, Lisa. "Places in Panama City to Swim With Dolphins." Travel Tips - USA Today, https://traveltips.usatoday.com/places-panama-city-swim-dolphins-55085.html. Accessed 25 April 2019.