My 9 year old son has requested our next family trip center around a visit to Sea World. I believe the closest one to Arkansas would be Sea World in San Antonio, so I guess I need info on the park and surrounding area/attractions as well.
For reference, there are 5 of us, and the children will be 13, 10, and 2.5 by the time summer rolls around.
Thanks in advance,
FaerieBeth
Sea Worlds a good choice for the younger tykes. They’ll love Shamu.
There are several shows and exhibits involving other critters and of course rides for different age levels. Fiesta Texas is down the road and has mostly musical shows and rides. Remember it’ll be hot and sunny so pack hats, sunscreen, parasols, etc.
Of course there’s the Riverwalk, The Alamo and other missions, museums et al.
Check out:
www.sanantoniocvb
www.heartofsanantonio.com/
www.buschgardens.com/seaworld/tx/
Have fun!
I remember it as a fun morning, but as an adult it didn’t have enough to keep me interested or entertained all day long. Of course, the place was geared for children, so go figure. I thought the food was over-priced. The whale shows were great. Since you’re going to be in San Antonio anyway, you might as well check out the Alamo and the Riverwalk, which are two of the city’s big attractions (even though I think they’re kind of over-rated). I really don’t remember what all else there was in the way of family entertainment in San Antonio. I seem to recall some kind of circus museum. There’s a pretty big mall. Huge parties everywhere on Cinco de Mayo and the Fourth of July. I can’t remember much else that would be of interest to someone bringing a family to San Antonio. I’m sure they have a website with good info, though (I know you probablly already thought of that). I was only in San Antonio for a few months in the early Nineties while receiving some military training at Fort Sam Houston. Most of the places I went weren’t really geared for “families,” you know? I will say this: for such a big city, I thought the people were generally very nice and I had a good time, although I felt both the taxi drivers and the used car places I used tried to take advantage of me and some of my friends. Sorry I can’t offer more. Hope you and your family have a great time, though!
Oh Hell! I forgot! Go to Six Flag Fiesta Texas! Among the rides they have there is The Rattler, the world’s largest wooden roller-coaster! Oh man, is that thing great! They have a bunch of other rides, too. Maybe your youngest would be too little, though? I’ve never tried to bring a tottler to a big amusement park. I’m sure they have thing for the little ones, too. Maybe you could split up? Again, things were over-priced. But ma-alive, did I have a blast on The Rattler. One day I was there with about half my platoon and we pretty much kept that coaster in business all day, going on it again and again. Also, if you should find yourself under the roller-coaster and come across a little stuffed bunny and about thirty bucks, well, that’s mine! Seriously, though, I had a good time at Fiesta Texas. Again, I’m basing this off ten-year-old memories, but still . . . you might want to check that out.
We recently took a trip to Sea World San Antonio (well…ok. It was last June, bu anyway) and there was enough to keep two adults and presumably several children enterained all day long. The shows are spectacular. DO NOT miss the cetacean one featuring the beluga whales and the Pacific white sided dolphins (Sorry can’t remember the name right now…VIVA! I think). If you arrive early enough, you can also sign up for a cheap behind-the-scenes walking tour of Sea World where you actually get to touch some critters (a shark and live stingrays that you can actually FEED from your hands, which is way super cool). There is also an indoor show called “The Haunted Light House” by R.L.Stein (yes THAT R.L.Stein). For the very smallest one, there is a “Shamu’s Playground” where you can spend some time if the older ones want to go exploring or ride The Steel Eel and Great White (the roller coasters) or whatever.
I don’t know about when you’re going, but if you’re into that, there will probably be several opportunities to take pictures with Seaworld characters while you are there. We had a picture taken with Penny Penguin and Shamu. 
Like Mephisto said (I think it was him…anyway) DO NOT forget sunscreen, hats or VERY comfortable shoes. Preferably with a change of dry shoes/socks that you can put in a rent-a-locker because trust me…you will want them after having being soaked at a show. Walking around in wet shoes/socks can cause blisters out the frigging yinyang and you don’t want that. It will suck the fun out of your vacation like a Hoover vacuum. 
Mephisto is right. The food is hideously overpriced. I suggest breakfasting at the McDonald’s which is very close by and then taking snacks and stuff to keep you going throughout the day in order to avoid paying mucho dinero on bad food.
Hope this helps.
CartoonSu