Image is an AI reconstruction of a historical scene
Welcome to Vacationland: Echoes of Ohio’s Nostalgic Destinations by Rocco
SeaWorld of Ohio
A Splash From The Past
It was the late 1970s, and Dad came home in his pickup truck from his job as a tool-and-die worker. After he washed up and took a seat at the supper table, he just looked at my mom, my sister, and me with a big grin on his face.
We didn’t have air conditioning yet, but I remember the cool breeze from the windows on three sides of this back room off the kitchen that we called the dinette. We didn’t have a formal dining room. We were an old-school, blue-collar, working-class family.
Mom knew something was different about Dad. She’d ask what’s going on with suspicion. My sister and I joined in questioning his growing smile.
“What—What—What…” grew the chorus.
Then he pulled something out of his shirt breast pocket and waved tickets in the air.
“We’re going to SeaWorld!”
Understand, this was a big treat for a family like ours back in the day.
My sister and I jumped from our chairs and screamed with delight, running around the table like our pants were on fire.
Looking back at the nostalgia of living near Cleveland, it really was a special time. Imagine, SeaWorld was once in nearby Aurora, Ohio. It was only the second SeaWorld to be created. The first was in San Diego, California. Yes, SeaWorld was brought to the Midwest before it opened in Orlando, Florida. It ran for 30 years, from 1970 to 2000. Over one million people entered the turnstiles in its first 100 days!
The thrill of that day at Ohio’s ocean featured Shamu, the killer whale, who let someone ride him. Then, a lady was selected from the crowd and stood before the enormous tank of water where Shamu had been airborne just minutes earlier, soaking the first several rows of people when he thundered back down into the water. To our delight and the woman’s fright, he popped up to give her a kiss.
The magic just kept coming. The dolphin show, sea lions, penguins, and one of my favorites, the seals. The cute little black fellas scampered about in a hilarious comedy show.
Nostalgia is often a romanticized recollection of a special time and place, but grimmer realities would taint the story of SeaWorld in general, and other factors would make its survival in Ohio more challenging.
Regardless, SeaWorld Ohio filled a generation with wonderful memories while it lasted. It’s hard to believe it was ever here.
Explore more Vacationland: Echoes of Ohio’s Nostalgic Destinations
By Frank Rocco Satullo, The OhioTraveler, Your Tour Guide to Fun
