Shark Week: Ways to encounter sharks (without the bite) in Central Florida

Shark Week kicks off July 11 on Discovery and discovery+, bringing eight days of shark-centric content to viewers hoping to learn about the massive, deadly sea predators.

Now in the 33rd year of programming, Discovery offers prime-time shows that educate audiences about great white sharks, tiger sharks, the fabled mega-shark El Diablo and more. Celebrity guests throughout the week include Snoop Dogg, Brad Paisley and William Shatner.

In Central Florida, there are a number of ways to experience the marine predators up-close, whether it’s visiting an aquarium, enjoying sharky specials or even swimming with sharks. Here are some suggestions.

Aquarium encounters

Orlando’s status as a theme park destination means there are several City Beautiful venues for experiencing sharks in an aquarium setting.

At SeaWorld Orlando, travel through an underwater viewing tunnel to catch unique angles of sand tiger sharks, epaulette sharks, whitespotted bamboo sharks and more. Upgrade to the add-on “Sharks Up-Close Tour” to touch a small shark, feed several species of sharks and learn more about the creatures.

The Seas with Nemo & Friends, located at Disney World’s Epcot, contains a 5.7 million gallon shark and ray habitat with tiger sharks, blacknose sharks and more. In addition, guests can visit Bruce’s Shark World, a walk-through exhibit within the attraction.

Icon Park’s Sea Life Orlando Aquarium offers the chance to view blacktip reef sharks, nurse sharks, bamboo sharks, epaulette sharks, coral catsharks and a zebra shark.

On Florida’s Gulf Coast, find sharks at The Florida Aquarium and one nurse shark at Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Swimming with sharks

While some of Florida’s aquariums offer the rare chance to see sharks up-close, others take it a step further and allow visitors to share the water with the marine predators.

At Discovery Cove, a $149 upgrade allows guests to participate in a shark talk and training session with expert aquarists before swimming freely with more than 20 blacktip reef, nurse, zebra and bonnethead sharks.

Florida Shark Diving in Jupiter provides diving charters and shark viewing trips for thrill-seekers looking to venture out into the ocean. Similar excursions are available through Shark Tours Florida in Riviera Beach, Shark Addicts in Jupiter, Calypso Dive Charters in Riviera Beach and Keys Shark Diving in Marathon.

Theater of the Sea in Islamorada offers a unique encounter with nurse sharks, offering guests the chance to feed, pet and hold the sea creatures in a saltwater lagoon for $115 per person.

Shark specials

More than just a series on TV, Shark Week has become a cultural phenomenon that extends far beyond the Discovery Channel. Businesses and brands now pull together sharky specials to pile onto the trend.

Try a “Sharktini” at Bonefish Grill July 11-18. The drink is a summery twist on the restaurant’s Winter White Cosmo with vodka, Cointreau, elderflower liqueur, white cranberry juice, fresh lime juice and frozen cranberries.

A Shark Week Slush will appear at select Sonic Drive-In locations with blue coconut slush, strawberries and shark gummies through Aug. 1.

At SeaWorld Orlando, a shark celebration July 11-18 invites visitors to find daily aquarist talks at the Shark Shallows and a shark-inspired Marko Margarita at Sharks Underwater Grill. The restaurant offers views of the shark tanks and a selection of bites for the whole family. There are some seafood options, but shark is not on the menu.

Find me @PConnPie on Twitter and Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. For more fun things, follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.