Gulf World Marine Park
Gulf World Marine Park, at 15412 Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach, Florida, is closed and is not open to visitors. According to Wikipedia, the dolphinarium opened on May 25, 1970 and closed on May 27, 2025, after its owner, The Dolphin Company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and several animals died. This guide is for people who want to know the park's status before they plan a trip, and the one thing to know is that there are no current admission prices or hours.
Should you go to Gulf World Marine Park tomorrow?
Good day to go
- Open-air plans work too today.
- Tue 20Open-air plans work too today
- Wed 21Open-air plans work too today
- Thu 22Open-air plans work too today
- Fri 23Open-air plans work too today
- Sat 24Open-air plans work too today
Weather at Gulf World Marine Park, tomorrow
| Time | Sky | Temp | Wind | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 am | Sunny | 55°F | NE 15 mph | 0% |
| 9 am | Sunny | 60°F | NE 15 mph | 0% |
| 11 am | Sunny | 67°F | NE 15 mph | 0% |
| 1 pm | Sunny | 73°F | NE 15 mph | 0% |
| 3 pm | Sunny | 75°F | NE 15 mph | 0% |
| 5 pm | Sunny | 74°F | NNE 15 mph | 0% |
Daylight
| Sunrise | 6:47 am |
|---|---|
| Sunset | 6:08 pm |
| Question visitors ask | Is Gulf World Marine Park open? |
|---|---|
| County | Bay County |
Is Gulf World Marine Park open now?
Gulf World Marine Park is not open. Wikipedia states that the park closed in May 2025 and that its website has been removed. The Wikipedia page was read on October 15, 2026, and it describes the park in the past tense as a former dolphinarium.
No current admission prices, opening hours or reopening date for Gulf World Marine Park appear in the sources used for this guide. Anyone who finds a current listing for the park should confirm its status with the owner or with Bay County before making travel plans.
Why did Gulf World Marine Park close?
According to Wikipedia, The Dolphin Company, the park's owner since 2015, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 31, 2025 to deal with its debt and financial challenges. Wikipedia also reports that the park closed in May 2025 after the deaths of several animals and other concerns.
A routine USDA inspection of Gulf World Marine Park in January 2025 documented repeat violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. The inspection cited problems with enclosure repairs, water quality testing and filtration, staffing levels and sanitation. Wikipedia notes that the inspection report is available through the USDA Animal Care Search Tool.
What did Gulf World Marine Park offer before it closed?
Before it closed, Gulf World Marine Park housed bottlenose dolphins and rough-toothed dolphins, which Wikipedia describes as one of only a few collections of rough-toothed dolphins in the United States. Its exhibits included the Dolphin Stadium, a penguin habitat, a harbor seal habitat, Sea Lion Stadium, Stingray Bay, a tortoise habitat and the Tropical Garden Theater.
Wikipedia reports that visitors could pay extra for up-close encounters with some animals and could swim with dolphins. Wikipedia lists the park's annual visitors at about 150,000. Those details describe the park before its closure and do not apply to a visit today.
Gulf World Marine Park: questions visitors ask
Is Gulf World Marine Park open?
No. Wikipedia states that Gulf World Marine Park closed on May 27, 2025, and that its website has been removed. The page was read on October 15, 2026.
Where was Gulf World Marine Park located?
Wikipedia lists the former park at 15412 Front Beach Road, Panama City Beach, FL 32413. It was a dolphinarium in Panama City Beach, Florida, that opened on May 25, 1970.
Who owned Gulf World Marine Park?
Wikipedia reports that The Dolphin Company acquired the park in 2015 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 31, 2025.
Did Gulf World Marine Park have animal welfare violations?
Wikipedia reports that a routine USDA inspection in January 2025 documented multiple repeat violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. The inspection report is available through the USDA Animal Care Search Tool.
Can I still visit the Gulf World Marine Park website?
Wikipedia states that the park's website has been removed. The site address listed on Wikipedia, gulfworldmarinepark.com, should not be relied on for current information.
What should I do instead of visiting Gulf World Marine Park?
This guide does not list alternatives, because the sources used here cover only the former park. Visitors looking for marine life in Panama City Beach should check current listings and confirm opening hours before they travel.
News about Gulf World Marine Park
No articles yet. New stories from Gulf World Marine Park appear here as soon as they are published.