do you need water shoes at DC?

[goemanb]

Hello, we are going to DC on Jan 23, wondering if we need water shoes, they are hard to come by in South Dakota this time of year.. If anyone has been there before and would have any suggestions, that would be great.

 

[sdwrdt]

I was the only one in our family of 4 who wore water shoes, but that's because my feet seem to get almost cut up once they're that wet. So, if you don't have to wear water shoes in a typical pool, then you won't have any problem at Discovery Cove.

I'm so jealous! Would go back in a minute!

 

[greenclan67]

You can buy water shoes at Discovery Cove, and they are not overpriced at all, we bought some for our daughter when we were there! That being said, I hate wearing water shoes, and took mine off, it is so sandy, they drove me crazy! But, but, after we left there, I read an article about an older gentlemen not wearing water shoes, and he cut his foot on coral while swimming in the reef, and within a few days he had sepsis from the cut on his foot, and it infected his whole body, scared me enough, that I am going to wear water shoes when we return in March, just to be on the safe side!

 

[AlbertZeroK]

I bought water shoes when we got there a few weeks ago, then with them on, busted my a$$ on the floor of the bathroom. As I laid there on the floor on my back, I realized the water shoes were likely a bad idea. I can't believe DC would sell shoes that were a safety risk, but clearly they were.

I have rather rough feet, so the coral didn't bother me, my daughter didn't wear shoes either, and didn't have an issue. But I wouldn't suggest stepping on the coral, it's not a firm footing.

But I would skip the swimming shoes.

 

[kathy884]

I think they are a good idea for anyone who rarely goes outside barefoot. That is my whole family. But I think water shoes are also a good idea for playing in the ocean and for walking on hot pavement at waterparks. I'm personally a big fan of these.

 

[SmallWorld71]

DD7 wore her own from home. DS15, DS11 and I did not wear any. I scraped one foot a little on the coral in the lazy river but no real problems and I didn't feel like I needed a pair. DH bought a pair there and he had no problems with them. We live by the beach and he does not like the feel of sand on his feet; the kids and I go to the beach all the time and it doesn't bother us. DH wears a men's size 13; they had quite a range in sizes.

 

[thatgirl23]

The first time we were there I didn't use water shoes. It was a little rough on the feet going into the lagoon with the dolphins but I dealt with it. (I never went in with the reef.) The second time we went I thought I'd try the water shoes and nearly slipped and went under multiple times while walking out to where our group was supposed to go in the lagoon. I ended up needing help, which was absolutely embarrassing, because I couldn't stop sliding with them on. One of the trainers who was helping me said I wasn't the first one to keep sliding and she didn't know why they even sold them. Next time? I'm going barefoot.