Opened in 2007 in response to a need to provide a safe haven for 17 stranded dolphins whose home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, Dolphin Cay is one of the world's largest open-air, man-made marine mammal habitats. Located on the west side of the Atlantis, Paradise Island property, the 14-acre environment includes an 11-acre lagoon complete with coves and sandy beaches, 7 connected "residential" pools, a state-of-the-art education center, an animal rescue-rehabilitation hospital, an animal pharmacy, a quarantine, and a separate sea lion center.

Dolphin Cay is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA), and the International Marine Animal Trainers' Association (IMATA). Through its partnerships with the University of Florida's School of Veterinary Medicine and University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Dolphin Cay plays an active role in the development of the advanced research and knowledge about marine mammals.

Every visit to Dolphin Cay supports the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, creating and promoting solutions for a wide range of marine conservation challenges from coral reef degradation to marine species in decline.