I've recently become a stay at home mom and I'm looking for more to do in the Clearwater area. A friend recommended the aquarium which I somehow had never been to! Well it turns out it's much more economical to be a member so we splurged on the 4-person membership for around $240. The staff is all super nice. It was a weekday so rather than paying $14 for parking (members only pay $7 with validation) we found free street parking. My 4 year old loved the touching tank upon entry and we learned about how lobsters shed their shells. It's a mixture of old and new structures so it can get confusing to navigate but we figured it out for the most part. Another favorite was the stingray area as well because you can get wet. I personally couldn't locate the otters but I will make it my mission next time. Lots of scheduled presentations! I think we will find plenty of reasons to come back. I noticed they also have a food court. Would love to see some sort of splash pad addition like at the one in Tampa. There is a cute waterfront playground just a stone's throw away! read more

See all

Positive: Become a member. Everything in the gift shop is discounted and your parking is half off. Not to mention it's only an extra $30 and you can come back as many times as you like. Which turned out to be a caveat because apparently today was a day everybody decided to come to the aquarium. If you didn't already know this is where "Dolphims Tale" emanated from. Florida is and has always been dedicated to the preservation and rescue and Rehabilitation of the marine species and environment. The drive out here is something. Crystal Blue Azure Waters surrounded by pristine white sandy beaches. read more

See all

I'm not one for leaving bad reviews, but the Clearwater Marine Aquarium was a little disappointing. There is a large tank when you first walk in to the aquarium that was completely empty. Literally no fish whatsoever. You walk around the tank as you walk around the aquarium there are window all the way around, but again, the tank was completely empty. There were other areas of the aquarium that were under construction due to either renovations or expansion. Due to this there were multiple enclosures that had no fish are animals to view. It's a little disappointing when you are traveling for vacation and the aquarium was the place that your daughter was looking forward to the most. All this while still charging full price for admission. All that being said, they have a very friendly and informed staff and volunteers that clearly do a lot for the marine life. It is very commendable the way they are nursing injured marine life back to health. Definitely more of a rescue center than an aquarium. read more

We've been to a lot of aquariums all over the east coast, this one unfortunately might have been the worst. Very small and run down- no AC (even the theatre was super warm!) food area was the only escape from the heat. Most interactive displays were down and not many exhibits for kids to look at. Only a few tanks with some fish. Lots of other exhibits had signs that they were empty. Dolphins in the main tank were the most to look at as were the sting ray are that kids could reach their hands in. Sea lion talk was the only highlight (staff there were super nice and welcomed questions). I took kids here for a supplemental homeschooling trip. I don't think I would recommend it to any other passerby's. Best maybe to check out other things Clearwater has to offer. Tickets are around $30-40, so family of 4 will run 132$ with proof of teacher card read more

See all

I have really mixed feeling about this place. I do think the people running it really care about the animals but the place itself is very small. I was somewhat concerned about the welfare of the animals because of the cramped spaces. As some one else stated it is not exactly air conditioned. I'd say if you want a wow and entertainment it's maybe not the place for you. If you are interested in people trying to rehab and educate it is fine. read more

I visited the Clearwater Acquarium as part of a corporate awards dinner, so my visit was different than many who go during the day (although I have visited as a tourist a few years back). My group was brought over from our hotel on trolleys and directed up a flight of stairs. Once we found the correct door, we were led into the dolphin room. We had cocktail hour there, which was cool - as we could walk around the dolphin exhibit while enjoying a cocktail (or 3). After cocktails, we went upstairs to a ballroom area and had dinner and drinks, listened to award presentations, and then had a live band with karaoke. The catering staff was great, although the fish entree was cold and not very flavorful (not the fault of the aquarium IMO). This was a highlight of my business trip and I thoroughly enjoyed the dolphins. read more

See all

I hate to be so critical of a non-profit with such a noble mission, but our group was very disappointed with the aquarium, especially when factoring in the $42 admission price per person and the $15 parking fee. Very little to see here; facility seemed dated, exhibits/habitats unkept and inadequately inorganic. Just bad vibes in this place, sorry to say. read more

See all

Disclaimer: This is not your average aquarium. I feel that this statement is important and should be clearly annotated for those seeking the "aquarium experience." With that being said, Clearwater Marine Aquarium champions a great cause while backing it up with a clear mission and purpose. While we had our share of challenges here (namely not having our discount honored as annual pass holders with another local venue), Clearwater Marine Aquarium deserves the recognition that should come with the rehabilitation of our marine wildlife and stewardship thereof. The aquarium entrance is located on the third level of the parking deck. The parking deck itself is run by a third-party and there is no waiving of the parking fee by the aquarium itself. Altogether, the aquarium is split between the third, fourth, and first floors. During our visit, there was a good amount of construction and renovation. While the aquarium occupies a good amount of real estate, the size does not necessarily correlate with the number of exhibits/tanks and specimens that can be found within. There were a handful of tanks that housed some coral dwelling fish, sharks, and other local species - very few and far between when compared to your average aquariums. Along with a couple of touch-tanks, there were also turtles and otters. The main showcase here is with the dolphins. Each dolphin had their unique story which Clearwater Marine Aquarium does a great job of showcasing. There are plentiful info-stations that shared interesting facts about dolphins and relative marine mammals. Even though my daughters didn't get to see as many fish as they would like, it was a delight to see them so awe-struck by the dolphins. The massive tanks and their viewing windows made the experience even more grandiose. Where it lacks in exhibition, the venue makes up for with paid activities, boating excursions, and interaction with the marine animals on the premise. The aquarium also boasts a pretty robust food court, and a gift shop. We did not spend much time at the aquarium, but glad that we visited and checked Clearwater Marine Aquarium off our list. read more

See all

This aquarium was really cool to see with my family!! I really thought the dolphin, River Otter, Turtle, and Stingray exhibit was amazing. The Gift Shop was also really neat. I purchased a Winter Bottlenose Dolphin with a removable tail prosthetic plush and I also accumulated a "Save the Floaty Potatoes" shirt with a very cute looking manatee. Liliana was a great salesperson in my most sincerest humblest opinion. read more

See all

This was horrible. What would you like me to start with? Let's start with cost. 40 bucks to get in omg thanks Groupon for giving me 7 dollars off. You're walking around a construction job. Everything is closed dark and limited. Over priced gift shop is expected. Where are the sharks? 1 nurse shark, like really.... 5 dolphins and crap after that. There's more tarps blocking over exhibit then there is animals. Elevators broken. Lights not working. I will try to get my money back. Family of four 140 bucks for a 20 minute walk through. Let's keep going 45 dollars for pictures. DO NOT GO HERE UNLESS YOU JUST WANT TO WASTE MONEY. read more

Clearwater Marine Aquarium - This is what they say they have but it's closed everywhere. Don't do it!! - Aquariums Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

This is a nice way to spend a rainy day in Clearwater. It was a straight walk from the Pier 60 resort area (20 minutes), or they have paid garage parking. Tickets were ~$40 for adult admission, and the ticket is valid all day (you can leave and come back). This is more of a rescue and rehabilitation facility instead of a full-blown aquarium, so only expect to see a few of each type of animal. No giant tanks, and the tanks were very murky - the glass could use some good scrubbing to give guests better viewing. The dolphin presentation was poorly lit and hard to see. While there were some exhibits with reading material on the walls, I didn't notice a lot of informational plaques for the fish tanks - many tanks merely had labels of the fish names with a side profile and maybe a QR code to scan, but that was it. It did have staple aquarium activities with free educational talks every 30-45 minutes (the schedule was conveniently advertised on screens around the facilities and was also accessible online), a touch pool (stingrays, hermit crabs, etc.), films about sea turtles and dinosaurs in the Dolphin Tale theater, and additional add-on experiences like underwater virtual reality and more personalized animal encounters. This aquarium is famous for the late Winter the Dolphin, whose inspiring story was shown in the movie, Dolphin Tale. They even have an exhibit showing Winter's story with her prosthetic tails and movie props. We spent about 2-3 hours here, enjoying the dolphin talk, shark talk, otter talk, and playing with the stingrays. They have other animals like pelicans, reptiles, opossum, and creepy crawly bugs. We went during Shark Week and they also had a free impromptu Shark Bingo game. Staff and volunteers were easily accessible around the venue. The top floor also had some activities for kids to take breaks like building blocks and cornhole. This is more of a 3.5-rating for me, but it's something to do when the weather is iffy or you need a break from the beach and hot sun. read more

See all

Mission: 5 Value: 3 I was excited to visit since this place had been on my list for a while. The facilities were clean, and the staff were friendly and welcoming. I really appreciated the mission of educating guests about sea life and animal rehabilitation--they do an excellent job showcasing the work they do to rescue and care for injured animals. There were staff members or volunteers by the dolphins, touch tank, and other areas to share information about the animals/rehab and answer guest questions. That is a nice touch and adds meaning to the visit. That said, this experience is much more of a rehabilitation center or animal hospital than a traditional aquarium. The name is a bit misleading, and if you're expecting a classic aquarium with large exhibits and lots of viewing time, this may not meet those expectations. It only took about 45- an hour to go through everything. I enjoyed the turtle talk and learning more about sea turtles, the dolphin area, stingrays, and manatee hospital were definite highlights. However, the nurse shark viewing windows were very cloudy and could use cleaning, which made it difficult to fully enjoy that exhibit. In terms of price and amenities, I felt the experience was fairly expensive. I visited because I found a discounted ticket on Groupon and was already in the area. Parking was $15, which also felt high--I hope that fee goes back into supporting the rehabilitation work they do. I know the ticket price goes and helps the work being done with the animals. read more

See all

This was our third and final visit to an animal and marine aquarium venue while on our month long stay in Florida, and can we say it was hands down money and time well invested!. There was so much to say and do that we decided to take small chunks and leave the other available amenities and upgrades to our return visit prayerfully next year. Of course the highlight was the dolphin feeding and training presentation. A close second both hilariously and funny was the seal venue. This is an experience the whole family can enjoy. We highly recommend it! You will not be disappointed!!! read more

Clearwater Marine Aquarium - On The Outside Deck Of The Clearwater Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

See all

Like others have mentioned, this is not a regular aquarium. Don't expect a lot of exhibits or big tanks. It's a conservation center. With that being said, it's pretty expensive ($41) for entry. If you're okay supporting a good cause, then this won't bother you as much. The place is a bit of a maze. You can finish it in less than 45 minutes. There really isn't a lot to see. There's a parking garage for $15. But if you drive a block away, there is plenty of free street parking. The food court actually looks very nice. Which is odd that that is the nicest part of your aquarium. read more

See all

My kids loved this place. The dolphins were so fun to watch. Our very favorite are the otters. They love to perform. The staff is all lovely and helpful. We learned about Winter the dolphin who lost her tail because of a crab trap. We went back to our condo and watched dolphins tale 1 and 2 and my kids loved seeing all the places in the movie they had been that day, read more

See all

Complete waste of money. Mostly under construction. In dire need of renovations. It's the end of May and there are still old and crappy Christmas trees everywhere. There's nothing good to see. I wish I'd read the yelp reviews before coming here. 41 dollars for nothing! I should have known something was wrong when there were no people there. The staff was really nice and professional though. That is true. I felt bad for them tbh. read more

The staff here were so kind! Amazing that they are helping animals and rehabilitating them! Loved my time here! read more

See all

It was interesting to see some of the sea life up close, but I found that the grounds were somewhat rundown and the areas where the sea life were swimming lacked any kind of vegetation. It was just cement cubicles with the animals floating around. I think the staff were restoring these beautiful creatures to health, but I think they would be happier if their spaces were nicer. read more

Was a very informative place to visit on marine life and we did the dolphin tour while we were there. We went on the 2:30 tour and it was definitely a great tour to be on. We saw a pod of dolphins even a baby just not sure how old though. Captain Jerry, Cheryl (hopefully spelled correctly), Vivian and Katelyn were absolutely wonderful from the tour ride to all the information presented to us on the tour. This facility does a wonderful job educating you whether on a tour or walking around the area. I hope they continue to grow and help with more of the beautiful creatures out there. read more

See all

We had a great time at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. We enjoyed all of the exhibits; especially the dolphins, sea turtles, nurse sharks, otters, sting rays and manatees! Those particular exhibits were especially nice, providing spectators with up-close and educational viewing. There were many other animals that we saw, such as fish, octopus, turtles, eels, and birds. The aquarium was very clean and well taken care of. There were so many things to do that you could easily spend the day there. You can attend shows, educational experiences, boat tours, get snacks, eat at the yummy food court, purchase things at the gift shop, and even buy professional photographs from when you enter the facility. read more

See all

Many animals to view. The dolphin show really was spectacular and you learned a lot from it. There are some interactive activities as well that make your experience worthwhile. This is great for any family. read more

Clearwater Marine Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

See all

My deepest love is for the ocean. I grew up beside it. I've been diving since the early 90s. I now spend a considerable amount of time volunteering with ocean conservation programs. I happened to be between dive trips when I saw an ad in Facebook for Aqua Lanterns at the aquarium. Typically, I have a love-hate relationship with them. I love that people can learn about the ocean and the creatures that live within it. I hate that we keep those animals in aquariums and created tanks. Once I realized the mission of this particular aquarium, "to preserve our environment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life; environmental education; research; and conservation." I could not not go. Booked a mother/son date. It was fantastic and we both - grown adults - loved it so much. It wasn't crowded. The lights are beautiful. The evening was unrushed and relaxing. Thank you so much for everything you do. Reading Winter's story, seeing pictures of others who had been saved and rehabbed here made me so happy. Seeing the result of your work was way better than the lanterns and they are awesome! read more

See all

Clearwater Marine Aquarium is located in Clearwater, FL. What I liked about this place was, they take in injured and sick wildlife to rehabilitate them. Some of the animals were too injured to be released back into the wild. A famous dolphin named Winter lived there; her tail was damaged from a crab trap and they gave her a prosthetic tail. There were movies based on her story. Aside from dolphins, there were otters, sharks, stingrays, tortoises, and various others. There were exhibits indoors and outdoors. They had a dolphin show with a host telling us all about the dolphins; the dolphins were also performing tricks. There was an outdoor patio on the upper level. Parking was plentiful in the parking garage. We were staying at a local hotel and they were offering discounts to the aquarium because they were affiliated. When you first walk in, they had professional photographers taking your photos; you have the option to purchase it later with all the graphics on it. There was a food court and multiple levels of exhibits. We got to see the dolphins up close and personal at the lower level. They are looking to expand the aquarium and add a manatee exhibit. Overall, we had a fun day there and would go back. read more

See all

I love the mission and will support because of that but it was strange that all the touch tanks didn't require handwashing beforehand, and didn't offer it afterwards? Especially after handling raw fish for the stingray feeding? Pretty unsanitary in my opinion. Was told one price for stingray feeding at the door and another at the actual event? It was strange read more

Clearwater Marine Aquarium - Pelicans - Aquariums Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

I was surprised about some people leaving this wonderful orgainzation such poor reviews. They are open about this being more of a rehabilitation aquarium rather than a straight sea park like Sea World. It's a wonderful place with great staff that will take time to educate you on everything going on. Love it. read more

Pros: -We received half off admission because we were aquarium members at a different aquarium in Florida. -Alcoholics drinks at the bar on the mid-level floor were $7, which is great! They tasted pretty good too. -Tanks were big and the dolphins were the highlight Cons: -The layout is confusing and really disorganized -Pretzels are EXTREMELY SALTY! To the point of ALL of us were scrapping it off. -Half the workers speak little English or act like they do not want to be there (particularly the bar/food workers. -Amount of aquatic animals were minimal -spacing is atrocious, people are often crunched and since there is NO flow or good layout of the place, we are going back forth constantly for different parts of the aquarium (it really just needs re-vamped) -Very hard to find maps and to understand where everything is at (layout makes no sense) Glad we got to see this once but not likely to go back (at least in comparison to various other aquariums) read more

See all

I wanted to love this place because I love aquariums however it was honestly just ok. It was as though there was no flow and you have to back track to see everything. Some of it is under construction so that may have added to difficulty in navigating thru. Other than all the proceeds going to animal rehabilitation it's not worth the money. We didn't eat so can't comment on that We did buy a can of Pepsi zero and it was 3.25 There's a gift shop with quite a few different items. Park on level 3 for easy access to entrance. read more

Clearwater Marine Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

See all

The Temu Aquarium. For nearly $200 to get the family in, plus another $15 to park, I expected some amazing visuals and close experiences. Instead we were met with broken interactive displays, empty tanks, dirty tanks, and bored kids. I've been to places 10x bigger nicer for a fraction of the cost. If this place was significantly cheaper, maybe but skip this and drive into Tampa. read more

We were able to visit when Winter was still around - Summer of 2020 and we thought it was soo cool to see her and her fin. We learned a lot about her and her companions by walking around and reading. We encountered and interacted with a few employees and for the most part they were nice. We got bored rather quickly and finished seeing everything within an hour or so. read more

Me and my family recently took a trip to Florida to visit the Clearwater Marine aquarium and we had the best time ever. All of the volunteers were very helpful and knowledgeable on the animals, especially Karen, who helped us a lot with information about Hope. Clearwater Marine aquarium has some of the best and most unique animals. Overall, we had an amazing time, the aquarium was very clean and had an amazing gift shop as well. We will definitely return! read more

See all

This place was cute. There as alot of construction going on during our visit. The place is a maze . What I loved was how friendly everyone was. It seemed genuine and not forced. So many people volunteered information about the animals. We learned so much. There was one person in particular who came over and told my kid how to be a marine biologist. She even made sure to mention how important good grades are if she wanted to study animals . This woman came over and started talking without being prompted. She also didn't have to say anything . I loved learning about the dolphins and the other animals . read more

This is the most beautiful aquarium and rescue I've ever visited! The staff is incredibly nice and welcoming, making the experience even more enjoyable. I was especially impressed by how clean everything was--both inside and outside of the dolphin tanks. I even saw a staff member cleaning the glass during our visit, which speaks volumes about their dedication. The dolphin presentation was absolutely beautiful, though I do wish there was more viewing space. We visited on a weekday when it wasn't too crowded, but I can imagine weekends being a bit challenging for good visibility. The sea turtle presentation was also very informative, and the spot training was fascinating to watch. The kangaroos were adorable, but I personally would have preferred the encounter without the sling bags, as that was the only thing stopping me from participating. The entire facility was spotless, and I loved the artwork displayed throughout. One thing we noticed was that we kept discovering new things each time we walked through the floors. Some exhibits seemed a bit hidden or not super noticeable at first--not sure if that was just us not reading the map well enough or if the layout could be clearer. Either way, it made for a fun and exciting experience. Overall, this is hands down the best place I've been to! I've visited many zoos and aquariums, but this one truly stands out. The animals look well cared for and happy, and the underwater dolphin viewing area is an absolute must-see. Thank you for such an unforgettable experience! read more

See all

This review is for our visit from 2021: My family and I love this aquarium. We purchased tickets so we could surprise our grandmother to visit Hope and Winter - dolphins are her spirit animal! She was SO in love with everything about them and how truly beautiful they are. It's set up nicely, easy to find your way around, and it's super cool that it's a rehabilitation center for marine animals. *I don't have any recent photos, but I'm sharing some from when we visited back in 2021! read more

See all

Our daughter was reminiscing one day about Clearwater Aquarium. Some 30 years ago I had a chance for a break from classes at Naval Reserve Center Tampa to spend a Sunday volunteering at Clearwater Marine Science Center (as it was known then). I fell in love with place and volunteered when I could then my oldest two daughters also spent a summer volunteering as tour guides. Then it was basically one big building and a tour was about 30-40 minutes. We decided to pay a visit, my wife, eldest daughter, granddaughter (19) and grandkids (13 & 11), and myself. Holy cow! What a difference the years have made! Now several large buildings on four levels and a multi-level parking garage! Wow! Our entrance led to a Dolphin encounter in a large viewing area where we enjoyed a 20 minute show of Dolphin performance. Then downstairs for a slow stroll through halls filled with graphics and information all about dolphins and other sea life. On the side you could see a dolphin up close in view windows to a tank. One that really surprised me was a view of Winter, from Dolphin Tale movie, swimming around!?! Then I realized it was a movie! Many exhibits with Otters, Sharks, Tarpon, many different types of fish and mammals. Just so many things to see. Kids loved the Sting Ray touching tank and wanted to go back several times. Also a movie of the Aquarium team rescuing a "dinosaur fish" which was in reality a model. Almost fooled the kids. All the "kids", ages 48, 19, 13 and 11, got a temporary glitter tattoo from employee Conner, who also gave a wonderful short speech on turtles, tortoises and terrapins. So much to see and do - lots of animatronic dinosaurs and activities for kids of all ages. Before we realized it, late afternoon came and we realized we were very hungry, having only had a light breakfast. It was difficult passing through the cafeteria by the exit with all the wonderful smells, but we had pre-decided to try a nearby Mexican restaurant so bud farewell. A wonderful experience and well worth the cost and time to see and do everything. Plan on at least 3-4 hours or more! Plus they have boat trips and are a local sea life rescue and rehabilitation. read more

See all

Checked out the Boos and Bubbles event for Halloween. The event started at 4pm and we arrived around 4:45pm. We paid $24 a person plus I believe $12 for parking. There was a DJ outside on the one deck and activities for those attending. The tickets were supposed to include a boat ride but by the time we went to guest relations around 5:15pm, they were all full. Very disappointing. The overall aquarium was very small. Some of the aquariums were empty. My favorite part was the stingray area. Love that you can touch the stingrays. I probably would not go back due to the size of the aquarium. Other aquariums in Tampa Bay are around the same price but offer much more for experiences and educational opportunities. read more

See all

I really enjoyed my visit here. It's not exactly an aquarium--one of the employees explained it's more like a sea life hospital, and I couldn't agree more. You get a behind-the-scenes look at the rescue and rehabilitation work they do. Some staff are paid, but most are volunteers and interns, which is so impressive. It made me both sad and grateful to learn the reality of how much these animals need help, and inspiring to see how much the team is doing to save them. If you're looking for a purely entertaining attraction, this might not be the best fit. But if you love sea life and want to learn about real conservation efforts, this place is definitely worth a visit. read more

Save your money! The entrance area is new and inviting, but once you pay the admission and get into the aquarium, you will see it is a facade. While the dolphin exhibit outside is large and elaborate, it is no way worth the admission. The rest of the aquarium is a dump. Dark, stinky, dirty, leaking, I see more fish in tanks at my zoo in Ohio. There is one plus, the marine rescue area (mainly turtles) made me think perhaps the extremely-overpriced-for-what-you-get admission helped contribute to "saving the turtles". That's really the only thing that gave us piece of mind (and this review 2 stars). If you are wanting to see the manatee area- don't bother they are closed. Having been to Ripleys Aquarium in Myrtle Beach I assumed that another heavily touristy area in a major beach city would be equally as awesome, but it is not. read more

Extremely disappointing--do NOT waste your time or money. This place is an absolute ripoff. The ticket prices are outrageous for what is essentially a glorified shrine to one dolphin (Winter, who, by the way, is no longer even alive). They have the nerve not to offer paper maps, instead pushing you to fumble through an impossible-to-navigate app--which is just as confusing as the layout of the place itself. Once inside, you're met with barely any animals. A few dolphins, some turtles, and the occasional otter if you're lucky. No sharks, no engaging exhibits, no real "aquarium" experience to speak of. Most of the time is spent winding through empty hallways, videos, or static displays talking about Winter the dolphin. It feels more like a memorial museum than a working marine rescue or aquarium. And the gift shop? Don't even get me started. Prices are sky-high for poorly made merchandise--all Winter-themed, of course. The whole operation feels like a cash grab banking on the fame of a single dolphin instead of offering real education or conservation value. Honestly, I left scratching my head wondering what the draw even is. Save your money and go to the Florida Aquarium in Tampa or Mote in Sarasota--this place is a tourist trap at best. read more

I feel that the place is way over priced, the attractions really are nothing to write about. Quite a few exhibits were empty, and it was a total mad house with three, or four busfulls of 6th. and 7th. graders made it really hard to get close to areas where the walkways narrowed out. The snack area was filled with kids, using the tables without ordering anything, they also congregated together for various dance routines that I quess they figured everyone in the museum would be interested in there performance. Another reason why I won't be coming back will be the lack of any time of seating throughout the building. read more

The manatee exhibit was closed and the main viewing tank was cloudy and not viewable. There is not much to see or do at Clearwater Marine Aquarium and it is a disappointing experience. They would not refund my admission of $39.95. It was a waste of time. read more