Took a day trip from the Orlando area to the aquarium. I read that parking was an issue so we…read moreplanned to arrive right when they opened at 9am. I purchased our tickets the day before so that we could skip the line. I was a little surprised to see the aquarium nestled in between the cruise dock and the downtown Tampa area. The aquarium itself has no parking, but there are a couple if garages right next door. The one I parked at was $20 a day. Even at 9am, the parking garage was nearly full to my suprise. I showed my ticket barcode to the attendant, they take a quick family photo (the cheapest one is $29) and we were in with no wait. The aquarium has many exhibits in a fairly small space. It was fairly comfortable for thr first 30 minutes we were there, but it quickly filled up. We went on Friday hoping to avoid crowds, but it didn't seem to help. We spent about 2 hours visiting all the animals and my girls even got to touch jellyfish ans stingrays. They have helpful employees that answer your questions and seemed happy to be there. The gift shop and food options are extremely expensive and are comparable to Disney prices. We saw everything we wanted to see and left by 1130am. Tickets were $45 and parking was $20. I feel it was a little pricey for 2 1/2 hours, but we had a good time.

The Florida Aquarium is a clean, well-maintained attraction and a nice place for locals to escape…read morethe Florida heat or a rainy afternoon. Admission was $88 for one adult and one toddler, which felt a bit expensive for what was offered. We really enjoyed the coral reef exhibit and the large aquarium tanks. The octopus and jellyfish were definitely some of the most memorable animals, and my daughter absolutely loved the touch tank where she got to pet jellyfish. That ended up being one of her favorite parts of the visit Growing up in Florida and fishing most of my life, I'm already pretty familiar with much of the local marine life, so some of the exhibits weren't as exciting for me personally. However, my daughter had a wonderful time, which made the visit worthwhile. If you've visited before, be aware that a few things have changed. The outdoor penguin exhibit is gone, and the splash pad and playground have been replaced with a large turf area that has very little for kids to do outside. That was disappointing since those were some of the more unique family features. All of the animal exhibits are upstairs, while the downstairs consists mainly of the touch tank, gift shop, and restaurant. Overall, it's a smaller aquarium than what I remember from 10 years ago and we spent about an hour seeing everything at a comfortable pace. Overall, it's worth visiting once, but at the current admission price, I don't feel it offers enough value to visit regularly.

I have been going to Coral Reef in Tampa for over 2 years and they have always had quality products…read moreand the sales people are very friendly that take the time to listen and then make recommendations. There inventory of fish is amazing and they have species I have not seen at any other store in the area. What's so great is I always come away with new information and tips about about fishkeeping. Today I spoke to Melissa who helped me pick out the right algae eaters for my 30 gallon tank as I had no idea there were so many different types and sizes. She is extremely knowledgeable about plants and how to have success in growing them in your tank as well. If your new to aquariums and not sure what to do I would suggest you Give Coral Reef aquariums a visit.

I never leave bad reviews but this was crazy. There was dead decomposing fish that have been there…read morefor multiple days. I looked at the coral and all the coral tanks had aiptasia which will spread in your tank. They had some rare fish but it was crazy how it's like people just stopped caring about the tanks.

I read a bunch of reviews for many aquariums around me. This one stuck out to me because a lot of…read morethe reviews said that although it wasn't the biggest aquarium, they were there for hours and learned so much about alot of the animals there. We got to the aquarium around 10:30am today and let me tell you, the instant we arrived we were told there was a teaching about sharks going on. On the way to the teaching, there was a friendly lil guy we passed on the way. He was so stinkin cute. The older gentleman says he roams the entire place when he's hungry and looking for food lol. The shark teaching was so good. Lots of great information as well as the diver inside the aquarium. It was so fun to see her feed the fishes and shark while we were getting the information. The next teaching we went to was the baby alligators. It was so cute, but they were pretty feisty. Lol. The next teaching was the best one I've personally ever had experienced. They did the teaching about their two big gators - Indiana jones & Donkey. Now, I've been to many aquariums from Hawaii all the way to Canada. This aquarium was only one I've ever been to where to gators look alive, happy and well cared for. You can tell that these guys really do love their job and the animals they have. The teaching was amazing and such a great experience. We also got to feed stingrays, baby sharks, baby gators and much more! The petting zoo was so cute as well. All in all - I can't recommend this place enough. If you're wanting to go somewhere where you get what you pay for - this is the place to do it. I've paid much more for animals that just look like they'd much rather not be there. 10/10, you guys at Tarpon Springs Aquarium are doing great! We left at 2:30 by the way. We were there for four hours. It was so hot but I enjoyed every second!

Want to touch some slimy sting rays? Or feed them? How about petting a shark? Or feed a sea turtle?…read moreMaybe a baby alligator? How about hold an alligator or a snake? Our family is local and told us about this place, it's a small family owned business which we like to support. Such a great experience for our kids. They enjoyed themselves. You have to buy tickets to feed the animals, all prices were reasonable, they offered annual passes as well as kids tickets, and senior tickets, and kids 0-2 are free. If you are in the area and have a few hours you want to kill definitely go check this place out. Also right down the road about 10 mins is sunset beach.

I've recently become a stay at home mom and I'm looking for more to do in the Clearwater area. A…read morefriend 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!

Positive: Become a member. Everything in the gift shop is discounted and your parking is half…read moreoff. 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.

What they do for sea turtles is an amazing thing. It truly is a hidden educational gem. The…read moreexperience is totally worth the short wait for a complimentary shuttle from the overflow parking lot of the Manatee Viewing Center. Not many people know about the care that is given here to rehabilitate sea turtles from all over the country. There were a little over 30 cold stunned sea turtles on the day that we visited in February. Some were even shipped from as far as Massachusetts. There were a couple of Loggerhead and Kemp's Ridley, but mostly Green sea turtles. All of which are endangered. You'll see the injured sea turtles in various stages of rehabilitation. Some were in warming pools while others were in what they call deep-dive foraging tanks. They have to show that they can forage for food before being released back to their home. It was quite the experience to see them being treated from a viewing window outside of the veterinary hospital part of the facility. They looked to be very well cared for at all times. It's an amazing thing! They have partnerships with TECO and various companies, just like the Manatee Viewing Center. It's also a free activity. However, please consider making a donation. I read that it can cost up to $15,000 to rehab a single turtle. I believe that also includes the monitoring of released turtles through a satellite tag tracking system. There's so much to say, but each visit is a unique experience. You never know what you may encounter. Don't miss it.

I can't explain the degree of happiness I felt yesterday learning about The Florida Aquarium Sea…read moreTurtle Rehabilitation. This is Not at the Tampa location downtown. This is in Apollo Beach next to the Manatee Viewing Center. So imagine a day filled with manatee and sea turtles, and all the sea life, and nature in between. You can't drive here per se. You simply take a golf cart from the back up second lot at the Manatee Viewing Center. Best part, this is free! 34 Sea Turtles were here when we visited yesterday. They all came from the same location. They were in the northeast and were cold stunned, so they were exposed to the cold water for too long and needed to recover. The turtle rehab becomes their home so they can get better, & eventually be released back at their home. Once you walk up the stairs, there are several areas. My experience was seeing the first couple of the bigger sea turtles that you see through the glass. They are so cute and they smile and wave to you through the glass. I then saw two smaller sea turtles. They swim around the water. The next area shows graphics about their food and what they eat, as well as their sizes depending on the type of turtle they are. The next glass will be about sea urchins, and a science lab. I didn't see too much here, but someone was working very hard. The next glass area will be the lab and the water quality. This is an area they bring the turtles to. I saw them weighing the turtle in this area and it did not even move. The next area is the vet lab for the turtles. They get examined here. They had a laser treatment for a turtle and an X-ray when I was there. You see the love they have for these turtles as they interact and care for them. Lastly, there is a bigger aquarium with a big number of separate crate cages. Turtles, I learned can be territorial. They are separated. In this aquarium, they feed them separately. The depth is much deeper simulating how deep they go in the ocean. They want to make sure they are well to be able to swim so deep before they are released. This was a very meaningful visit besides learning more about them. I'm happy they have this here. It was built in 2019, and it seems just in the few years, or even more recently have been when the tours have been more active. I can't believe I never knew about this. That's why I am just so happy after this new found visit. This campus area is huge - 10 acres. They also have a coral conservation area they is not open to public yet. There are two other buildings, one for many school children activities that correlate all that is involved here and in the environment. There's another building not open to the public I believe. Check out their website attached to this profile, they have so much. What a great visit!! Def a day trip can be made here in Apollo Beach at the Manatee Viewing Center, Sea Turtle Rehab, and even close by at the nearby Apollo Beach Nature Preserve. You also rent kayaks!

I enjoyed the Mote Marine Laboratory. It's located next to UTC mall. They have onsite parking that…read morefills up fast. I park in the across the street at the UTC mall. Book your tickets in advance so you don't have to wait in line to purchase tickets. I spent about 1.5 hours here and it was very fascinating. I saw penguins, manatees, different size jelly fish, turtles, sharks and more. I was surprised at how many touch tanks they had. You could touch stingrays, baby sharks, starfish and more. This place is perfect for all ages.

Absolutely loved this experience. I was invited by my company to do some volunteer work with Mote…read moreLabs, and part of the experience included visiting their aquarium. They have great security and short lines, which is a huge plus for families. Walking in, you're greeted by a grand staircase that leads to all three levels of the aquarium. We made our way through each floor in order and enjoyed every part of the exhibits. The first floor has a lot of interactive options for kids, along with a massive glass viewing area that makes you feel like you're swimming alongside the fish and sharks. This might have been my favorite part--if it weren't for the second floor. The second floor overlooks the main exhibit below and lets you get up close and personal with the sharks. We even got to see a shark fin sticking out of the water, which was pretty iconic. The third floor was awesome because you get to step outside, see the manatees, and enjoy a beautiful view of the surrounding area. Overall, I think this is a great place for families. There are a lot of interactive exhibits, and everyone working there was super friendly and genuinely seemed happy to be there. 10/10, would recommend.

A very cute a fun museum!…read more My group and I came here mostly to see the manatees but enjoyed the rest of the museum as well. We went through the exhibits on the two floors relatively quickly but they were interesting to look at. I liked the emphasis on Florida specific history. The planetarium was interesting and the seats were very comfortable. The manatees were obviously the highlight. We were able to see two babies, Sorbet and Juneau, right at feeding time. The top view of the water had a superior view. Overall, while I'm not from here so I'm not sure when I'd be back if I went, I really enjoyed my time here.

Had a wonderful time here. Lost track of time and spent nearly hours there. Well maintained…read moreexhibits. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. The planetarium was awesome. We went to two shows. Very informative.

4 stars for a great indoor activity to beat the summer heat in Orlando! This was our first time…read morevisiting Sea Life (located at ICON Park) and our 2-year old had a blast. He loved running around and looking through all the different tanks full of fish. It's a pretty small aquarium and tickets are relatively inexpensive at $15 pp. You can also buy a ticket bundle and combine it with the Madame Tussauds wax museum next door. We didn't do that this time but not a bad deal if you want to see both. This is definitely a tourist attraction, being located on I-Drive, but we still enjoyed it. We went through it in about 45 minutes, but you could go at a slower pace if you're not chasing a toddler. Even with the size, there's still a lot to see and a wide variety of fish and sea life: sharks, turtles, axolotl, starfish, stingrays, seahorses, jellyfish, moray eel, and more. There's also a touch tank at the end if you want to participate. It also wasn't too crowded and was easy to navigate.

Wasn't sure what to expect when we got timed tickets for this aquarium sight unseen…read more Not a fan of taking multiple photos of you, to sell back to you, before you even get inside to see anything. They had some interesting fish and water animals. The docents who were trying to educate people had an uphill battle with the younger kids. Overall, I've been to some bigger aquaria with more to offer but I enjoyed it.

Title: Five stars for Captain Mel, Charley, and Vivian!: We had the absolute best experience on our…read moreeco-tour on September 6th! St. Petersburg is beautiful, but this sunset tour was the highlight of our trip. Charley is an outstanding guide--exceptionally great at what she does and a wonderful asset to the Discovery Center. Captain Mel runs a fantastic boat with perfect poise, balance, and genuine care for everyone on board. A special thank you to Vivian as well for going out of her way to help us with our tickets while preparing the boat for the 7:00 PM tour. She is a truly kind and patient person. We love supporting this non-profit and highly recommend them to everyone! Respectfully Submitted, Sridhar Rangaswamy ("Sri") US Trademark: #5030763 US Trademark #SN 98620494: "Promise Less/Under Promise and Deliver More" "Excellence is not an act, it is a Habit" "Honesty is the Best Policy"Be Truthful,Honest and Fair"

We took the sunset wildlife boat tour and were AMAZED by how beautiful the views were. Our captain…read moreMel and guide Charley were both so knowledgeable, and kind to our kids. Our time with the Tampa Bay Watch crew was a highlight of our trip -- Thank you!

What an awesome experience! Travel through the Serengeti standing in the bed of a safari truck,…read morebumping along with a guide who explains what you are seeing as you experience the different habitats. The road meanders through wildlife that has the run of the road. If an ostrich decided to stop on the road, we would have to stop and wait for him or her to move along. Most of the animals will look your way, curious as to who is passing by and are not bothered in the least. We end our trip with a stop at the giraffe feeding station where everyone on the safari has the opportunity to feed lettuce leaves to any interested giraffe (several times if you wish!). It is such a thrill to see their beautiful big eyes, adorned with such thick, long eyelashes. It is awe inspiring to be so close to the animals and to realize just how tall and muscular they are. When it is your turn to feed an animal, it is amazing to see just how long and purple and slimy their tongues are! I would highly recommend this excursion for people of any age!