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    Dolphin Research Center

    4.4 (190 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Dolphin waving hi
    Roger M.

    Excellent. Well organized dolphin activities with explanations that help you know a lot more about these intelligent mammals. Lots of kids, and older couples too. I especially love that this is a nonprofit organized for helping dolphins. It is unlike those for profit exhibits elsewhere. You leave feeling good about being there. If you have the money, do get the extra Memory Maker Meet. You get to be up close with the dolphins, touch their skin, and even make a painting with them. You learn and experience a lot.

    We loved this adventure. I could have spent all day watching the dolphin. I would highly recommend this activity.

    Jennifer M.

    When you are in the Keys (Marathon) you need to go and support this Great Research Center. All dolphins that are brought to the facility become permanent residents. This is not a Rehab and Release program. We were lucky to actually get great information from the Owner/Founder while watching the dolphins. He even tried to recruit our daughter..which would be a dream job for anyone interested in this field. They have educational groups you can join throughout the day. They also have a small Bird Sanctuary as well. We missed the Sea Lions as their habitat was being renovated.

    QP
    Ike R.

    We were very close to the dolphins. There's also the opportunity to get in the water with them.

    Louie and Delta
    Sherry J.

    We participated in a silent auction for Veterans last year, and bid on the Family Dolphin Splash. We were so excited to win! But we had to get this in before it expired so it did not matter what the weather was like to us. The week we visited (October 15) was terrible weather, rainy and cold, but this was great for our experience. This group event ended up being private with just the two of us because no one else showed up for the weather! The water was still warm, and we got in up to our waists. We met Louie and Delta and it was pure joy. We touched them and shook hands and fins with them and had a splashing contest with them (they won!). Dolphins are incredible, so smart and so funny. They feel like rubbery wet silk and are hilarious comedians. This was one of the coolest things we have ever done. I don't know how we have been coming to the Keys for so many years and never realized this gem was here. The only thing that could top it at this point would be actually swimming with them. Don't feel bad for the dolphins, they are non-releasable rescues. It is evident how much they love doing what they do. Dolphins are like giant wet puppies and spread sunshine everywhere they go, even on a rainy, cold and cloudy day.

    Ben S.

    My wife came here as a ten year old and it made her fall in love with dolphins so when coming back through the Keys as an adult it was a must stop. By far the coolest "aquarium" type attraction we've done. The no frills of this place allowed you to get up close and personal with dolphins even if you weren't doing a package. There were so many dolphins everywhere you could just hang out and watch them even when they weren't doing a training show. My wife loved that several of the animals were ones that had been there when she was a kid. Note that this is not an all day attraction. My guess is most people are going to spend 60-90 minutes.

    Cutie dolphins
    Megan O.

    Omg this place is THE BEST! We met Bianca and Carly who are trainers at the DRC and they were just so sweet and passionate that we just had to check it out. My husband and I ended up doing the dolphin encounter and were SO happy we did! It was soooo fun to swim with the dolphins and hang out with them. They also has this super awesome informational session with the dolphins for everyone to watch which was super cool too! We loved DRC because we have been to like sea world and stuff but it doesn't compare. This is more of a habitat rather than a commercial show. They are rescuing dolphins and helping them live 2-3x their expected life span. We are happy to support them!

    Heather U.

    The dolphin encounter was truly a great once in a lifetime experience we will never forget. We spent some quality time with Tursi, Luna and Ranger. Our trainer was very knowledgeable and excellent with all of us and the dolphins. Tursi is a 50 year old dolphin with the best personality. She didn't exactly follow directions, but that made her even more loveable. We will cherish our memories of interacting with such amazing dolphins forever. If you are on the fence, choose dolphin research center and just go for the full experience. You'll love it.

    The dolphins getting fed before we were able to meet them.
    Stacy S.

    I tend to be skeptical of places that make money off of animals in captivity. Which means I do a lot of research before visiting any of them. We did a "meet the dolphin" experience. We arrived about an hour before our scheduled time so we could wander around. It was nice to see different dolphins and listen to a short program before our experience. I think this helped us identify what questions we wanted to ask. During the "meet the dolphin" we were able to get down on the dock and pet the dolphins in a few different ways. It was quite fun and the time flew by. Unfortunately because we were both participating, we have no photos of us with the two dolphins. I would definitely do this again, perhaps selecting another experience.

    Kevin S.

    We had such a great time with Aleta & Merina during our swim. Catherine (their trainer) was so awesome! She was so passionate about the dolphins that she worked with & it was cute to see how they responded to all her commands. Dolphins are so smart! We had about 30 minutes in the lagoon during our visit. They also have a cool gift shop where you can get photos of your encounter (we did) and also some custom tee shirts that have artwork which was "done" by the dolphins themselves. They also have some sterling silver dolphin jewelry charms for sale as well. We had a great visit. Their dolphins are getting the best care in nutrition & health. Don't forget to check out their rare bird sanctuary as well.

    Patty M.

    I rarely go to touristy places BUT decided to try and see if it was worth the trip. We had a lovely time, met the dolphins and learned so much about each one, if you love dolphins this is the place, one on one interaction with them in their ponds, sea lion area was closed that day so we were not able to experience that attraction. We bought the yearly pass which gave many benefits including adopting a dolphin, great for the kids. They also have a schedule posted with the times of each event, they also have a nice gift shop for those momentous day at The Dolphin Research Center, oh BTW make sure to have the kids in bathing suits they have a small splash area for them.

    Katie A.

    On a trip to the Keys, we booked the experience to swim with dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center. The staff was very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful which made the experience fun and memorable! We learned so much about the dolphins, while being able to be in the water and interact with them in a fun and safe environment. Upon entrance you get all day access to other events that are going on around the center, which allowed for even more fun! It was an amazing experience and well worth the value.

    Tiffany D.

    What a wonderful experience. We did the family splash and it was very memorable. Lots of interaction with dolphins and everyone was very informative and helpful. Highly recommend

    Dog friendly!

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    15 days ago

    Nice relaxing day looking at the dolphins. The presentations were excellent. You could tell the volunteers love being there

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    How much is general admission?

    Admission Price: Adults: $35:00, Military/Veterans (present military ID): $30:00, Children 4-12: $25.00. Children 3 and under: free admission. All guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult. Prices are per person.

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    Review Highlights - Dolphin Research Center

    I had a friend come to town and enjoy a dolphin encounter, while they play a photographer takes photos.

    Mentioned in 23 reviews

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    Dolphin Research Center - tours - Updated May 2026

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