Clearwater Marine Aquarium

An absolutely incredible experience at Clearwater Marine Aquarium! Every single staff member we encountered was educational, kind, and genuinely eager to share their knowledge. You could tell they truly care about the animals and about making each guest’s visit meaningful. The dolphin training staff were especially impressive. So informative, engaging, and clearly passionate about what they do. It was wonderful to watch their interactions and hear them talk about the dolphins with such pride and love. A special shoutout to the gentleman at the ray exhibit. His passion for his work absolutely shines. He made the experience fun, interactive, and incredibly informative. All of the animal presentations were a perfect balance of fun and education, and we walked away having learned so much. The aquarium’s mission is beautiful, and it’s evident in everything they do. You can truly feel that the staff love their jobs and are thrilled to be there. A must-visit that leaves you inspired, informed, and smiling. 🐬🩵✨

Loved this place, easy to see their love for animals, it is not as touristy/big business as it is an animal rescue. Parking was extra $15 paid inside before you exit. Must get out on the boat for sightings. We especially loved the 1 hour cruise around the area, very glad we had a sweater with us as the weather was colder on the water.

From start to finish all the employees are so kind and courteous. They're so many things to look at so many things to learn about the animals that they help and have helped before.. it's great to see that there is somewhere that is able to help animals in need. You can interact with different animals and watch them glide through the water. It is really special to see that they help these animals and if possible return them to the wild for them to live freely. The Clearwater Marine aquarium is amazing for all ages. Something to do for everyone.

This first time experience that I did with my mom was so amazing so personal it was relieving it was peaceful enjoyable. The musicians were absolutely amazing. They drew me in mesmerized me.. The place was accommodating. It had a little bit of drinks and snacks the Employees were so helpful. Were so polite. I will definitely come back to see many more.

We had a great time here. I will say, there weren’t quite as many exhibits as I had hoped for the price we paid. We did see a great quality dolphin presentation, though, that was quite close and I felt was almost worth the whole cost of admission. I just didn’t think it took as long for us to get through as I had thought. Overall, though, a great and VERY educational experience. They clearly spend a lot of their time and money on rehabilitation work for their animals, and I felt great that my money went towards that work.

Nice little aquarium. Parking is $15. Kind of confusing layout but it's cool to walk through the rehab and animal hospital areas, feels very much like it's geared more toward animal care than looking pretty for visitors. Manatees were very active on our visit, as were the dolphins. Not a ton of animals, but they had a nice array of fish, mammals, and terrestrial critters that all looked well cared for. Gift shop had nice shirt designs lol

If you’re expecting a traditional aquarium with large exhibits and entertainment focused displays, this may not be what you’re looking for. This place feels much more like a nursery and rehabilitation center for rescued animals. Many of the animals here are not permanent residents, they’re being treated, monitored, and in some cases prepared for release back into their natural habitats. What stood out most is that their priority clearly isn’t entertainment, the focus is on rehabilitation and education rather than flashy presentations. If you care about conservation, rescue work, and seeing how marine life is supported behind the scenes, this is a meaningful place to visit.

Compared to other aquariums I’ve visited, this place does not have a large variety of sea animals. However, it feels more like a hospital than a traditional aquarium. It was amazing to see so many injured animals, such as dolphins and sea turtles, being cared for here. Staff members are everywhere and always ready to answer any questions. It is very sad to see that many sea turtles can no longer swim properly due to serious injuries, but it brings me comfort to know that they can live a better life here instead of struggling to survive in the wild. Many of them no longer have the ability to survive on their own, whether because they are missing flippers or cannot dive deep anymore. Overall, I really enjoyed my visit and hope to come back again someday.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Parking. The parking lot was full and there was no where else to park. The attendant told us when cars came out she would open the lot but we literally watched 30 cars come out of the lot in a 20 minute period and she let two cars in, but kept closing the lot. We had to take the kids somewhere else. Disappointing.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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)

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 .

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

To pay $41.95 per adult one would expect some interaction with staff. First, several exhibits were closed. And those that were open had staff that refused to interact with guests. At the otter exhibit the staff member was sitting in the exhibit on her phone shopping on Amazon. She never looked up from her phone even when a young person asked what was wrong with the otter in the exhibit. The "teaching" exhibits that encourage guests to interact by touching buttons or the like didn't work. The elevator to the first floor next to the shark exhibit is out of order, so families with strollers or wheelchairs couldn't get down the stairs to see the hospital section. What I learned about the aquarium's mission, I learned from Google. I learned nothing from anyone staff member during my visit.

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.

I loved this place. My husband and I had a great time. The staff was 10 stars. We took the combo boat tour and aquarium tour. It was well worth the CONTIBUTION to the cause. To hear the stories behind the rescues tugged at the heart. I recommend to everyone to give this a lookeesee when you are here. Enjoy!!!

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.

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.

I've lived in Tampa Bay for over 10 years and finally took a trip to the Clearwater Aquarium. It was underwhelming. While it could be a nice addition to a trip to the beach, I didn't feel it was worth making its own trip for. There is a large group of pools at the center where the dolphins are housed, this is the highlight. You can walk around and view the different pools and see from different angles. There are also small pools with turtles, an otter, stingrays. All in all it's pretty limited.

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.

I'm very glad we went here. It was great seeing all the animals, especially the dolphins but also the sea turtles & the pelicans & the glo fish. That being said, this place needs to be updated. In particular, there needs to be much better signage. We were determined to see the pelicans, but it sure wasn't easy. There was no real orientation & there were very few staff members available to help us.

My mom and I had a great time. You definitely need to watch the dolphin show. A little expensive for the quality of the aquarium.

I'm giving two stars because it looked like the kids were having fun and I assume they do good work behind the scene rescuing animals and educating the public, but as an aquatic destination I would give it a zero. Other than the dolphins there are only a handful of exhibits and a lot or "out of order" signed. We were told they underwent an $80,000,000 expansion. It looks like the architect must have flunked out of school. Way overpriced too. I've been to the New England Aquarium many times and the National Aquarium several times. This place can't hold a candle to either.

Just like many people, I heard about this aquarium from the movie Dolphin Tale and always wanted to visit since high school. I was able to finally visit on 8/7/23. The aquarium definitely met my expectations and I enjoyed the experience. I was able to see the dolphin show and tell, go on the Sea Life Safari Boat Ride Tour which includes visiting their manmade beach called One Tree Island, and viewing the rest of their exhibits including viewing and walking through their animal hospital. I will say, if you want to have the full experience of this aquarium, you definitely would have to pay for those experiences. The next time I visit the aquarium, I will be sure to bring enough funds to partake in those interactive experiences. Overall, it was a good time.

Had such a great time with my son and granddaughter!! My Granddaughter had a blast!! We will return next vacation when they come back to Florida!

Always a nice place to visit. We last visited in 2019, and wanted to see the new facility. It is very sad that Winter has passed away, and also other animals. But we know CMA will always do their best to serve the best interest of all marine animals under their care. The new facility is really nice. The cafe and the gift shop definitely are much better than before. The indoor parking garage is also a great addition. I really hope that CMA will continue their great work.

Yikes. This place is overhyped and overpriced (and that's with me finding a Groupon deal). First off, their parking garage was closed for some reason. So we had to park elsewhere. As we were walking up to the place, they opened the parking up and there were plenty of spots so I'm not sure why it was closed to begin with. The tanks were disgustingly filthy. I feel bad for the poor sea creatures that live in those tanks. Customer service was poor, employees seem miserable. The place was also very dirty overall. Plenty of tanks were uninhabited as well. I would give this 0 stars if I could. Save your money and go elsewhere.

This aquarium was not great! It barely had any exhibits and the tanks were dirty. So many out of order signs. Very expensive and not worth the money! Don't fall into this tourist trap. I

We had the best time at Clearwater aquarium! We did the boat tour as well and the kids loved it. It was the first time our littles have gone out onto the water and they were amazed at all the animals. It was really windy when we went and the staff let us barrow some extra jackets.

such a great aquarium! the dolphins are so so cute and funny. the employees are very passionate about their work at the aquarium. i would give this aquarium every dime i had. i love it THAT much!! the turtles are so beautiful. the otters are so so silly the watch run around!

We love it here. More of a dolphin rescue than an aquarium. They don't even have any fish. It's a non profit though that rescues dolphins so I highly recommend y'all support them!

I went to this aquarium as it was my last item from my Tampa city pass and I had been at the Clearwater beach so it was nearby. It looks like they recently expanded the operation to two buildings. The parking is 12 but connects you right to the entryway. We were able to buy a feeding experience for the manga rays for my daughter and two brothers rides which are both add ones. They offer a lot of add on options depending on your interest. The feeding was nice they gave my daughter son fish to feed the rays and she enjoyed doing it. The ride they said was pretty cool and there's a choice of two rides they did the shark one. We saw all the animals and note this is mainly an animal rehabilitation rescue experience not a zoo dolphin show or a huge variety of exotic fish. The exhibits cover mainly the various dolphins that call the aquarium home. One had lost its tail but has a prosthetic tail, but the very knowledgeable worker said they don't use it that often due to the dolphins scoliosis There are added exhibits on creatures of the deep which I found to be quite interesting covering giant squid, whales and other types of deep sea dwellers. My favorite item was the movie theater. You could spend an hour watching very interesting shows here. I saw a 45 minute movie on jellyfish and even learned a lot from the film. We also saw the following other areas, sea turtles probably my second favorite to the dolphins. There is a small area with pelicans too. Sea otters, additional fish are there mainly native to the Florida coast. They also had a nurse shark and a nice area to touch hands on shell fish. Overall I think you might spend around 2 to 3 hours here. Note I had already eaten lunch but my son hadn't so he got the hamburger in the restaurant. It was legit and looked great his burger was fresh and he liked it a lot. I got a piece of maple sweet potato cheese cake that was excellent so plan on eating here if you can as the food was great. The only downside is yes it is difficult to navigate the two buildings and the map as well as determine when various talks will be occurring. We ended up in the movie theater for around an hour and didn't get here until 1 pm so we were starting to run out of time for the day.

here for my bebas 13th bday and we r loving all the animals everyone is so kind here canr wait for our dolphin ride

We love this place. Non profit with the mission statement of rescue, rehabilitate and release. Something I can get behind. I love seeing wild life when in nature and they are making it happen. Love this place.

This was the first day of my Granddaughter's holiday with us for the week. Although the weather was a little cool our experience was wonderful. Learning about the different animals and fun facts they girls had a great time, they are 9 and 7. All week they kept talking about Nicolas who seemed just as interested in the girls as they were in Nicolas. We had a fantastic day and the staff was very quick to assist us or answer questions.

I am writing this review about the cafe at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The Nashville Waffles & Chicken sandwich is delicious! I had the sauce on the side. This aquarium is more so for rehabilitating the sea life. If I could just order the food to go, I would happily do so.

We spent most of the day watching the dolphins and walking around the aquarium. The child liked all of the interactions along Winter's Walk around the tanks and where it shows the timeline of Winter's life at the aquarium. Parking was easy and convenient with the new parking garage. That wasn't there during our first visit in 2013. The garage attendant was helpful as well. There were maps displayed at a few locations, and we were made aware of the map we could view on my phone. I try not to be on my phone when it is mommy and me time, so we just wandered around. That was exciting because we would turn a corner and find something fun to see. Not sure if it is possible due to space, but my only suggestion would be a step for the shorter ones around the ray touch tank. My little one was just short enough that he couldn't quite get his arm in the tank to touch the rays without getting his shirt and sleeves wet. Being 65 lbs, holding a nine year old for extended periods of time is not ideal.

Everything! This aquarium is terrible! It's run down, they don't have a lot to look at. The price is outrageous in comparison to what you get. I would never recommend this to anyone, even on a rainy day!

The customer service was exceptional. The animals were great. Loved learning the work they are doing in conservation, Winter's exhibit, and the dolphins. Some of the habits you could tell need refurbishment.

This place was huge! Lots to see and experience. With every turn there were more surprises. My favorites were touching Stingrays and watching sea turtles and dolphins play in their tanks. What a great way to end our evening.... enjoying their free boat ride on the Intercoastal! Loved it as we watched the sun begin to set.

I was very excited to visit this aquarium and I was let down!! For the price you pay, there's not really a whole lot to see or do, not a lot of animals to see. I had a group of 6 people and I paid $235 and it was NOT worth that price. Plus I paid another $70 to get our pictures (which I really liked the pictures and wanted them all, just saying....with that I paid over $300). I do like that they do the rehabilitation for the animals and it was a nice place. Just not anything near what I thought it would be. Visiting aquariums when we go on vacation is one of the things we always do, but I would not go back to the Clearwater aquarium.