Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Aquarium · Clearwater

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Aquarium · Clearwater

5

249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767

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Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null
Clearwater Marine Aquarium by null

Highlights

Home to Dolphin Tale stars, rescue, rehab, and release  

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249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767 Get directions

cmaquarium.org

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249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767 Get directions

+1 727 441 1790
cmaquarium.org
ClearwaterMarineAquarium
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@CMAquarium

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Aug 26, 2025

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@travelleisure

How to Plan the Perfect Summer 2025 Trip to Tampa

"A family-oriented marine rescue and visitor center that makes a great companion stop to a beach day, especially for visitors with children." - Skye Sherman Skye Sherman Skye Sherman is a travel writer based in West Palm Beach, Florida. Aside from traveling, she's also a pilot, scuba diver, bookworm, and fourth-generation Floridian. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Palm Beach Illustrated, Atlas Obscura, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

https://www.travelandleisure.com/tampa-florida-kayak-top-trending-usa-summer-2025-destination-11748634
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@travelleisure

Florida's Gulf Coast Is Rising in Popularity, According to Vrbo

"Clearwater is the most populated of the three Gulf Coast beach towns and is known for its 360 days of sunshine per year, annual sandcastle festival, and dreamy Gulf Coast shores. Visitors can enjoy the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the Pier 60 nightly pop-up market." - Rachel Chang Rachel Chang Rachel Chang is a travel and pop culture journalist who contributes to Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

https://www.travelandleisure.com/vrbo-2025-vacation-guide-spring-break-destinations-gulf-coast-florida-8785253
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@afar

4 Outdoor Adventures Near Marriott Hotels in Florida - AFAR

"A marine-focused attraction that offers eco-boat tours and educational experiences centered on local marine life and conservation efforts." - AFAR

https://www.afar.com/magazine/outdoor-adventures-near-marriott-hotels-in-florida
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@travelleisure

Clearwater Beach, Florida, Gets 360 Days of Sunshine a Year — How to Plan the Perfect Visit

"Clearwater Marine Aquarium is home to Hollywood-famous dolphins Winter and Hope along with all their marine friends at this rescue, rehabilitation, and release facility." - Travel + Leisure Editors

https://www.travelandleisure.com/clearwater-beach-florida-8647957
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@postcardnews

A nonprofit working marine hospital known for rescue, rehab, and release of dolphins, sea turtles, and manatees. Reopened after 2024 storms and still hosting daily programs and eco-boat tours, as covered by regional news outlets.

https://www.cmaquarium.org/hours/
Things to Do in Clearwater (2025)
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K Smith

Google
A wonderful place to spend the day. I loved the dolphins. They put on quite a show. The otters were so cute. My employer had a 50% discount in June so I was able to save which made the day even better. Very family friendly. I got to touch sting rays! There’s a cafeteria there to take a break and get a bite. A covered parking garage is available for a fee. The staff take group photos that may be purchased.There’s also a gift shop. I would definitely go there again.

Secondhand Sweethearts

Google
Some reviewers say ticket prices are high. I see it as supporting the mission of the aquarium to rehabilitate hurt animals and give those who can’t be released back to the wild a permanent home! Sea turtles are endangered so I particularly love what they’re doing to help them! We took the behind the scenes tour which was good insight. And the VR was fun for the family. Overall it’s a great place to learn as a kid or adult!

Hunter Zizek

Google
Expensive, but so worth it for the show and their mission. Their staff is so helpful and their love of the hospitals mission is evident in each encounter. I learned so much today and had such a great day. Can’t recommend this place enough! The dolphins are gorgeous creatures and are so intelligent!

D Schoen

Google
This is a great aquarium and unlike most others you’ll visit. They focus on rehab and release and you get a much better connection with the animals here compared to many other aquariums. They have a lot of animals talks and demonstrations to get to know the animals better. A couple of things to keep in mind. Much is outside or open air and it can get very hot on summer Florida days. It also seems to have expanded over time and the layout is not intuitive so keep a map handy and just ask the many employees rather than try to figure it all out. That said, you can tell they genuinely care for the animals and their many success stories of releasing back to the wild is awesome.

Timmy Shigley

Google
After living down here for the past 7 years, we finally made it to the Clearwater aquarium. We've been to nearly all the others in the (Tampa, Mote, etc.). First let's begin by saying that it is just off the causeway into the busiest part of Clearwater. Traffic is and will always be an issue, be prepared. The facility is nice and clean and has very friendly staff. You definitely come here to see the dolphins. Amazing display and views of the dolphins. The rest of the exhibits? They're nice with a small variety. Nothing like the other aquariums. Again, Dolphins are the show here really. So why 4 stars? Well, for starters nearly every elevator was out of order during our visit. This is a 4 level facility. We were okay with the steps, but you could see it was an issue for others. Next, issue is money. While we don't mind supporting ocean life in any way possible, be prepared. Admission is pretty steep for what little there is to see as a whole. Again, the dolphins are worth it. Parking is $15 in the attached garage, and again the elevators were out of order there too. We didn't partake of any concessions, but I would safely assume there's a higher additional cash outflow there as well. We will certainly come back to see the dolphins.

Sioux Falls Foodie

Google
Last time I visited this aquarium, they still had Winter the Dolphin there and it was much smaller. They have since drastically expanded so I took the wife here. Upon entering they have several options for touring. We opted for the private tour. We had our own personal guide. He took us around the behind the scenes of everything from the kitchen to the operating area to a back stage seat of the dolphin show. It was well worth the extra money. This place is great!! Highly recommended and definitely pay for the private tour.

Anna Johnstone

Google
What an unforgettable experience at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium! From the moment we arrived, the staff and volunteers made us feel welcome and engaged. The volunteers were amazing. They were so friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to teach us about the animals and their rescue stories. One of the highlights was feeding the stingrays, which was such a fun and interactive moment for the whole family. This place is not just an aquarium, it’s a place with heart and purpose. We’ll definitely be back!

Joe A

Google
Very cool aquarium that's making a difference with wildlife, everyone there truly cares about well being if the animals. Its a unique place since it used to be an old sewer treatment plant, so old holding tanks have been converted. Been to allot of aquariums and found this one is very interesting and unique in a good way.
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Gellie E.

Yelp
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.
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Alan N.

Yelp
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.
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Sam E.

Yelp
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.
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Erik P.

Yelp
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.
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Debbie H.

Yelp
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!

Melissa T.

Yelp
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.
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Kim V.

Yelp
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.
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J A.

Yelp
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.
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John G.

Yelp
Really good place. I really enjoyed this place. I had a fun time today. Today was my first time going there.
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JaNese B.

Yelp
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 .
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Kate C.

Yelp
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)
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Amanda W.

Yelp
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.

Sky M.

Yelp
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!
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Haleigh H.

Yelp
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!

Haleigh P.

Yelp
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
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Les L.

Yelp
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.
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Katie S.

Yelp
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!
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Christa M.

Yelp
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.
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Jen C.

Yelp
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.
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Dan A.

Yelp
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.
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Rodger S.

Yelp
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.
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Steve K.

Yelp
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.
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Larry S.

Yelp
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.
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Aubrey F.

Yelp
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.
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Pamela B.

Yelp
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!
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Alexandra F.

Yelp
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.
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Olivia J.

Yelp
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.
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Shaunna W.

Yelp
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.

Brooke C.

Yelp
Very old facility! I was most disappointed in the VERY dirty tank water for the dolphins and especially the sharks. They had small tanks with frogs/insects/fish , all were too small for the animals on display. I realize it is a hospital first, however if they want to be open to the public they need to improve the tank cleanliness and overall care of the facility. We came because of the Capybara experience which was fantastic, feeding them and petting them but that is a feature that is only at the aquarium for a few months. I would not be inclined to come back for just the marine life. Clean tanks is important for all marine life and with a dirty tank you are exposing all things inside to decay of organic material, excess feces and an overall toxic life. Not a good look when they need money to continue to help animals. I applaud their work in helping injured and sick marine life but they need to show more care for the water they live in.
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Ellen N.

Yelp
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.

Jennifer S.

Yelp
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!
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Amanda H.

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

Yelp
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.
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Nelly M.

Yelp
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.
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Lina T.

Yelp
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.
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Matt G.

Yelp
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!
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Paul R.

Yelp
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.
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Joe J.

Yelp
We really enjoyed our trip to this famous rescue aquarium. We were proud to be able to support what this amazing group does for the sea animals. While most leave a bad review bc there wasn't a ton to see, they apparently didn't realize what they were going to see ahead of time, nor how these animals should be treated. CMA really goes above and beyond what it takes to ensure their animals are treated & cared for properly. No you won't see thousands of different sea life but what you will see is rehabilitation happening where these animals may be able to survive in the wild after an injury or birth defect. While some may never be able to survive in the wild and have to stay at the facility, they do everything they can to release them if possible. I thought it was a great experience and plenty to see there. More than worth the price to be about to walk through the entire place. Especially knowing what they do for the animals on the long run. They can't do it without the help of visitors coming to see them in action. So make the trip, but don't expect it to be your typical aquarium because it's not and that's what makes it so great.
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Annie C.

Yelp
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.
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Tracey T.

Yelp
We've been to the New England Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and here. Clearwater Aquarium is the least interesting and least engaging aquarium for kids. The employee monitoring the touch tank yelled at other people nearby to not touch any of the sea creatures. There aren't a lot of exhibits, and the ones open are sparse. We spent under an hour here and spent $100 for 2 adults and 1 child for admission. Then there was the $15 parking fee. The only redeeming quality is that the money spent goes toward supporting this non-profit.
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Trisha W.

Yelp
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.

Brady O.

Yelp
Unfortunately this is not worth the price. Areas and services were out of order, tanks were dirty so you couldn't see and there wasn't a lot to see. Disappointed.
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Ricky P.

Yelp
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.
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Alexi Y.

Yelp
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.
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Lee W.

Yelp
What used to be a very charming marine aquarium has been transformed into a very expensive (at least $35 pp) commercial thanks to the fame of winter. Cma should be embarrassed at what they have created for visitors.

Destiny H.

Yelp
This is a fully functioning animal hospital. They have immersive exhibits and are very in-depth with what they do with their animals. I love that you actually see what's happening and that they are so involved in the preservation of our marine life

Maureen P.

Yelp
Save your time and money for the moment. Visited today 11/20/24. Staff was enthusiastic and helpful. But overall a disappointing experience. Lots of exhibits under construction or closed due to hurricane damage. Also the elevators are out of order. Very likely worth a visit when everything is fixed but not worth the price of admission right now.
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Kyle J.

Yelp
If you go here, prepare to leave bewildered. This place is an absolute tourist trap with less aquariums than your dentist's office. They have two deaf dolphins, a turtle, a shark and an otter. You will spend the whole time searching for the aquarium with lots of fish but you will never find it. $40 for adults and $28 for kids and $15 parking. Would have rather parked on the side of the road and gotten kicked in the nuts lightly than waste my time here. This place should be $10 per person and free for kids for the value you get.

Tyeler H.

Yelp
Had a great experience visiting with my almost 2 year old son. There is so much to see, experience && learn! Cannot wait to visit again when my son is a little older and we can meet the dolphins