The Florida Aquarium

For my wife and I, it was our first time going, and we could not have been happier with our experience! They have an amazing array of sea life, and even some interactive events you can participate in. Lots of things to see and learn along the way, and the staff was incredibly helpful and kind! We loved it and can’t wait to go again!

Me and my wife had a good time. Spent about 2 hours here. The coolest part is how close the big fish get to the glass. You are literally inches away and can see every detail on them. You do have to pay for parking but it’s not too bad. I think I paid like 15 bucks for 3 hours.

visited in the city pass. five city attractions for $150. this is a rescue facility. they use it to rescue, rehabilitate and release. those that cannot be released are used for education and outreach. signage is lacking and internal maps are only available using a QR code. which I finally had to learn how to use today. plan about 2-3 hours. the restaurant is reasonable. the gift shop is not. maybe if you consider it as a donation but yowza. parking is $10-15 but close and covered. parts of the facility have ac, parts are outside. manatees are currently relocated until hurricane damage is repaired. same with some elevators. take the hallway behind the kitchen and staff area and you can see the rehabilitation of baby sea turtles. whomever designed the layout needs a good shake. multiple levels with ups, downs and stairs. seems it was built-on multiple times. lots of touch opportunities and lots of educational shows and demos. only with rescued animals, never captured. many staff and volunteers to assist. worth the visit

Wow, wow, wow absolutely recommend this as a perfect day out. The fish are in top condition, viewing is excellent and the layout of the Aquarium is well thought out. There are so many fact boards with really great eco information and interactive engaging activities.

The aquarium was really nice! The staff were extremely accommodating. I had trouble showing tickets because my mother in law made the reservation and my attempts to get them failed so the lady at guest services let her manager know and they let my son and I go in. They have an array of marine life. It was great experience. My son loved it. They also have a playground area and do live shows for the kids. There is parking in the garage for $20. Well worth the visit.

We didn't have to wait to get in at all, we paid ahead of time. The facility is wonderful! It's clean and the employees are exemplary. We can't wait to return. It's our new favorite aquarium.

It was a pretty nice aquarium. I did not attend any shows as we had a 6 month old, but areas were nice, kind of dark in some places. It has good information at most tanks for what was there, and there were extra child friendly things for kids to do. It is downtown by the port in Tampa so very congested area, finding a parking spot was a bit hard.

Florida Aquarium – An Unforgettable Experience Led by an Outstanding Crew What can I say other than stunning? The true highlight was the live entertainment led by the incredible captain and his crew. They didn't just steer the ship—they guided us on an engaging, educational adventure that was both fun and interactive. Their energy, knowledge, and passion made the journey truly memorable. From sea turtles and sharks to rays and even an octopus, the variety of marine life was impressive. If you're in the area, don't miss the chance to experience the Florida Aquarium—especially the exceptional crew who make it all come to life!

While we were in the area, we decided to make a quick visit before we had lunch. The aquarium has a huge selection of animals and even some that were photogenic. You can definitely get a couple hours worth of visiting here. I think it is a little high for the price per person, but it's nice to check out to see what it has to offer. There's a trolley stop next to the aquarium that is a short walk and we didn't have to worry about parking. I found that it is well kept up and there are some interactive animals if anybody wants to engage with them. There are information being provided on signs as well as the staff members being around to answer any questions you may have.

Wow... it was disappointing to exit. I must have spent twenty minutes in the lobby wondering what exhibitS we must have missed, to have finished the entire aquarium in just over an hour....at 45 per person (one being a four year old kid). Nothing in the "morphed" by PAR exhibit worked, and thank god that was true, because I'm not sure they understand how kids or people use anything... had anything actually functioned, there would have been toddler fist fights at the 360 globe, and OCD parents passing out at the habitat puzzle, where pieces don't actually fit. Darwin is questioning your understanding of survival... Neutral comments on staff, as most were over the top nice to my son, while one, on three occasions was super rude- I think she miss heard him on two of those occasions...but Im still trying to understand what she could have possibly thought. Wondering why New England Aquariums (Mystic, and New England (Boston), can beat this aquarium in price and show. Worst of all, it is most expensive to buy tickets directly through the aquarium! More expensive to buy direct! Over priced/under wowed ...saw more alligators in the tampa bay Walmart parking lot. Advice-buy a set of $5 swim goggles and pay the $45 fine for jumping into the wharf to see some "sea life".

We're visiting the area and as avid aquarium lovers, we had to check out THE Florida Aquarium. The drive in and parking situation wasn't terrible. We parked close by for ~$5/hour. A cruise was leaving the same day so it was a bit congested, but again, not terrible. It cost about $40 a person and $30 for our kiddo under 12. Our 12 year old was charged as an adult. Didn't like that. We did get a 10% veteran's discount. That was nice. Once inside, we found the digital map. It was confusing, and hard to discern where things were. The aquarium itself was extremely underwhelming. The exhibits were limited by space it seemed. The lemurs and the upper area their enclosure was in was empty aside from a couple tortoises. For the amount of money we spent, I was expecting a longer experience. It felt like a lot of the animals were paid for experiences. You couldn't even view them without paying. It was so disappointing. Maybe we're comparing this aquarium experience to the many others we've seen for less money, with far more value.

Beautiful indoor aquarium near the port in Tampa! I wish they had their own parking lot, but I understand why now that I've visited, it's right next-door to the port. You do have to pay for parking in addition to your tickets. The aquarium is full with a lot of exhibits and you can take your time or be as quick as you'd like. The snacks along the way are extremely expensive so just be aware of that. I bought a bag of chips for four dollars! Anyhow, I feel like the restrooms needed a little bit more attention, and there could use more employees explaining some of the animals. I really loved the large aquarium wall where the sharks were. It was very beautiful. It was fairly busy on Saturday, but the exhibits were kept well. There is a sloth encounter that you can pay an additional fee for to pay to feed her. There is a café outside that you can get some food to eat, and there is plenty of space to sit and eat on chairs and tables. I specifically love the outdoor playground, which I think used to be a splash pad. The only thing is that I wish it was more Shady because it got very hot. However, there was a dipping dots as well, so you can cool off. It's a great idea to do this on a rainy or super hot day. Just pack your own snacks and be prepared if it's going to rain outside that the café is outdoors.

This was our first time visiting the aquarium, even though we vacation in the area several times a year--and it did not disappoint! My kids absolutely loved it. There were so many amazing animals to see up close, and the exhibits were really well done. One of the highlights was a section where you can walk right up to ducks and flamingos--such a unique experience! The massive tanks filled with a variety of fish were stunning, and the shark exhibit was a favorite. We were also blown away by the huge sea turtle sharing the tank! We got to touch jellyfish and stingrays, which was a hit with the kids, and we paid a little extra for the VR experience, which was worth it. Since we're not from a coastal state, it was awesome to see marine life that we normally wouldn't get to experience back home. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and educational indoor activity. A great way to mix it up from the beach!

It's a small place but the kids had a great time. Touching the sting rays and the moon jellyfish were the highlights along with the big fish tank with the shark. The sear turtle seemed sick and wasn't swimming. Overall it's a maybe 2 hour excursion for people with kids but it's worth the 2 hours to keep em busy.

Had a fun day out with my nephews and we popped over to the aquarium. At first I was a little skeptical because of the prices. Coming from DC where there is no cost or low cost to major museums, it's expensive to spend over $150 for 4 for a museum or aquarium. But when you got there and see the great work they are doing and how they respect and take care of our planet, it mostly makes it worth it. The kids truly loved the experience. We loved the shark tank area the best. Loved that there were many photo opportunities along the way. Loved the skull ranger tour. We wish they had more trail talks in the different areas around the aquarium. That was a really nice interactive area. The kids learned a lot. It's a self guided tour around the aquarium and I wish they had more videos, interactive areas or tutorials for young kids throughout.

What an experience!! My wife and I are visiting from TX and took our Grandbud to the Aquarium. He LOVED it!! And who could blame him? This place was a hoot and we were able to see and experience many cool things and species. LOVE LOVE LOVE! I can't wait to go back again with our other Grandbud when he's a little bit older. Thank you for the experience and memories with our familia! As always, Enjoy & Happy Water World spectacle!

Parking was sparse need a parking garage , wasn't the biggest like Atlanta but ok good for a once a lifetime way too many small tanks need some big ones

I was very excited to come here with my family.. and I am not gonna lie, I have seen and experienced better. For the price we paid, I don't think it was worth it. Although, it is a good learning area for kids. My fave part was the jelly fish area. They're so fascinating to watch. Parking was hard to find and my son got sick the day after we went here.

I really the aquarium I'm actually a member. My 7 year old daughter loves it and now I have a 6 month old and it's perfect for her growing mind. And especially in the hot weather it's really great to go somewhere fun and enjoyable for everyone in AC! And then outside they have a playground and splash pad so I love that. I do feel like if you are a member we should receive free parking . Or maybe every 3 months or so give free guest ticket to members so we can bring an additional person or half off ., some sort of better perks.

We came here so often we continue to renew our annual pass and support this great aquarium. It is always clean, and staff are always very friendly. So many aquatic animals to see and it's just a very nice place to visit if you're wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of other places. Some days it can be busy depending on school being in session or not. Try to correlate if you're trying to avoid crowds.

This is a great place to explore and discover a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial animals. There are habitats from tree level to sea level, featuring a wide range of animal species - you never know what you'll see!! My kids had a fun time trying to identify all the different animals. In addition, there are many experiences you can sign up for, at an additional cost. We opted in for the VR experience where we got to swim with Humpback whales - a super cool adventure! Overall, we had a fun time and will be returning in the near future.

I have been taking the kids here since mine was 2, he is 13 now. We always have a fun time. The kids biggest issue is when there are multiple children and they cannot decide where to go first. We love that a moon jelly touch tank was added. That is a a must for everyone when we visit. 26.02.2025

Overall it was a great day... I wish more of the exhibits were open but they are obviously working to improve the area for the animals and customers.

I've been to several aquariums.. and this one in Tampa is pretty good. It's quite expensive for how big it is ($42 for adults). There is a lot to see and the layout is good. Saw some things here that we haven't seen at other places (different kinds of jellyfish). You can "pet" the stingrays and also hold a jellyfish here. We opted for valet parking - $20 for 3 hours. $40 for 3+ hours.

Very fun place especially for kids. Renovations underway as well. Next door to cruise port so great to do before or after a cruise. Free bag storage.

Still five stars for this great Aquarium. I'm leaving this review mainly so I can remember the parking situation. The Garrison lot by Sparkman's wharf was the cheapest. It was $2 per hour. Next was the Channelside parking garage, that was just slightly more expensive I think if you parked more than 3 hours. The Aquarium parking lot which is right next to the Aquarium is $5 per hour, so the most expensive. We parked at the Garrison lot which was great, because we grabbed food at Sparkman's wharf after. It's about a block walk, so super easy. The actual Aquarium is fantastic. They are making a puffin exhibit and the outside is going through additions too. However, all the stuff that is open is still about two hours worth of going through. My friend and I came with three six year olds and they had an absolute blast. I really enjoyed seeing all the weird looking fish as well. The majority of this place is indoors, but there is also a green area outside that the kids enjoyed sitting and playing with outdoor games. There is even a bar outside, so parents can relax while the kids play. This place is fantastic to spend a morning. I highly recommend it.

The first time I've been to this place was in 2017 and for the first visit it was awesome. There are so many animals and attractions to view, and learn about. Unfortunately, I haven't visited in a while, but I plan to visit this place soon when the weather and time permits. If you love aquariums like I do, I highly recommend this place.

Took the kids to the Florida Aquarium in Tampa it's supposed to be the largest in Florida. It was nice but I was not overly impressed. I have been to many Aquariums in the past and Chattanooga TN is still my favorite one!! But this one is very nice!! It cost $216 for 3 adult, one senior and 2 kids and baby was free!!! Go figure!! Plus $40 for 4 waters and 4 churros.....ugh!!! But kids loved it!! That's all that really matters!!! Calliope was amazed she kept looking around!!

I've been here numerous times with my husband and my family. It's always wonderful to see such diversity and animals and animal life. I'm certainly glad that my family and I are vegetarians as even thinking of eating these sentient beings is beyond my comprehension

I took my baby for the first time to the aquarium and he loved it! We parked across the street at the channelside garage which is $2 an hour. I just wish it was bigger and more to see. We loved the big tanks of sea animals. I wish there were bigger sharks or more variety of sea animals but given how it's not that big in the first place, I understand. We love the splash pad outside too. It was so fun! My baby had a blast out there.

Loved being a member this year! We went during their Yule Tides event this season and loved the Grinch and other characters swimming in the tanks. My kids love running through here all day! Our favorite is probably the main tank with sharks or perhaps the upstairs Florida wetlands area where the animals seem to run loose (in a good way)! Lots of great sensory experiences too. I love feeling the sea urchins and such. A new touch area is coming soon so we're excited about that. In the summer they have a lovely splash pad!

While visiting in the area, we decided that the aquarium would be a great way to entertain the kids. They really enjoyed all of the hands-on activities, like petting the moon jellies, and the stingrays. I was surprised at how crowded it was, given that it seems as though they do timed ticketing. It seemed like we spent a lot of our time waiting for a space to view the different tanks and animals. I think the price is a bit high, but it's not a terrible way to spend a few hours... Especially on a hot or rainy day.

For the price.. it was very underwhelming. We spent $250 for a family of 5 and should have been half that. I got in at 230 and left by 330. A couple of exhibits were closed. Really underwhelming in terms of the ones that were open. Expected a lot more for the price paid.

I was in Tampa and wanted to go on a solo date so I chose the aquarium. I parked in a lil lot right under the bridge for $15. The aquarium has a beautiful assortment of fish and wildlife. It was worth the entry cost. I spent a lil over an hour walking thru. Afterwards I had a burger and fries from the cafe and enjoyed my meal outside right next to a cruise ship. I can't wait to come back with my family!

I came here for a Thursday afternoon and it wasn't busy. You can get tickets online easily as we thought we could go up and buy tickets but they prefer you just purchase on your phone. It's fairly easy to navigate and they have various interactive spots. In the lobby we were lucky they were bringing out a penguin for an educational session. Then in the lobby they had the jellyfish interactive area. Then upstairs is where all the attractions were from the wetlands to seeing the various sea animals. We went through it pretty quickly as we're not the type to read everything. Overall we expected more attractions for how big it looks on the outside but the staff was helpful with answering our questions. As far for parking there's a parking garage nearby or you can do street parking. Highly recommend coming back here!

Such a fun place to visit for dates or as a family!! This was my first time at the FL Tampa Aquarium. I personally think it's worth it. I loved all the unique fishes, beautiful birds, and cool other animals like lemurs and such! I also thought it was cool that they had interactive exhibits where you could touch sting rays and jelly fish. This place was HUGE!! We only spent 2 -3 hours here but we could've spent probably another 1-2 hours walking around. I felt like a kid again and I had a ton of fun aquariums are smelly but cool There's was a little outdoor water park area as well. They have deals for other exhibits close by where you can do a dolphin cruise or see an old warship I believe. If you show them your aquarium tickets I think you get discounts (if it's the same day). Tips: There's a parking lot not terribly far away. There's signs to guide you. You use the pay mobile app I think parking was $15 They have military discounts

I'll be honest, I had no idea what to expect from this aquarium. I hadn't done any research on what to do with the kids in Tampa - it was an impromptu trip to see friends and family. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The moon jellies was the best part and the kids went through line twice to be able to touch them. I love how interactive this aquarium is. You can pet a variety of different sea creatures - moon jellies, rays, star fish. They also have an impressive store filled with different stuffed versions of the sea creatures they saw, so they have now expanded their stuffed-animal collection to include some unique beings which makes me happy as an avid stuffed animal collector myself :) Along with all the water animals, they also have lemurs, which was unusual to see at an aquarium, and apparently a beautiful bird show, which we missed all three show times unfortunately. The kids got to meet their first axolotl, platypus, and starfish! I love how they had the giant fish tanks and birds in the indoor/outdoor - that was my son's second favorite after the moon jellies. Apparently they had penguins, have no idea how we missed those! Really cute place and definitely worth a stop in if you have time.

Had a great time with my friends and enjoyed learning about all the different types of animals.

Such a fantastic family venue! We were in Tampa during Father's Day weekend and took the water taxi to this spot for our first stop. Amazingly it was a 2 for 1 day so we got to explore at a discount! There is enough here for a full day, including a solid cafeteria and...a monkey exhibit! Very educational. Take the family and bring nature closer to you! Only wish is that something snackable and drink was available without the huge line for the cafeteria!

As a Christmas present, my mom bought my sister and I the penguin experience. All the exhibits were fantastic and seeing my favorite animal (sting rays) was such a treat, but nothing quite beats petting a penguin. Or two ;) It was such a cool experience and I'm super grateful to experience it! The employees were very knowledgeable and friendly. I recommend this to anyone

I have always heard of The Florida Aquarium so we decided to go for a nice family hang out. The areas are really cute, and all of the exhibitions are nice, very organized and have a lot of recreational activities. Many of the kids games were turned off or out of service, which would have been fun to entertain our little one. But besides that, the rest of the whole place was very taken care of and the animals looked gorgeous and well fed. Would have loved for it to be opened for a little later but this was definitely an experience that I would love to repeat.

This aquarium was very popular for the festive holidays. Although the tickets are expensive, there is much to see along with touch & feel stations for stingrays and anemones! Our little one loved looking at all the exhibits, especially the giant tank with the larger fish. We would come again with more family and friends as it's worth the trip!

We went here one day during our stay in Tampa. The line to buy tickets was huge--it seemed that every tourist in Florida was at the aquarium on the day we went. That meant that the displays were crowded which made it difficult to see some things. At times the number of people was overwhelming and by the end I just wanted out. The reason for 4 stars is that it is a rather small aquarium, or maybe we missed some parts (?). It is expensive for what you get. Over $40 for an adult and $36 for a kid. We did not try any of the food options while we were there, but they exist. There is a pretty good gift shop that is kind of pricey. The kid enjoyed the experience and got to touch a stingray so all in all we were happy that we went.

A Magical Experience for the Whole Family! The Florida Aquarium is a truly incredible place--full of wonder, discovery, and excitement. My kids were absolutely in awe of everything they saw, from the fascinating exhibits to the amazing sea creatures around every corner. The dolphin cruise was a major highlight--we saw so many dolphins, and my kids were delighted! It's an experience we'll all remember. The staff was fantastic--engaged, friendly, and clearly passionate about sparking curiosity and joy in young visitors. You can tell they genuinely care about creating a magical experience for families. Highly recommend for anyone with kids--or anyone who just wants to feel a little sense of wonder again!

Fun, decent place to explore the different terrain of fish and even some birds and ducks too.

First time and I know that this aquarium has been around for a long time. I had a wonderful experience and to all that work and take care of this attraction. It's amazing the care that goes into this. I'll highly recommend and come back

I love aquariums and this is a very nice aquarium!! We were there during Hurricane Debbie which was no fun. We got soaked to the skin going from the car to the aquarium! Luckily I had some extra clothes in the car and changed in the bathroom. The tanks were varied and nice and clean. The facts were interesting and they had a newer style exhibit about animal adaptations that I really enjoyed. They have a lot of touch tanks which are cool. I didn't see any shows if you are into those. The important thing is the fish and animals are well cared for.

I love this place so much. It's so nice and cozy, definitely go on a weekday or something because it can get really packed on the weekends. It's also a little expensive but it's worth it

4 stars for the Florida Aquarium! I didn't expect it to be as large as it was. There are some impressive tanks that we almost missed because the layout can get a little confusing, especially if it's busy. We visited on a Sunday for free Museums on Us for BoA. It's normally $40 to visit for adults. There's a map when you first enter, we just walked up the elevator and strolled into the wetlands section. There's a lot of free roaming birds in this covered area. Definitely scared some people as we were walking around. Lol. They have many different animals, some were hard to find, hiding or hard to see with the glass. The large tanks were super impressive with sharks, fish, turtles and other various fish. Many spots to touch different sea creatures, like a stingray or jellyfish. Definitely a fun time if you have little ones to bring here, there's so many things to explore! Overall a very extensive aquarium, it's for sure worth a visit!

Our grand kids wanted to see this so of course we went. It's easily the best aquarium I've been to. We all enjoyed it! It's designed for people to walk on a one way path to keep things moving and enhance the experience. There are so many various species of fish and amphibians I couldn't list them all. From small exhibits to some that the tank was the entire wall. All are labeled with touch screens with additional information. The Staff is great! Ask them anything! It's a great place for kids (and adults) to explore.

We headed here on Labor Day and I think it was a little less busy than usual. Parking with the cruise parking was a little odd, especially all the people coming to the aquarium with suitcases, likely killing time before their cruise departure. Parking was pretty easy in the morning but in the afternoon it was packed and hectic. Not sure what I expected, but we were anticipating a little more. But there is a huge splash pad for kids, which is a great ending to a day at the aquarium. Lots of incredible animals to see. When it's crowded, it can be difficult to get a good view. I loved the touch tanks. The cafe is also pretty large with a wide selection of choices. And there is plenty of booze. I appreciate the lengths they go to with the presentation of food. Between the grab and go items in fridges, like yogurt packaged in a mason jar, or the food I ordered coming on an actual plate with actual silver ware, which was a really nice and definitively elevated the experience. Nice day out in Tampa. The only strange thing is the ticket pricing structure and how the price is different everyday.

So nice and pretty big! I love that they have an area to be able to touch a real life stingray! So cool! Also the lady interacting with the kids all about the job of a vet with the aquarium is awesome! So much information about sea animals on display too! Also the presentation about the green sea turtle was really nice to hear and made it more personable!

I really enjoyed my time here. They have a lot to offer and probably something to visit again. Low lights- The penguin area seemed lacking and I love penguins so it made me a little sad lol. Highlights- The dolphin cruise was so fun. It was much longer than I thought, like you get your money's worth so definitely bring water and snacks from the aquarium.

**Do not visit this museum on a cruise arrival or departure day!!** On a recent trip to Tampa, we decided to take a trip to the aquarium upon getting to the aquarium at 10am. The parking lot was already slammed full, little to our knowledge there was a cruise ship currently departing, and a plethora of passengers were parking in the same parking lot as the aquarium. *Quick tip make sure you check the Cruise schedule and show up on a non-cruise arrival or departure day* Needless to say, the area cleared out after the ship left. I was a little flabbergasted that they charge $5 dollars for every hour you're parked in the non-museum parking lot. Perhaps the aquarium should work with the city of Tampa and allow you to bring your parking ticket into the aquarium for a type of parking discount for having to park outside of the museum parking lot, if it's full. We spent over $25 for parking at this aquarium for the 5 hours. We were here and there is no flat day parking fee. It goes up every hour you there. They didn't have active military discounts on their website, but when you show up at the window, they honor service members by offering a five dollar discount per ticket in your group. Upon walking in, we were immediately greeted with zoologists/marine-biologists, showing turtles and different types of reptiles within the atrium. The kids love being able to pet and take pictures with the animals, and we were told to start our tour on the second floor of the aquarium. After getting there, the mangrove swamp area was really cool!...But then again this was a cruise-ship departure day so we were smashed/shoulder-to- shoulder with everybody in the aquarium like you're at some sort of rock concert mosh-pit. There wasn't any room to spread out and kids would frequently get lost/separated easily. I just so happen to get separated from my party while they were waiting to touch the stingrays. I continued on in the aquarium all the way back to the lobby.... **Here's the fun part after speaking with an aquarium employee. There is NO WAY to get to the second floor of the aquarium from the halfway point. You have to fight all of the people from the cruise ship going the opposite direction from the ground floor back to the stingray area or from the second floor back through the mangrove area. (They have a huge big wide open area with a small snack bar at the mosaic area on the second floor and an additional atrium where you can look down to see the people on the first floor, but there is no stairs to get there in the middle of the exhibits.) This was the huge frustration for me, deciding to walk against the flow of people to get back to my party in the middle of the aquarium. **Overall, there is just, waaaay TOO MANY PEOPLE smashed into the aquarium. I'm surprised they don't have a maximum people cut off every day as stated by other reviews. The huge astro-turf kid outdoor play area, which I learned was (only temporary) is a huge plus for this aquarium and the food is phenomenal for the aquarium as well. Lunch was awesome. The gift shop was amazing... we spent well over $150 in apparel, gifts and different like items. They also don't have plastic bags at this aquarium and you have to pay $5 dollars to purchase a bag that they say, is reusable but ends up in the garbage can right outside afterwards. You would think they have a place to throw away your pre-purchased bags on the way out the door if they were really trying to be conservative about the environment!

The Florida Aquarium is a very nice place with great guides and exhibits. Everything is very well laid out and very well maintained. The wide range of sea creatures is impressive. There's an outside area as well and a few spots to grab a little food. However, I think it's very pricey, both the entrance fee and especially the places to get a bite. Not sure if it's really worth it in the end.

Not quite as good as the Monterey Aquarium but will admit to hometown bias there but still an awesome aquarium. We had a wonderful couple of hours here marveling at all the marine life. Highly recommend a stop if you are in Tampa

This is a small and distinctive aquarium filled with local birds, local fish and reptiles, and a beautiful showing of many tropical fish. I love their tropical fish displays. They also have a huge tank filled with giant rays and sharks. They have a large indoor dome that showcases plants and animals from the Florida wetlands. You can see an alligator there safely and these stunning pink birds that are allowed to fly up to the treetops in the dome. The new exhibit showcases an axolotl, which was unbelievably adorable. Supposedly there are lemurs. I've been there twice now, a year apart, and have yet to see them. But they do have many other local marine life from the Madagascar area and they are worth the exhibit.