This was our first visit to Tampa and I decided to give my mom this birthday present. I took her to see the city around and of course went to the Aquarium. It was a great experience especially where the birds were located, just roaming and flying around. It was very relaxing ! It is a self-guided tour but there are plenty of staff around to help. The site is very clean, organized, and you cannot be lost because there are clear directions throughout the aquarium. The experience with the rays, with the jelly fish, really interesting! Just one recommendation, don't go after 3pm if you want to get the whole experience because it will take you 2hr at least if you want to enjoy it in a calm pace .
What a lovely experience! We enjoyed a nice lunch at the Cafe with a cool craft beer. Then off to visit the exhibits, which were filled with a wonderful variety of species. We thoroughly enjoyed the natural Florida mangrove section. We finished the day by checking out the gift shop and getting some souvenirs. All in all a nice way to spend an afternoon. Parking is a bit of a walk, but safe sidewalk access to and from.
The Florida Aquarium is beautiful. There is such a wide variety of wildlife that we don't get to see at a lot of other aquariums. Make sure you see the otters while you're there, they like to do backflips under water and propel themselves across the water... it's so adorable. The atmosphere is relaxing and the interior is very modern. The staff is extraordinarily nice. The only downside is parking, you need to walk about 5 minutes from the car but all-in-all it's really not that bad. Wait times to get inside aren't longer than 10 minutes either. This is a great place for kids, family, and friends. I highly recommend you take a visit and enjoy your day!
Planned a trip up to Tampa to check out this aquarium and it was absolutely wonderful. We entered the lobby and there was a staff member by the map who answered all our questions. While we were in the lobby, they brought four African penguins through the lobby on a little show and tell. It was delightful. The waddled through and were so curious! One of the days many highlights. I really enjoyed the pace of the exhibits; they were spaced perfectly for us to leisurely stroll through and stop when we wanted to investigate something further. Another thing I really appreciated was how the exhibits flowed into one another. I never had to look at a map and we saw everything. It took us about 4 hours 2 adults, no kids. We finished with lunch from the cafe, which was also great! Something I noticed - there were always lots of staff around, helping with just about everything and answering questions, which was great. Overall it was a wonderful experience. Definitely recommend.
Very enjoyable aquarium! Fun, clean, in good repair. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. It was nice to see staff cleaning glass throughout. Crowds were not terrible. Saw some really neat creatures and fish, the Morph'd area was very cool, interactive and educational.Visited onWeekdayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNot surePrice for adult entry$31+
My wife and I try to visit any aquarium we are near. This aquarium is by far the best aquarium we've been to so far. We thought the $40 price tag was a bit steep, but it's worth every penny. The staff was beyond friendly and knowledgeable. We witnessed some feedings. Several interactive exhibits, including "pokers cove" as we call it, where you get to touch starfish, sea anemones, and rays. Ash near the rays was so friendly and knowledgeable on the ray exhibit. The open-air marsh exhibit was awesome. Get right up close to some beautiful water fowl and birds. The jelly tank was also amazing, touching some moon jellies. By far, the best aquarium we've been to. The only thing I wish for is more exhibits showing a range of where things live and maybe a fun fact instead of just the names, but regardless, well marked displays of each animal.
This aquarium a MUST! It was wonderful from start to finish and is SO much more than an aquarium. We enjoyed not only the aquatic life but also many birds, lemurs, penguins and more. There is also a playground and splash pad right next to a bar/ restaurant for the adults to enjoy a beverage. The staff was extremely informative and answered so many questions! I would recommend this to anyone of any age. Amazing !!!!
Great aquarium with lots of big projects coming! We went on a weekday just before the kids get out of school for winter break and it wasn't busy at all. I hadn't been in almost 2 years, so I was excited to see the Morph'd exhibit and to hear about the upcoming projects they are working on. I can't wait to see the new penguin habitat once its finished. For now, they have the African penguins in a small area out near the splash pad. Morph'd was really great. The interactive displays are really cool and the concept is great. Don't miss out!
Best aquarium I’ve been to! They had so many beautiful animals from anemones to tiny seahorses to river otters, penguins, and lemurs! I went alone and it was the perfect way to spend a solo day. I got to pet some jellyfish, starfish, anemones, and sting rays which was the highlight.Visited onWeekdayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNot sure
I love this place. Each tank has a gorgeous display of sea creatures. Very clean. Fish look very healthy. I loved the penguin add on experience. I will never forget how adorable they are. The women who taught us about the penguins were fantastic. You can tell they really love their animals. The boat ride is a little pricey and mostly you see the industrial canal. We did see dolphins riding the bow waves of a big ship coming in which was cool. Watching the sharks get fed was really interesting. The food at the cafe was really good. Definitely try the Korean steak and noodle bowl. I also thought the soak pad for the kids was a great idea. The garden eels are my favorite to watch. This place is expensive but I do feel it is worth it.
