Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Learn about Clearwater Marine Aquarium's mission of rescue, rehabilitation, and release by touring its many exhibits and taking part in educational activities. Join a guided behind-the-scenes tour, take a safari boat ride in the waters surrounding the aquarium, shadow animal care professionals, and much more. In addition to seeing the aquarium's rehabilitated animals that can't be released into the wild, you can also observe the rescue and rehabilitation process first-hand at its hospital.

• The aquarium is a family-friendly activity that engages and educates all ages.

• Special programs, such as animal encounters, sell out due to limited availability. Book in advance.

• The aquarium is wheelchair and stroller accessible, but the Sea Life Safari and Dolphin Adventure Tour are not.

• Some exhibits are outdoors, so come prepared for all weather. Wearing layers is recommended.

The aquarium is located in Clearwater, a 40-minute drive from both Tampa and St. Petersburg. Take FL-60 West to Island Way in Clearwater. Then, follow Island Way and Windward Passage to Marina Way. The aquarium is located at the end of Marina Way. Paid parking is available in the aquarium's garage.

Peak season in Clearwater is around winter holidays, spring break, and summer school vacations. In these times, the aquarium can be quite crowded, so visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds. Avoid visiting when it is raining because some of the outdoor exhibits may be closed.

Fans of the movieDolphin Tale andDolphin Tale 2 can meet the movies’ stars—Winter and Hope—and learn the backstory of both dolphins' rescues at the aquarium. The movie was filmed at the aquarium so you can visit the movie set too. Plus, learn about the rehabilitation of the dolphins, see Winter’s prosthetic tail in action, and watch Winter and Hope interact.

Exploring the Clearwater Marine Aquarium takes 2-3 hours—this gives you plenty of time to admire all of the exhibits and educational sections, take a boat ride on the water, catch a presentation, and see some of the rescued wildlife. The last entry is 30 minutes before closing time.

Yes, you can touch dolphins during your visit to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium if you book a Photo with a Dolphin experience. You can have an individual or group photo with one of the dolphins—only one person at a time can touch the dolphins and you can’t wear jewelry while you’re doing so.

Yes, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium has two types of shark, including a resident nurse shark named Thelma (who measures nearly 7 feet (2 meters), who you can watch swimming around from the Shark Pass. There are also some Epaulette sharks in the Sea Cavern, where they live alongside a yellow stingray.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is located indoors and outdoors—while most of the tanks are indoors, some marine enclosures are outdoors. The boat cruises and wildlife-watching tours take place outdoors, so be sure to layer up during winter and bring a hat and sunscreen in summer.

Yes, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium is accessible. There are elevators and ramps throughout the building, as well as accessible toilets and parking. The only part of the attraction that isn’t accessible is the eco-boat tour due to difficulty in getting on and off the boat from the dock.

You can’t bring food onto the second floor of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, but you can take it elsewhere in the attraction. You can buy a range of hot and cold snacks, kid’s meals, and vegetarian options at the Shark Bites Cade. You can also purchase soft and alcoholic drinks on the Dolphin Terrace.