Address: 701 Channelside Drive
Pricing: Adults $20, Children 14 and under $15
Phone: (813) 273-4000
Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
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Florida Aquarium: a wet and wild time
Nov 1, 2009
There are lots of exhibits at the Florida Aquarium. Visit the Wetlands and see alligators, turtles, birds and river otters. The Coral Reef features 200 pound Goliath Grouper and daily penguin walks. Shark Bay has 5 species of sharks, and guests can pay extra to swim with the sharks as long as they are SCUBA certified.
You won't only learn about the ocean here. The Bays and Beaches exhibit guides you through the plants and the wildlife out of the water.
Children can swim with the fishes in the aquarium's half million gallon Coral Reef Exhibit and learn about SCUBA gear and safety. Cost is $85 per person for 30 minutes of fun. Smaller kids will enjoy the Florida Aquarium's 2 acre water park. Let the kids play on the slippery slides and fun shipwrecks while parents keep and eye on them and kick back at the cantina.
Community programs like sleepovers, birthday parties, educational tours, camps and scout programs will have the youngsters interested and excited to learn. Some sleepover programs even include educational dissections.
The conservation and research center at the Florida Aquarium is working to keep ecosystems safe, keep aquatic life healthy and spread their knowledge and research in the scientific field.
Visit the Calendar of Events to help maximize your time at the aquarium.
Membership definitely has its perks, including free admission year-round, free parking, discounts on Wild Dolphin Encounters, The Caribbean Cantina, educational programs, birthday parties, gift shop purchases, dive experiences and more. An individual membership is $60, couples are $95 and parties of 6 are $175.
- by Jessica Bates, Tampa Reporter for HelloMetro
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Jessica BatesJessica is a freelance journalist residing in lovely southern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and journalism. She writes for a green living publication, which she thoroughly enjoys. Once upon a time she was an editorial board member for Steel Toe Books choosing poetry manuscripts for publication.
