The Florida Aquarium – Part of Tampa’s ZooQuarium

Come see why The Florida Aquarium is a top USA TODAY ranked aquarium in North America; a TripAdvisor top 10 Aquarium in the country; and Parents Magazine top 5 “Kid-Friendly” aquarium.

The Florida Aquarium experience is designed to take you on a journey, starting with a drop of water from one of Florida’s many freshwater springs, all the way out to the open waters of the Florida Keys. Sights include a large simulated wetlands environment located under a tall glass atrium, shallow bays and beaches, and a coral reef ecosystem encompassed in half a million gallons of natural seawater.

Tampa’s ZooQuarium – Two Can’t-Miss Attractions. One Low Price. Countless Memories.

No Bones Zone

Touch and learn about unusual creatures that have no backbone: anemones, sea cucumbers, sea stars and more!

Journey to Madagascar

In this unique and beautiful place, you’ll see lemurs, chameleons, geckos and a colorful Indian Ocean reef. You can even crawl inside a tree full of hissing cockroaches!

Wetlands Trail

Take a hike on Florida’s Wetlands Trail and see alligators, otters and free-flying birds. Invasive pythons live here too!

Coral Reef

The secrets of Florida’s coral reefs are revealed – occupants include Stingrays, Porcupine Fish, Sand Tiger Sharks, Barracudas, Green SeaTurtles, Moray Eels , Nurse Sharks & Lion Fish.

Dragons Down Under

These guys are sometimes hard to spot – Leafy sea dragons, seahorses, dwarf seahorses and pipefish live in a miniature world all of their own. See how their camouflage helps them sneak up on prey and hide from predators. The Florida Aquarium successfully breeds dwarf seahorses. Keep an eye out for their babies; they are even tinier than the adults!

Waves of Wonder

Check out some very amusing Clown Fish, cool Mantis Shrimp, shimmering Moon Jellies & learn what makes an Octopus one of the oceans most fascinating creatures.

The Splash Pad

Experience fantastic, froggy fun in the kids’ outdoor water play zone with both wet and dry play elements, sandboxes, lush landscaping and more! The zero-depth water area features water dump buckets, spray zones and a designated water play area for toddlers. Access to The Splash Pad is included with Aquarium general admission.

Open daily from 10 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. (weather permitting)

4D Movies

This 4-D experience combines the visual drama of a 3-D film with a variety of sensory effects built into the seats and theater environment. The 4-D experience brings on-screen images to life with added effects such as bubbles, snow, scent, FX lighting, water mist, seat vibration and wind.

Featured in digital 3-D and brought to life with 4-D multisensory effects, these films will captivate the whole family! Theater capacity is 50 guests per showing with 15-minute films running multiple times per hour. The 4-D theater is located in the Aquarium’s outdoor plaza, near The Splash Pad.

This experience is included with a general admission ticket purchase.

Showings daily from 10 AM – 4:30 PM

Close Up Critters

Visit areas of the Aquarium that are normally off-limits to our guests. See our interactive learning spaces and meet three of our animal ambassadors! Each tour is a unique experience. Recommended for families with small children.

Tours depart at 11:30 AM and 3:15 PM daily.

Must be purchased directly from The Florida Aquarium on day of visit

Penguins Backstage Pass

A fun and educational 30-minute behind the scenes interaction with our African penguins!

Led by an experienced penguin biologist, a typical visit may include a chance to touch the penguins, see them waddle, swim, shake their tails and jump in and out of their interaction pool. While there, our biologist will describe and answer any questions guests might have about these remarkable birds and their specialized care.

Guests may also catch a glimpse of penguin feeding habits as our biologists feed them their favorite foods.

These South African Birds live in a temperate environment in the “Penguin Suite” so no coats are needed.

Tickets for the Penguins Backstage Pass must be purchased in person at the Aquarium’s Guest Services kiosk or ticket booths the day you are visiting the Aquarium.

Each Penguins Backstage Pass lasts approximately 30 minutes and occurs three times per day at 11:30 AM & 3:00 PM

Cost – $30 per person, $25 for Aquarium Members.

Must be purchased directly from The Florida Aquarium on day of visit

Maximum 14 people per session.

Wild Dolphin Cruise

The Wild Dolphin Cruise departs twice daily from The Florida Aquarium (weather permitting.) This 75- minute cruise includes an entertaining tour and an opportunity to spot wild dolphins aboard the 72-foot, powered catamaran, the Bay Spirit II.

Tickets must be purchased 30 minutes or further in advance of your cruise departure time either online or onsite. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your cruise in the staging area near our outdoor Fins bar.

If we spot a group of dolphins, we’ll keep a safe distance to abide by state and federal laws protection laws, yet we’ll still get to witness their incredible natural behaviors – fishing and feeding, playing, sleeping, and even moms teaching their babies!

Cruises leave the Aquarium daily – weather permitting. Inside our air-conditioned cabin you will find two restrooms. Snacks, drinks, beer, and wine are also available for purchase. The upper deck allows for the enjoyment of the Bay’s fresh, salty air and gives a bird’s eye view during the tour.

Must be purchased directly from The Florida Aquarium on day of visit

Swim & Dive Experience

Get up-close to our animals with a swim or dive experience at The Florida Aquarium! Swim or dive side-by-side with many types of sea life native to Florida, including hundreds of reef fishes, sea turtles, moray eels, sand sharks and much more. You bring a swimsuit and towel and we’ll provide the rest! Aquarium admission is included for all in-water experience participants.

Must book in advance directly with The Florida Aquarium.

Behind the Scenes Tour

Have you ever wondered how we manage to care for our animals and plants from around the world? How do we keep the water so clean and clear? What do our animals eat and how are their meals prepared? How big is our largest aquarium? On this 1-hour behind the scenes tour, you’ll find out from Aquarium experts.

Tour departs at 1:00 PM daily. Must be purchased directly from The Florida Aquarium on day of visit

Food & Drink

Enjoy a variety of food and drinks at the Café Ray. Café Ray is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. offering a wide selection of dining options including breakfast from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and lunch and dinner options including healthy and hearty salads, burgers, Panini sandwiches, pasta, pizza and much more. Self-serve drinks and snacks are also available.

Click here to see the Café Ray menu.

Due to the nature of the facility and the safety of its animals with open exhibits, The Florida Aquarium isn’t able to allow outside food and drink into the Aquarium. This does not include bottles or baby food for infants.

People who enjoyed The Florida Aquarium also enjoyed ZooTampa at Lowry Park.

Location & Info

Location: 701 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602
Telephone: (813) 273-4000
Website: www.flaquarium.org