Exploring Under the Sea: A Family Adventure at the Florida Aquarium
What an experience! Over 8,000 animals from tiny seahorses to apex predators (aka sharks) are on display at the Florida Aquarium, located in downtown Tampa, Florida.
Sharks are prevalent in the Florida Aquarium and are fed hunks of fish by biologists and zoologists. The aquarium keeps careful records of the animal’s food consumption and growth.
The sea otters are very fast swimmers in the aquarium. They are kept in their own tank near the Florida bird exhibit. Eating a diet of smelt and hard-boiled eggs, their health is carefully monitored by the Florida Aquarium’s veterinarians. These animals are amazing at streamlining, a swimming technique taught to competitive swimmers world-wide.
To stay motivated to drink your water each day, try this cute sea otter water bottle. It is a great way to get your needed liquid refreshment and commemorate your trip to the aquarium.
There are so many adorable and exotic fishes in this aquarium. With over 8000 animals present, there is always a fish to enthrall even the most blasé of spectators.
This fish is called a discus fish, known for its flat shaped body. It is a freshwater species of fish often found in the Amazon River. These fish enjoy warm water, 85 to 86 degrees, and therefore can only have certain aquatic companions. Having small mouths, discus fish are often fed frozen bloodworms. There are varying colors of these fish at the Florida Aquarium.
There are several different species of jelly fish in the Florida Aquarium. Enjoy your visit with them from behind glass.
This is a great way to meet these magnificent creatures as compared to when you are swimming in the Tampa Bay.
One of the most educational and interesting exhibits is found at the top of the Florida Aquarium. The Florida Aquarium’s coral conservation program is regrowing coral with the idea of seeding the coral reefs with new coral plants. The coral growth tanks are on display at the aquarium, so be sure to check them out.
Children will particularly enjoy the Stingray Feeding experience, where they can assist in preparing the food, feeding and interacting with the stingrays. This experience, booked online, has limited availability but is sure to create amazing memories for the children.
A way to commemorate this experience is with the purchase of a stuffed stingray toy. There are some available in the gift shop at the Florida Aquarium. Alternatively, you can purchase one from Amazon here.
Another activity the children will enjoy is the Florida Aquarium’s Splash Pad. This on-site zero depth splash and play area features geysers and buckets for the kids to get wet. It is a nice break in the middle of the day to allow the children to burn off some steam. Since the children will be in an outdoor wet play zone, I recommend bringing a towel and a change of clothes as well as having the children wear splash shoes. They can be purchased on Amazon here.
Overall, the Florida Aquarium is an excellent place to spend two to three hours with the family. Located on Channelside Drive and next to the Port of Tampa, this attraction can become crowded on weekends and when cruise ships are in port
Tickets are best purchased online. Prices range between $30 and $40 with discounts available for seniors (60+).
The Florida Aquarium is a slightly expensive but worthwhile educational attraction for the entire family and a must see when visiting the beautiful city of Tampa Florida. The Florida Aquarium is a not for profit 501©3 organization with part of each ticket sales going toward the maintenance of over 8,000 animals.
