A Day at Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Visitors will want to see the aquarium’s newest rescued residents, who live at CMA full time. Animals that are being rehabilitated year-round might include dolphins, sharks, stingrays, otters, pelicans, or other marine animals.

Commemorating a milestone, Clearwater Marine Aquarium is set to open its Manatee Rehabilitation Center in summer 2024. The new center will allow CMA to accept the influx of manatees in need of restorative care. CMA will care for manatees recovering from the effects of seagrass and habitat loss that contributed to the Unusual Mortality Event (UME) on Florida’s east coast, red tide exposure, boat strike wounds, cold stress syndrome and others. The center will use technology including ozone treatment and medical habitats with false bottoms for the comfort of the manatees and safety of the animal care staff.

As stewards of this threatened species, CMA’s goal is to educate guests about manatees and their conservation status. Visitors can learn about the threats to manatees and what they can do to help protect them. Guests will be provided underwater viewing access of stable rehabilitated manatees as they are acclimated for release back into the wild.

In addition, the ArtSEA Conservation special exhibit showcases artwork inspired by marine life conservation such as iluminated marine animal paintings, sculptures and aquariums that feature artwork. A unique Virtual Reality Experience lets you “interact” with sea life such as jellyfish, leatherback turtles, and whale sharks.

Dolphins have always been part of CMA’s story, from its first rescued dolphin, Sunset Sam, in 1972, to its best-known resident, Winter the dolphin, who was rescued as a baby in 2005 after becoming entangled in a crab trap. 

Winter lost her tail but overcame the enormous challenge and was eventually fitted with a groundbreaking innovation, a prosthetic tail. Her amazing story was told in the 2011 hit movie, Dolphin Tale and the 2014 sequel, Dolphin Tale 2, starring Winter, Harry Connick Jr. and Ashley Judd, and filmed on location at the aquarium. The movies brought worldwide attention to CMA, with visitors from around the globe coming to see Winter and her friends. 

Although Winter passed away in November 2021, CMA continues to celebrate her unique spirit and her story of resilience and healing that inspired people from all over the world, many of whom had their own health challenges. 
 

On your visit, you may see several species of dolphins, from bottlenose dolphins to the rough-toothed dolphin, a deep-water species rarely seen by humans. The dolphins live at the beautiful Ruth and J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex, where a massive 16-foot-tall and 40-foot-wide window provides awesome views of the dolphins. At CMA, you’ll also see North American river otters, loggerhead, green and Kemp's ridley sea turtles (the rarest sea turtle species in the world), stingrays, sharks, pelicans and other marine animals. Check out CMA's live Dolphin Cam 1 and Dolphin Cam 2 to catch a glimpse.

Guests to CMA can book one of several animal care experiences, such as feeding a stingray, caring for a nurse shark, or gaining VIP access to see one of the aquarium’s bottlenose or rough-toothed dolphins up close. Remember that this is a working animal hospital as well as a visitor attraction, so there’s a true emphasis on animal and environmental education. Don’t be surprised if your little one leaves with dreams of becoming a marine biologist!

CMA’s naturalist-guided Dolphin and Wildlife Boat Tours will teach you about the local dolphin population as well as other Florida wildlife. Guided tours on the water include a Sea Life Safari Tour, Tropical Cruise Boat Tour, Dolphin & Wildlife Tour and a Guided Kayak Tour.

To get a closer look at the aquarium in action, schedule a Behind the Scenes Tour. You’ll gain access to special areas of the aquarium, including the critical care facility and the area where the animals’ food is prepped every day.

General admission (not including special tours or programs) is $26.95 for children ages 3 – 12, $33.95 for seniors and $35.95 for adults. Parking is available at the onsite garage for $12 and you can pre-pay when you buy your tickets online. Admission is free on your birthday!

In an effort to better welcome all visitors, Clearwater Marine Aquarium has partnered with KultureCity, a leading nonprofit on sensory accessibility, to enhance its offerings for guests with sensory issues. Visitors can view a social story before their visit to get an idea of what to expect, and during their visit, they can borrow a sensory bag, which includes fidget tools and noise-canceling headphones. There are also quiet zones throughout the attraction.