A Day at Clearwater Marine Aquarium

In an effort to better welcome all visitors, Clearwater Marine Aquarium has partnered with KultureCity to enhance its offerings for people with sensory issues. Visitors can view a social story before their visit to get an idea of what to expect. During their visit, guests can borrow a sensory bag, which includes fidget tools and noise-canceling headphones, and they can take advantage of quiet zones in the attraction.

Say cheers to Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Brew Fest – a captivating evening of craft brews and marine wonders. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, savor local beers, groove to live music and enjoy the beauty of marine life including interactive dolphin presentations. Tickets to this 21-plus event help support vital marine conservation efforts. Choose from general admission or VIP tickets, both of which include 12 samples of beer and/or food, with additional samples available for purchase.

All visitors will want to meet Izzy, the aquarium’s newest resident Atlantic bottlenose dolphin. She was rescued near North Padre Island, Texas, in June 2022 after years of illegal human interaction in the wild caused her health to decline. She required intervention, and after CMA was selected as her forever home, she arrived here in November 2022, ready to join the CMA pod and enjoy lots of love and care.

Discover the Ultimate Virtual Reality Experience in CMA’s VR Theater, which includes “Remembering Winter: A Musical 360-Degree VR Tribute to Winter’s Legacy.” Separate VR tickets can be purchased at Ticketing, Guest Services or the VR Theater Counter.

CMA is celebrating Peace, Love and Dolphins at their Dolphintopia exhibition. Through art, activities and interactive displays, this immersive experience highlights fascinating scientific facts about dolphins as well as their connection with humans throughout the ages. Dolphintopia is included with general admission.

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 – bottlenose dolphins Hope and Nicholas, as well as Rudolph, the rough-toothed dolphin, a deep-water species rarely seen by humans. The dolphins live at the beautiful new Ruth and J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex – here, 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. Meet new residents Boba, the green sea turtle, and Speckles, the spotted moray eel! Check out CMA's live Dolphin Cam 1 and Dolphin Cam 2 now!

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!

Experience CMA's immersive VR theater on your next visit! You can "dive right in" with humpback whales and other underwater wildlife guided by marine biologists and wildlife experts. This 360-degree stereoscopic VR adventure with dynamic motion seating is free with admission.

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 Walking 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!

Masks are recommended, but not required inside the aquarium. However, if you book a special animal interaction program, you will be required to wear a mask.
 

Send any stories or photos from past visits or any vintage CMA souvenirs you might want to share for CMA’s 50th anniversary at [email protected]. And, of course, it’s fun to share your experience on social channels with @cmaquarium.