Clearwater Marine Aquarium

New and Exciting at Clearwater Marine Aquarium!

Clearwater Marine Aquarium is undergoing a multi-million dollar expansion that will triple the space the marine rescue facility has for wildlife rehabilitation. Part of that expansion is the just-opened Ruth and J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex where Winter, Hope and their dolphin friends have settled in. The beautiful new habitat has a massive window - 16 feet tall and 40 feet wide - that allows amazing views of the dolphins.

Say what? There’s more news?! Clearwater Marine Aquarium is very excited to announce that it has several new resident dolphins, including two rough-toothed dolphins, a species rarely seen by humans because they inhabit deep waters. Rudolph (aka "Rudy") and Rex were rescued in different Florida locations. CMA is one of only two marine facilities in the world where visitors can view this species! Like bottlenose dolphins, they are gregarious creatures, however they are darker and significantly smaller. See the difference for yourself by visiting Rudy and Rex, then saying hello to Hemingway, a male Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who has also become part of the facility's permanent family. All three dolphins have permanent hearing loss, meaning that they aren't able to use echolocation to find fish in the wild and must remain at CMA.

Psstt... we have even more news to report! Winter the Dolphin's Beach Club hotel is open (read more on this page)!

Meet Winter and Hope

Don’t miss a chance to see Winter and her best friend Hope, dolphin celebrities and stars of the two Dolphin Tale movies. Winter’s story of injury, challenge and healing as well as her warm relationship with rescued friend, Hope, have inspired people from around the world. Winter was only about two months old when she was discovered by a fisherman after being caught in a crab trap line. Unfortunately, her tail was too damaged to be saved, but she learned to swim without a tail and eventually adapted to using an amazing prosthetic tail. Five years later, she was joined by Hope, who was also rescued as a baby.

Other Animals You Can See at CMA

While CMA's dolphins are undoubtedly the big draw for visitors, the aquarium is also home to a number of other fascinating marine animals, including rescued loggerhead, green and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles (the rarest sea turtle species in the world). You can also see native Florida animals such as white pelicans, otters, sharks and stingrays.

Dolphin and Wildlife Boat Tours

CMA’s Dolphin and Wildlife Boat Tour on scenic Clearwater Bay is wildly popular! Make a reservation to enjoy 60 minutes of boating bliss, with a naturalist narrating the trip. You’ll learn about St. Pete/Clearwater’s local dolphin population as well as other Florida wildlife along the way.

Know Before You Go

Read about the extensive steps Clearwater Marine Aquarium is taking to keep you safe while visiting, and how to do your part. Also find answers to other FAQs such as hours, ticketing, amenities and more. CMA is currently limiting attendance to 25% of capacity, so it's a great time to visit!