By Dawn Henthorn
Florida Travel Expert, about.com
Looking for a great family-friendly day trip? How about visiting an aquarium? They are educational, fun and offer at least some air conditioned relief from those really hot Florida spring and summer days.
How Aquariums Have Evolved
The
first public aquarium opened in the London Zoo in 1853 and the circus
giant, P. T. Barnum, quickly followed three years later with the first
American aquarium, as part of his established Barnum’s American Museum
in New York City.
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These were actually small exhibits by today’s standards, but thus began our quest to see what lies beneath the ocean.
On a bigger scale in Florida, it was 1947 when Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs.
The underwater theater, with just 18 seats, advertised live mermaids
and the show amazed crowds, but also offered a glimpse of a world that
few had ever seen.
Around the same time, Jacques Cousteau was co-developing the
aqua-lung which allowed him to explore under water and he went on to
publish his most successful book, The Silent World: A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure, in 1953. He, of course, ended up being a household name when it came to underwater adventures.
Over
the years, through innovative people like Perry and Cousteau, we have
learned more and more about our oceans and formed a love affair with the
magical underwater world filled with an array of amazing creatures.
Aquarium display innovations have also continued to evolve with larger
tanks and unique viewing platforms. Today they not only allow visitors
face-to-face encounters, but hands-on touch pool experiences.
Clear-water Marine Aquarium - Clear-water
Home to the aqua film stars Winter and Hope of the Dolphin Tale movies, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a must if you have a fan of the movie in your family. A great family-friendly educational and entertaining attraction.
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- A large portion of the aquarium facility is outdoors and subject to weather condition cancellations. Plan your visit accordingly.
- While admission is very reasonable, plan to pay extra for the chance to feed and take photos with the marine stars of the movies.
Miami Seaquarium - Miami
Although not as large as a certain Central Florida marine theme park, Miami Seaquarium
also features trained dolphin and killer whale shows. Exhibits
showcasing sea turtles, seals, sea lions and the Florida manatee offer a
fun day of exploration.
Tip:
- If you're going to be visiting the Miami area, purchase a Miami Go Card to save on admission to multiple area attractions.
SEA LIFE Orlando - Orlando
Located along the city’s International Drive is Florida’s newest aquarium, SEA LIFE Orlando.
Step inside the underwater 360-degree tunnel for an amazing view of
sharks and turtles, plus get up-close-and-personal with hard-shell shore
creatures the attraction’s Rock Pool area.
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- Purchase SEA LIFE tickets online and save up to 25%
- Purchase Orlando Eye-Drive Experience tickets for all three attractions – The Orlando Eye, Madam Tussauds and SEA LIFE – and get one free, saving 20%.
SeaWorld Orlando - Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando
is not exactly an aquarium, but the marine theme park has indoor
exhibits that offer unique views of penguins, sharks and turtles –
Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, Shark Encounter, Wild Artic and
Turtle Trek. There is also a Manta Aquarium and underwater viewing of
Shamu and dolphins.
Tip:
- SeaWorld Orlando admission is required to visit any of these exhibits.
The Florida Aquarium - Tampa
The Florida Aquarium
is more than 150,000 square feet of air conditioned educational fun
with tanks large and small, including the Coral Reef Gallery which
showcases one of the most beautiful and diverse ecosystems in the world,
usually reserved for experienced divers. There is also an outdoor
two-acre wet-play zone for kids - Explore A Shore.
Tip:
- This is a great place to stay cool while awaiting your boarding time when sailing from the Port of Tampa.
The Seas Pavilion
Epcot’s Future World - Disney World
Florida’s
largest salt water aquarium with 5.7-million gallons, is located within
Disney World. The attraction was initially themed as an underwater
exploration base, but was reimagined and renamed as The Seas with Nemo
and Friends. Besides the Nemo and Friends ride, it also houses the
technically advanced and popular, Turtle Talk with Crush.
Tips:
- Epcot admission is required to visit The Seas with Nemo and Friends.
- This is a Fastpass+ attraction. Reserve a day and time for your visit up to 30 days in advance.
The Controversy
Marine
theme parks and aquariums have come under fire by animal rights groups
that argue inhumane treatment of animals performing in shows. They have
also called into question how specimens for exhibits are obtained and
displayed.
While this will always be a concern, the good they do
cannot be overlooked. Their rescue and rehabilitation programs save a
large number of animals each year. The bottom line is these attractions
all care for the well being of animals and help educate the public.
