You can’t talk about nature in Florida without bringing up the biodiversity of our waters, and you’d be remiss to talk about our waters without bringing up all the good work of Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA), tucked away along the immaculate coastline of Clearwater, Florida, is a sight to behold. Beyond being a tourist destination, CMA serves as a sanctuary for rescued and injured marine life, a center for innovative research, and an essential educational tool for guests of all ages.
Prepare to be inspired, informed, and awestruck by the wonders of CMA!
Clearwater Marine Aquarium rescues, rehabs, and releases marine animals
CMA History & Mission
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, began life in an abandoned water treatment plant. When the facility opened to the public, there was one fish exhibit, and that was it. Over the decades, CMA has renovated and scaled, and now they’ve gone from rescuing the first dolphin to survive a stranding in Florida to rehabilitating thousands of marine animals.
As for their mission, I’ll let them put it in their own words:
“We believe in preserving our environment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life; environmental education; research; and conservation.”
What Visitors Can Expect
Well, it’s an aquarium, so expect to see lots of marine animals, including:
Dolphins
Sea turtles
Otters
Pelicans
Sharks
Stingrays
Tortoises, snakes, and other reptiles
Fish, crustaceans, corals, and all sorts of other undersea species
But you don’t have to explore on your own. Every day, there are talks given by experts around the clock, including a turtle triage demonstration!
For guests with certain preferences or special considerations, CMA has thought of almost everything. There are audio tours for those who want a solo experience, and free sensory bags loaned out for those with sensory processing needs.
The aquarium is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, and their hours are usually 9:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the evening, and you can stop by the café inside for lunch if you need a meal break! Buy your tickets and learn about discounts and special offers here.
If you’re planning to come down, you must stay (or at least visit!) Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club, the first eco-friendly hotel on Clearwater Beach. It only makes sense that where you stay as a marine life lover gives back to the aquarium!
The best souvenirs at Winter The Dolphin Hotel
Eco-Boat Rides, Guided Tours & Unique Experiences
qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, with edits for color
Here’s something you won’t find at SeaWorld: because CMA is right on the beach, they can offer dolphin and sea life guided tours on the water! These tours are daily (weather permitting, of course), and they also offer additional options seasonally. If you’re not interested in going out on the water, they also offer guided behind-the-scenes and aquarium tours. You can get your tickets here.
But what if you want to get even more up close and personal with these beautiful creatures? CMA also has animal encounters. There are the kinds you’ve heard of before and would expect, of course—feeding stingrays and turtles—but you can also paint with a dolphin through April 7, 2024! Once that option goes away, it’s sure to be replaced with something equally exciting. Book your experience here.
Notable Residents
Ula0601, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
When you hear Clearwater Marine Aquarium, your mind surely jumps to Winter, the dolphin who survived against all odds after her damaged tail required amputation and a unique prosthetic made for her to continue swimming. Though she sadly passed away in 2021, her story was immortalized in the 2011 movie Dolphin Tale and its 2014 sequel, and the aquarium keeps her legacy alive to this day with an ongoing memorial and a virtual reality experience created with footage filmed throughout her life.
Winter may be gone, but her best friend Hope is still alive and well at CMA! She’s joined by four other dolphins—Nicholas, Izzy, Rudolph, and Rosie—and so many other rescued creatures like Thelma the nurse shark, otters Walle and Boomer, and so many more! Reading about the sea turtles especially melts my heart.
Research, Conservation & Education Efforts
CMA is dedicated to marine life conservation. Below are just some of the things they do to further their mission.
Sea turtle nest protection and tracking
Beach cleanups
Research projects with a focus on endangered species
Rescue, rehab, and release sick or injured marine animals
And more!
If you have a child interested in life under the sea or a career in marine biology or related fields, look into their educational programs. Don’t worry—they have virtual programs, too, and a kids zone on their website.
Can’t Make it to CMA?
This aquarium understands not everyone can make it down to Florida to visit, and not everyone has access to aquariums where they live. That’s why they have live webcams, so you and yours can always get a glimpse of aquatic life! On their live webcam page, you’ll find feeds featuring dolphins, otters, sea turtles, stingrays, and more! Not only is this a great resource for teachers and parents as a visual teaching aid, but they can also be displayed on televisions during gatherings as a conversation topic or on desktops for something to watch while working. You can also see what CMA is up to on their YouTube channel, including highlights from their live webcams!
You might also consider purchasing something from their shop for your home to help fund their mission.
Have you ever been to CMA? What’s your favorite aquarium you’ve ever visited? Let me know in the comments!
Love and Sunshine,
Frances
P.S. My mother, who recently passed away, loved taking my daughters and their cousins to CMA, and as such, it’s a place that’s very close to my heart. Her grandkids created a donation site in her memory. Click here to donate to CMA.