Clearwater Marine Aquarium

By Angela Ash

When you find yourself anywhere near Clearwater Beach, do not even think about not adding the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to your list of "Must Do's".  This place is nothing short of amazing. 

If you are walking in, expecting to see your average, everyday aquarium, with rows of bubble tanks, then prepare to be surprised and thrilled.  The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is literally a working aquatic hospital, where injured, sick, or stranded animals are brought in for treatments and surgeries, hopefully to be returned to the wild. 

You have surely heard of one such resident, Winter the dolphin, from the motion picture Dolphin Tale.  The CMA completely shocked the world by fitting Winter with a prosthetic tail, catapulting her into the role of the most famous dolphin in the world.  And on the last day of filming, fate brought Hope into the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, set to star in the sequel, Dolphin Tale 2. 

And yes, you heard correctly... most of the filming for both movies occurred right at the aquarium, so sets and props are around every corner.  However, if you want to wade just a little deeper into the movie magic, take the Jolley Trolley or the narrated boat ride to Winter's Dolphin Tale Adventure, where you will embark on an educational journey that will lead you deep into Winter's miraculous story. 

While visiting Winter is definitely one of the main reasons that travelers, residents, and excited school groups flood through the gates, it does not even begin to scratch the surface of what this amazing attraction has to offer.  You can swim with the dolphins, feed the sharks and stingrays, you may drop fish into the mouth of one of the two pelicans that play the role of Rufus from Dolphin Tale,and you can be a trainer for a day.  There are also several behind-the-scenes tours that literally put you into the world of rehabilitating, training, and loving these magnificent creatures. 

Again, this is not your typical aquarium.  Exhibits at CMA offer visitors the ability to view dolphins at roofless pools and underwater viewing areas, and touch stingrays as they swim around Stingray Beach.  You can also see turtles and otters like never before, and interact with other animals, without always having to press your nose to the glass. 

Without a doubt, this is one of the most impressive facilities that I have ever visited, and they aren't done yet!  Future plans include a state-of-the-art aquarium downtown.  I can not wait to see how the Clearwater Marine Aquarium will surpise us next!

For additional information, please visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium online, or call (727) 441-1790.