Clearwater Marine Aquarium

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is not a traditional aquarium with decorative tanks and tropical fish. It is a working marine rescue hospital where injured sea turtles, dolphins, otters, and pelicans are rehabilitated with the goal of releasing them back into the wild. The animals you see on any given visit depend on who is currently in care, which makes repeat visits genuinely different.

The facility moved into a new, much larger building on Island Estates in 2020, with open-air habitats, a rooftop observation deck overlooking Clearwater Harbor, and interactive exhibits on marine biology and conservation. Guided tours, behind-the-scenes experiences, and boat excursions to spot wild dolphins in the harbor are available at extra cost. Admission is around $35 for adults and $25 for children. The aquarium draws big crowds, especially in summer, so booking tickets online in advance is strongly recommended.

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A story
In 2005, a two-month-old bottlenose dolphin was found tangled in a crab trap line near Cape Canaveral, losing most of her tail fluke. The aquarium's team fitted her with a prosthetic tail — the first of its kind — and named her Winter. Her story became the 2011 film Dolphin Tale, starring Morgan Freeman, and turned the small rehab facility into a nationally known attraction. Winter lived at the aquarium until her death in 2021.