Disclaimer: I received complimentary admission to the Mote Marine Aquarium to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.
I have lived here in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for over 12 years and had never been over the Skyway Bridge until this past weekend. The Skyway Bridge is pretty amazing and the view is gorgeous! I wish I would of been a passenger so I could of taken in the view longer. Going over the Skybridge was part of my journey to the Mote Marine Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida. The Mote Marine Aquarium is a must do if you are in the Tampa Bay or Orlando area!
10 Reasons the Mote Marine Aquarium is a Tampa Bay Must-Do!
- It is a hands on experience.The Mote Marine Aquarium has several touch tanks. I even got to touch a baby shark! They also have skeleton replicas and other hands on things to fully immerse you into sea life.
- Baby marine life. I have never seen an aquarium have a section devoted just to baby marine life. It was such an interesting part of the aquarium. I could of stayed in that part all day. I mean jellyfish are cool, but baby jelly fish are just so awesome!
- Sea Otters. The next three things were my favorite parts of the Mote Marine Aquarium. You may love three other sections. I loved watching the sea otters play. They have so much personality. The tank is huge so a lot of people can watch at the same time.
- Manatees. Manatees are so adorable!
A photo posted by April Hammond (@pixiedustsavings) on
- Sea Turtles. The Sea Turtle at Mote have sad back stories and it is great to see that they are being helped by the people at Mote. One of the turtles loved attention and was going back and forth in the tank waving hi to everyone (at least I think he was waving hi, lol).
- Recycling. Mote Marine Aquarium teaches about recycling and its’ benefits to the environment. I love that they practice what they teach and have water bottle refill fountains and recycling receptacles on the grounds.
- Florida Beach Care. Going to the beach is one of my favorite things to do here in Florida. I know that I shouldn’t litter, but there is so much more about how to take care of the beach that I did not know. Part of the Mote Marine Aquarium’s goal is to educate. I learned so much that I will be sharing in another post!
- It is a working laboratory. From the Mote website, “Beginning in 1955 with Dr. Eugenie Clark’s foundation of shark research, we are now more than 200 employees strong, including 35 Ph.D. scientists. We conduct groundbreaking research with 25 diverse research programs focusing on today’s challenges as well as identifying and addressing future impacts. The advancement of this kind of research is vital to unlocking potential solutions to some of today’s most daunting global challenges.” You can see the rooms where the research is being done. A lot of the employees were students from FSU. It feels like you are taking a peak inside of a research facility.
- Budget Friendly. Admission to the Mote Marine Aquarium is under $20.00 for adults and under $15 for children. (Please visit the Mote website for current prices) Children under three are free! All active-duty U.S. Military personnel receive free Aquarium admission. A current ID must be presented to qualify. There is a diner that offers great food for low prices (most meals are under $10) within the aquarium, but there are a few covered picnic table areas on property for you to bring your own packed lunch.
- Family Friendly. The aquarium is geared to all ages! On this trip I was solo and had a lot of fun, but I saw soo many kids having a blast.
Tips:
- Wear comfortable shoes.
- To be super frugal, bring your own lunch.
- Only a few areas are air conditioned, so wear sunscreen and cool clothing.
Looking for more Tampa Bay Things to Do? Check out my 10 Tampa Bay Date Ideas!
Pam C.
Wednesday 17th of August 2016
We will be visiting Florida next month. This definitely sounds like a place we would like to visit while in Orlando. Thanks for the information.
Kinda Zennish
Friday 10th of June 2016
I visited Mote Aquarium last week too and loved it. I think my favorite exhibits were the turtles and the jellyfish. I don't know what it is about turtles but it is so peaceful watching them swim around. :)