When it comes to some of Florida’s great, undiscovered gems, the new-look Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater Beach is right up there with the best of them. And rightly so. It is a fascinating supporter of marine rescue and rehabilitation, not to mention Hollywood style in the form of their real-life movie star, Winter, the tail-less dolphin.

Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising that it is one of our highlight tours, offering the chance to enjoy a real in-depth (no pun intended!) experience with this wonderful marine life center.

A recent $80million expansion project has created a fresh, new vibe to the Aquarium. Visitors are always amazed at just how much there is to see and do here, starting with the rehabilitation work for a great variety of animals, from dolphins to otters, and continuing through a wide range of experiences, exhibits, and additional programs.

With the fact this is a working animal hospital, some of the animals can change regularly. Still, you will always find rehab viewings of sea turtles, dolphins, stingrays, and even sharks, as well as pelicans and the always-playful otters. Some of the animals cannot be released back into the wild. Hence they have become ‘mascots’ for the Aquarium.