this was a wonderul zoo for kids. We brought our 27 month old and we had just a great time. Their displays are amazing. You can get right up close to everything. My daughter loved the otters, but who doesn't. It is not the biggest aquarium I have been to but it is still a great place to visit. We took about 3 hours to see everything. They do have penguins but not on display. A few times a day they bring them out and have a little show with them. You actually sit right next to them on the floor-absolutley incredible! FYI-watch out when they poop!

The aquarium in Tampa is a beautiful little place. They do an excellent job of tying in the coastal climate to the overall experience. However, having been to the Atlanta aquarium, I feel like there was not that much to do, and it was a little pricey for such a small exhibit. The staff told us we would need about 3 to 4 hours to experience the aquarium, but we were through the entire place in just over an hour. The penguins are fun to watch, especially if you have small children, but do not attempt to make a whole day out of it.

This was my first aquarium experience, so I don't have much to compare it too, but I really enjoyed it. It's right beside the Cruise Pier so before embarking we decided to check it out. We got a half-price deal due to construction, and it was a Monday around noon, so there were very few people inside. Touching starfish and anemones was a first, as was seeing the shark "show" they put on. I found the massive reef display with all the fish swimming around to be extremely peaceful and mesmerizing, but I can imagine that would have been spoiled if there were a million kids around me. In any case, I'd recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen a lot of exotic sea life before.

It cost us (adults) approximately 18 dollars to get in but it was more than worth it. It was a very large facility with a large variety of animals and wonderful views. There was also a large outdoor area with places for kids to play or for people to just sit and people watch by the bay. You can easily spend 2 or 3 hours there and it appeals to people of all ages from small kids to my 80 year old grandma!