Located on the southeastern edge of downtown Tampa, the Florida Aquarium houses a massive collection of marine life — 20,000 animal and plant life, by the last count. Past visitors said it'll take you at least three hours to make your way through the maze of stingrays, moray eels and sea turtles that live here, but there's a good chance your children will tire of the outing before then. Our shortcut advice involves a swing by the shark tanks, the African penguins and the polar bears especially. Travelers also recommend a stop by the Wetlands Trail exhibit, which includes alligators, otters and Burmese Pythons. Young kids are sure to enjoy the "Explore A Shore" exhibit, a 2-acre outdoor zone that includes a waterslide and geysers for youngsters to play in. Tampa's aquarium is open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you buy your tickets online, adult admission costs $21.95; tickets for seniors cost $19.95; kids ages 3 to 11 get in for $17.95; admission for children younger than 2 is waived. If you plan on buying your tickets at the door, expect to tack on an extra dollar for senior and children admission and $2 per adult ticket. Planning to visit more than one of Tampa's top attractions? Consider investing in a CityPASS. For $99, you'll have access to the aquarium, Busch Gardens and the Lowry Park Zoo, among other attractions. Parking costs $6 per day. For more information on exhibits, events, camps and more, visit the Florida Aquarium's website.

Discover one of the best attractions in Tampa at The Florida Aquarium in the beautiful Channelside district. A wonderful family destination with plenty of fun activities like Swim with the Fishes, Penguins: Backstage Pass and a Wild Dolphin Ecotour. Don't miss Explore A Shore, our outdoor water fun zone for the children! Explore A Shore, The Florida Aquarium's 2-acre outdoor water adventure zone, lets the kids cool off while parents relax under the shade of the Cantina bar and grill. Watery waves, slippery slides, gushing geysers and an assortment of animal models are just a few of the attractions for the kids. Toddlers will enjoy sand castles, little slides and giant sea creature figures as they play in Shipwreck Shore.The Wild Dolphin Cruise at The Florida Aquarium earned Dolphin SMART recognition in 2011, after successfully demonstrating responsible viewing and advertising of dolphins in the wild and educating patrons on the importance of dolphin conservation. Guests can view wild dolphin aboard the 72-foot, powered catamaran the Bay Spirit II.Guests 6 and older can Swim with the Fishes at The Florida Aquarium and certified SCUBA divers 15 and older can get face to face with massive sharks in the aquarium's largest exhibit during Dive with the Sharks! These immersive dive programs allow guests to experience these amazing aquatic ecosystems first hand and actually become part of the exhibit!

With exhibitions focussed on the wetland habitats of Florida itself, complete with snapping gators, exotic otters and a duo of particularly formidable Burmese pythons, along with sections dedicated to

If aquatic life enchants you and you wish to learn about the conservation of the marine life, then Florida Aquarium in Tampa can be your perfect choice with its interactive exhibits as well as educational field trips. The habitat Coral Reef will let you explore hundreds of colourful fishes, barracudas, stingrays, sharks, corals, nurse sharks, sea turtles, eels and many more while diving and snorkelling, and that too without the requirement of certification. There is the Wild Dolphin Cruise that will let you catch the sight of the dolphins, while the Penguins Backstage pass will let you interact with the penguins. Kids can enjoy touching and holding some of the animals under surveillance. You can also take the Behind the Scenes Tour to know about the facility, the habitat of the animals and their habits.

One of the best aquariums in the southeast, this 250,000 square foot attraction explores aquatic environments around the world featuring more than 20,000 plants and animals in both fresh and saltwater environments. Exhibits document the movement of water from wetlands to ocean and include a million-gallon coral reef display that houses over 200 species of fish. Other areas of the aquarium showcase river otters, alligators, deep-sea fish. Kids will love the "touch" experiences where they can get up close with stingrays, horseshoe crabs, urchins, and starfish. Also popular are the twice-daily Penguin Meet & Greets featuring African black-footed penguins. A gift shop and restaurant are on the premises.

The Florida Aquarium is ranked among the 10 largest aquariums in the country. It tells the unique story of water in Florida, following a drop of water from its underground source to the open ocean. Start your journey with wetland birds, alligators and river otters. It exhibits more than 20,000 aquatic plants and animals.