clearwater aquarium/clearwater

[sln88]

we are thinking of doing this on our trip

has anyone been? is it nice? is there any way to get discount?

any good, not too expensive place to stay around there?

how long does it take to get there from WDW?

thanks

 

[MinnieForMe]

I've read good reviews of it and have friends visiting next week. If you can wait a week, I can get a first hand review for you.

We did consider going there this year to see Winter but the kids really wanted to swim with the dolphins and their program (if memory serves me) was more expensive than a day at Discovery Cove. I gave the kids the option and they really wanted to go to Discovery Cove. Hopefully, we'll get to see Winter next year as being handicap I feel a closeness to her but we won't swim with the dolphins there. They did seem to have some cool boat tours of the area too.

 

[kathy884]

Haven't been to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium yet. I hear it's just a little place, but a lot of fun (something you can do pretty quickly -- maybe two or three hours). They have a shuttle and another site too with some Winter movie stuff. People enjoy it, but say don't expect Sea World. Trip Advisor has over 150 people who have posted reveiws if you want to read some and hear some first hand reports.

Normal admission price is something like $18 for adults, so way less than an Orlando theme park

For my mini budget trip this June (two nights in Clearwater before I drop DS off at the Busch Gardens 101 camp in Tampa for High School students, I picked Sea Captain Resort. My cousin who lives in Tampa is going to stay with us too. It appears that this is right by Pier 60 and the great public beach and lots of resturants which is what I wanted (wanted to be able to walk right over). We grabbed one of their suites to get a full kitchette. It looks more like a clean family run place than a fancy resort, but should work fine for us for two nights and fits in my little mini budget for this. And the location is just what I wanted.// I actually got two free tickets to the Marine Aquarium due to my mentioning a web site that I saw Sea Captain Resort listed on as a Marine Aquarium preferred property (I don't remember the exact details, but I always like getting freebies thrown in). They sell marginally discounted tickets too, so we'll use them to get our other tickets too.

Most people post an hour and a half drive time, but it usually takes me a good two hours to get from my resort in Orlando to Clearwater Beach. Clearwater is a great beach, though, and my favorite for a day trip from Orlando. // On this little trip, though, I'll just be flying into Tampa and won't even go to Orlando.

 

[AnnMarie3]

So glad to hear this. We just decided tonight to go down day early and head to Clearwater first so DD can see Winter.

 

[sln88]

thanks guys

that sea captain place is sold out for when we are going

 

[kathy884]

Here are trip advisor reveiws about other hotels in Clearwater for some possible ideas:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g34141-Clearwater_Florida-Hotels.html

You might want to post your question on the Trip Advisor Clearwater, FL forum too.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g34141-i132-Clearwater_Florida.html

 

[adkm]

we are going back to Disney in 2014 and would really love to go here. We won't have a car while there and wondered if anyone knew if there was a coach tour or like that goes from Disney to here.

 

[treehugnmama]

We have been twice. Once has about six years ago we went to show my daughter a rescue centre and it was great. It was an amazing experience...that was pre winter movie though. Fast forward to October 2010 and it was a horrible experience. We did the boat tour and it was great and I would do that again but that is the only part. My daughter is really really into ocean life and animal rescue so we booked the grand package we did the behind the scenes tour and all we did was peer into little windows and walk through some office space. We went to explore the aquarium and there were so many people there you couldn't see a thing. I know it is non profit but it felt like a total cash grab. I am quite certain they were way over the fire code for people in a small space. It was not good at all. I understand it was a week after the movie came out and they just couldn't handle the volumes of people but tickets should have been limited or something as it was not a safe situation.

so I would skip the behind the scenes tour it was not good
the boat tour was good. we went to a little island and got off and looked for shells. the later in the day is better as they troll for species for the touch tanks and we only caught one thing but because we were later in the day they had a variety of captures for us to see and some to tough. we got to see a mama and baby dolphin the in the wild and that was cool. there was a guy on a jet ski going really close so our captain yelled at him to give them space...a.gain cool I am hoping once they have their addition done they will be better equipt to handle the volume of people but we will not be returning till then.