One day in the Tampa/Orlando area, how to spend it?

[snoopy5386]

We are headed to Tampa in a month for SIL's wedding. We have one day free the day before the wedding and I'm trying to figure out what we should do. We're headed to Disney for 2 days after the wedding as well. It's myself, DH and DDs 7 and 3.

My original plan was to take the kids to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to see Winter the dolphin. However the price is quite high $70 for the 4 of us and SIL is actually getting married in the Florida Aquarium the next day and we'll have full run of the aquarium during the wedding. How much aquarium is too much? But it'd be really neat to see Winter and she's not going to be there forever.

Another option would be to go to the beach. However DH is not a beach person, so he is not a fan of this option. Honestly, I'm not even sure he'd step foot on the sand with us. Plus it may not be warm enough to swim.

And finally we have APs for Disney so we could just head over to there for another park day, it's "free" and we'd all love it.

What would you pick? I'm also very open to other suggestions!! We did Sea World and Busch Gardens in the fall and are saving Legoland for 2015, but any other ideas are welcome.
Thanks!

 

[spiceycat]

go to WDW - that is if you have a rental car - or your own car

most aquarium have dolphins - is Winter on your list or your kids.

if your kids then might just go. WDW has dolphins.

really think would go to SW (despite their problems) - they do actually help marine life in trouble. (Disney did not)

 

[Vivianne]

Check out the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. Your family can feed the giraffes

 

[a742246]

Here are some things to do in St Petersburg. I like to go the the piers and walk around and feed the birds.

http://www.stpete.org/the50things.asp

 

[summerrluvv]

We went to CMA to see Winter and my DD LOVED it!! So worth it if your child is a fan. We used buy one get one free admission coupons that were online. Here is a link, these expire soon, but they will probably have new dates, they did when we went almost 2 years ago.

http://www.valpak.com/coupons/printable/CLEARWATER-MARINE-AQUARIUM/9706

Also, you could go to MOSI in Tampa. It's a great museum. Very hands on.