Tarpon Springs Aquarium and Animal Sanctuary

This was our family's third visit to the Tarpon Aquarium. You can expect to be there for about 2 hours. This is a small family run operation by local animal lovers and a rescue facility. They offer a lot of hands-on, close-up experiences with local wildlife. It's a compact place and good for a partial day experience with kids.

Here are some logistical tips! Sometimes, they offer coupons or groupons for a small discount on the entry fee. Bring cash for food to purchase for the animal feedings, and there is cute stuff in the gift shop, so you want to be prepared! There was a new snack vendor for the humans on-site now in addition to the basic vending machine type snacks available in the gift shop/check-in building. No outside food stuff allowed. There is a single restroom and an additional sink to wash your hands after the touch tank. The parking lot is full sun and full of dust, bring wipes, and I like to take the kids shoes off cause yeah...it's dusty.

To make the most of your time be sure to catch their few shows. Last time it was a reptile show, alligator feeding, and a scuba show. The first 2 are generally hands on as the owners let you touch baby gators, turtles and snakes. They hold the kids attention well. The scuba show is not as captivating for younger kids but is still interesting for the adults. Improvements have been made throughout the Aquarium to add more shade. Please consider to add some more fans too!

There are a good amount of animals packed into this facility. There are many reptiles including lizards and monitors, gators and a crocodile, snacks, turtles, and tortoises. There are touch tanks with fish, urchins, turtles, sharks, rays and other critters. Feeding tanks for turtles, rays and sharks. There are 2 larger tanks housing local fish to see up close including a Goliath grouper, Tarpon, and Bonnet head shark. Newer is a petting area with bunnies, pigs, chickens and goats.