The best animal attractions in Tampa cover a lot of ground, from giraffes grazing on an African-style plain to rescued dolphins recovering in Clearwater.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and ZooTampa at Lowry Park let you explore wildlife from around the world. The Florida Aquarium and Clearwater Marine Aquarium show you marine rescue and rehabilitation up close.
Whether you want a classic zoo or a theme park with a safari twist, each stop pairs hands-on encounters with conservation education, making them some of the most rewarding things to do in Tampa Bay for families. Here's what sets each one apart, who it suits best, and how to see several with Tampa Bay CityPASS® tickets.
African Safaris and Thrilling Encounters at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay lets you watch zebras graze in the morning and ride one of the world's steepest hybrid coasters after lunch. The park pairs one of North America's largest zoos, home to more than 200 animal species, with headline rides like Iron Gwazi, Cheetah Hunt, and SheiKra.
The Serengeti Plain anchors the animal side of the park. This 65-acre habitat gives free-roaming giraffes, zebras, rhinos, ostriches, and antelope room to wander together. You can take it in from the Serengeti Express train, along the Edge of Africa pathway, or at full speed on Cheetah Hunt as it races along the plain's edge.
Several African species here, including cheetahs and the gorillas of Myombe Reserve, are vulnerable or endangered in the wild. At the Animal Care Center, you can watch veterinarians examine and treat animals, and zoo education staff in green shirts are happy to answer kids' questions about animals. Since 2003, the park's affiliated conservation fund has supported wildlife rescue, research, and habitat protection projects worldwide. Busch Gardens suits families with older kids and teens best, and it deserves a full day.
Exploring Local Marine Life at The Florida Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium, on the waterfront in downtown Tampa, focuses on Florida's waters and wildlife. Start on the Wetlands Trail, which winds through the Wetlands of Florida habitat beneath an 80-foot glass dome. Along the path, you'll spot alligators, river otters, turtles, and wading birds like roseate spoonbills among the mangroves.
The Coral Reefs gallery is the aquarium's largest habitat, holding about 500,000 gallons of water. A panoramic window offers a view into a reef community of sand tiger sharks, sea turtles, southern stingrays, moray eels, and schools of reef fish. Younger kids love The Tide Pool, where they can touch a cownose ray or a moon jelly.
Conservation happens behind the scenes, too. In 2019, the aquarium's scientists became the first to spawn critically endangered pillar coral in a laboratory, an important step toward restoring Florida's reefs, and its team also cares for rescued sea turtles. Plan on two to three hours here. The aquarium sits on Tampa's free streetcar route, so it's easy to reach from downtown.
Marine Rescue and Rehabilitation at Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is less like a traditional aquarium and more like a working marine rescue center. The facility is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing marine animals, and visitors can meet rescued dolphins, sea turtles, river otters, stingrays, and other animals while learning the stories that brought them into the aquarium's care.
The Ruth & J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex gives you underwater views of the aquarium's rescued dolphins, while other areas introduce you to animals including river otters and cownose stingrays. You can also see the aquarium's rescue mission at work in its animal hospital, where its team treats sick and injured marine animals with the goal of returning them to the wild whenever possible.
The aquarium is also known as the former home of Winter, the rescued dolphin whose story inspired Dolphin Tale. Exhibits continue to tell Winter's rescue story and connect it to the aquarium's broader focus on marine animal care and conservation.
Award-Winning Conservation Efforts at ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Since 1991, the ZooTampa at Lowry Park has treated more than 500 sick, injured, and orphaned manatees, and most have returned to Florida waters. In the Florida Waters exhibit, you can watch manatees from an underwater viewpoint, and along the shaded Florida Wilds boardwalk, you'll find endangered Florida panthers, black bears, and alligators.
In 2023, USA TODAY 10Best readers voted ZooTampa among the country's top 10 zoos, and the manatee center placed among the best zoo exhibits. The David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center at ZooTampa at Lowry Park is the largest nonprofit manatee rehabilitation center in the United States.
ZooTampa is great for families with young children because admission includes unlimited rides, animal chats, and wildlife connections. Kids can splash through the Roaring Springs water ride, then meet elephants, rhinos, Malayan tigers, and orangutans from Africa and Asia. Plan on four to six hours to see the exhibits, shows, and rides at a comfortable pace.
Planning Your Ultimate Tampa Bay Wildlife Adventure
Florida heat shapes your day, so plan around it. Wear comfortable, broken-in shoes, since Busch Gardens and ZooTampa both involve hours of walking, and carry a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated. Animals tend to be most active in the morning and late afternoon, so visit outdoor habitats early and save The Florida Aquarium's galleries for the hottest part of the day.
The main difference between Tampa Bay's zoos and aquariums is the kind of animals you'll see. ZooTampa and Busch Gardens focus on land animals like tigers, rhinos, and giraffes, while The Florida Aquarium and Clearwater Marine Aquarium center on aquatic life. Clearwater Marine Aquarium also operates as a working marine rescue center devoted to rescue, rehabilitation, and release.
Experience More Wildlife With Tampa Bay CityPASS® Tickets
From giraffes on the Serengeti Plain to manatees on the mend at ZooTampa, these animal attractions in Tampa give kids a close look at how wildlife lives and how people work to protect it. Each stop adds something different, whether that's a coaster-and-safari day, a sand tiger shark gliding past the reef window, or a rescued dolphin swimming laps in Clearwater. Save on admission and see the region's top wildlife spots at your own pace with Tampa Bay CityPASS® tickets.