Updated for September 2026
The Best Aquariums in Florida
How this list is ordered: by how complete our listing is — how much we hold on opening hours, ticket prices, accreditation, photographs, animals and facilities. It is a measure of our own coverage, not a judgement of the venue. We hold no visitor scores or conservation assessments, so “best” here means every aquarium in Florida that qualifies for the list, fullest entry first.
Listed alphabetically
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Behind-the-scenes tourParkingImmersive media attraction
SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium
Aquarium in Orlando
SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium is an aquarium in Orlando, United States. Animals on show include Loggerhead turtle, axolotls, sea stars and anemones.
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Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium
Zoo & Aquarium in Sarasota
The laboratory has been based in Sarasota since 1960 and on City Island since 1978. The aquarium acts as its public face, showing over 100 marine species tied to staff research; a second site, the Mote Science Education Aquarium, operates at 225 University Town Center.
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Animal encounter
St. Augustine Aquarium
Aquarium in St Augustine
The aquarium is at 2045 FL-16. It opened in 2016 and keeps upwards of 250 animals. Animals on show include starfish, horseshoe crabs, Cownose rays, Southern Rays and Eel.
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Animal encounterOvernight stayGuided tour
The Florida Aquarium
Zoo & Aquarium in Tampa
The aquarium stands in the Channel District downtown and holds upwards of 7,000 aquatic animals and plants, both local and foreign.
Aquariums nearby
Our ranking methodology
This is not a ranking. The 4 venues above are listed alphabetically by name, the same order used throughout this site. We do not collect visitor reviews, star ratings, ticket-sales figures or a conservation-impact score, so none of those exist here to rank by — “best” in this page’s title means every venue that qualifies for this list, not first-to-last by quality. If we ever add a data source robust enough to support an honest ranking, this note and the order above will change together.