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Miami Seaquarium
Category: Active Life Aquariums Aquariums [Edit]
4400 Rickenbacker CswyKey Biscayne, FL 33149
(305) 361-5705
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 9:30 am - 6 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
52 reviews for Miami Seaquarium
52 reviews in English
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Review from Liz Z.
1/12/2012 8 photos
this review is mainly based on the fantastic killer whale and dolphin shows included in your admission. these shows were AMAZING and truly enjoyed them; ergo, the 4-star designation. other than that, this sea animal park could use a desperate update. 'tis so sad, i almost bought an over-priced souvenir from the shop because i felt sorry for the place.
our local friends provided my husband and i free admission tickets for the weekend to check it out. we were able to make it to two shows during our times there (the killer whale/dolphin show and another dolphin-only show). i would have to say that their killer whale show/dolphin combo show was much better than the one i saw at SeaWorld. the other dolphin-only show presented the numerous tricks the mammals could do. other than these presentations, the collection of paired parrots, the feeding manatee, and the sea lion feedings by the trainers, the rest of the park could use some desperate help in renovations.
the park is kinda pricey for regular admission ($39.95) + $8 parking, that kinda dissuades me to visit again, a fact that pseudo-depresses me because i loved the live shows; but i don't feel like giving 'an arm and a leg' for just that.Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 1/16/2012
Dear Liz, Thank you for taking the time to review Miami… More » -
Review from Vera L.
Youngsville, NC
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Sad, very sad. The manatee tank was so small for those three massive majestic animals. The dolphin show is lame. We are just wasting time before our flight out but what a waste of money!
On the up side, the killer whale/dolphin show was cute.
But this is no Seaworld!Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 1/16/2012
Dear Vera, We are sorry to hear that you found us to be a… More » -
Review from Jonah K.
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
The dolphin shows were great, and the manatees were very cool. They have a great collection of Parrots, which was also fun to see.
I think one visit is good enough for me, but would be fun if you had kids or kids came to town. The price of admission is way too high, but we got our tickets for half price. The weather was bad on the day we went as well which probably accounted for the low turnout.Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 11/23/2011
Dear Johah, We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the… More » -
Review from Richard K.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Miami Seaquarium has been submitted to the Yelp Obituaries.
Miami Seaquarium, located on sunny Key Biscayne, was found dead October 31, 2011.The main cause of death was natural causes, however, poor maintenance and lack of renovation and innovation led to its untimely death at the age of 56.
Miami Seaquarium was the oldest operating oceanarium in the United States. Their main attractions were the fun loving seals and sea lions, the pure strength and size of Lolita the killer whale,the lumbering and meandering manatees, and the star of the park the acrobatic, high-flying dolphins.
This oceanarium's rise to prominence was due to its cutting edge marine shows and Flipper. Watching their dolphins jumping to new heights was truly amazing. Their movements and triple flip jumps are more graceful than a figure skater.
Although Miami Seaquarium has entertaining, eye-appealing shows, the facilities itself looked rundown. It has a decaying look as if it had been decomposing since Flipper's apex. Walking around the park, one cannot help, but feel the park looks dirty.
It was truly doomed by the birth of its much richer and better looking brother to the North, SeaWorld. In comparison, the park has not kept up with the times like SeaWorld and has lacked any renovation. Miami Seaquarium has been stuck in a time warp known as the 1960's, but yet charges $37 per adult.
Miami Seaquarium was beloved by many and was reported that tears filled the funeral procession. Miami Seaquarium is survived by its popular marine life, marine trainers, and its adoring fans.Listed in: Yelp Obituaries, Sunshine on Key Biscayne
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Review from Drew H.
This is the first time I had returned to the Seaquarium since I was a kid. The place itself is pretty awesome. When you enter they give you a map and a show schedule so you don't miss any of the action. The admission price is really steep at $40 an adult, I would recommend going when there is some kind of special (You can see everything here in about two to three hours). All the shows are really well done and entertaining, the killer whale one being the best. I went after Christmas and they did a holiday show and put a Santa hat on the whale.... AWESOME! I would go on a weekday or day when school is in session to avoid tons of people there.
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 1/10/2012
Dear Drew, Thank you for taking the time to review Miami… More » -
Review from Samantha F.
Miami, FL
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's pretty nice. This place is mostly for kids and families. Otherwise, it's okay to go look at the animals. The tickets are expensive--even for Florida residents. So there's no discount there. But I recommend signing up for the online coupons--like groupon, livingsocial because there tend to send out deals though them compared to if you sign up for emails from the company.
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 1/10/2012
Dear Samantha, We are happy to hear that you enjoyed Miami… More » -
Review from Jen J.
Cambridge, MA
1/20/2012
Fun time, need about 4 hours to see everything. Highly recommend he shows, definitely plan your day around them!
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 1/31/2012
Jen, Thank you for the great review. We are happy to hear… More » -
Review from Aly K.
9/23/2011
If you like animals, this is not the place for you!
All of the animals are in cramped quarters and they seem miserable! There is not a ton to see, but they have no problem charging you a ton! I am not sure how this place is allowed to remain open.
The place was clean, but that was just about all it had going for it.
You will leave feeling as though you just supported the mistreatment of animals, or at least that is how I felt!Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 10/13/2011
Aly, I must disagree with you, if you like animals, this is… More » -
Review from Teresa K.
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
We went to check this place out because we had half off admission tickets and we both enjoy marine life/Aquariums etc. Coming from living in Atlanta which has the largest aquarium in the world we were trying to lower our expectations. To be honest if we had paid full price we would have been sorely disappointed. The animals all seem well taken care of and the park was clean but there just isn't much going on. The shows are all included in the admission price though which is great. And the manatees were cool to check out but it's not really a place to go back to once you have seen it.
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 11/23/2011
Teresa, Thank you for taking the time to review our park.… More » -
Review from Christian S.
Cambridge, MA
11/24/2011
This is so 80s... Nothing spectacular, the basins of the animals small and not up to today's standards... And all that for 97 bucks for two people.. what a waste of money!!! :(
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 1/10/2012
Dear Christian, We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy… More » -
Review from Malisha-missy S.
Indianapolis, IN
11/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was a good time, but I think It could have had a little more for the money. Before you go stop at Walgreens and save I think 20% and then you will think it was worth your money! It was a fun time though!
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 11/23/2011
Dear Malisha-Missy, We are happy to hear that you had a… More » -
Review from Mercy T.
Malvern, PA
8/15/2011
Horrible place to go with an 8-month-old and a 22-month-old during the summer. We tried to rent a double stroller; they didn't have any. My husband ended up paying for 2 single strollers, which turned out to be these old plastic strollers shaped like dolphins. The first pair he got had no straps and the seat on one of them was cracked. Definitely not safe!
He had to go get another pair. At least one of them this time had straps for my 8-month-old. So while we were at least able to push the kids around in these strollers, we weren't able to hang or store anything on them. At least have a friggin cup holder on them!
So now we're pushing dolphin strollers and lugging our heavy stuff (a diaper bag with everything we could possibly need, a camera bag, and a lunch bag with cold water and formula so the kids didn't dehydrate!) around at the same time. You can't even hold a drink and push the stroller at the same time, because the strollers are so badly made you need both hands to steer them correctly.
If you're thinking of bringing very young children here and don't have a stroller (we had to leave our double stroller at home for this vacation), it'd probably be better to stop by Babies R' Us and buy umbrella strollers. Anything is better than the useless strollers the Seaquarium rents out.
The summer is the worst because it's hot and guess what else? Summer camps! They weren't even the worst thing about my family's experience there, because some of the other Seaquarium-goers there had no sense of personal space or the concept of "leaving other people's s*** alone".
We were hoping that there was going to be an indoor exhibit somewhere (I thought there was) if we ever needed a break from the heat, but the only places we had some relief were the viewing tank for the manatees (at the very entrance there was a strong wind somehow), the overpriced Manatee Cafe, and the only show we attended because there was a breeze while sitting in the rafters.
Overall, it was horrible and we won't be going there again. The one large fish exhibit at the Miami Metrozoo we saw today outclassed the whole Seaquarium. And the zoo is cheaper! -
Review from Emi R.
Cutler Bay, FL
9/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went to the Seaquarium because we had the Summer Savings Pass, and honestly I don't know why I torture myself. Everytime I go there I say that I am never going back. There are pools in people's backyards in Miami that are bigger than the tank where that poor enormous whale lives in. This place is a rip off for the price. The Miami Zoo is a much better value. I feel horrible for the poor tourist that fall into the trap of this place. The only reason it gets 2 stars is because my daughter laughed and smiled throughout the sea lion show & both kids like the playground that has some water hoses.
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 10/27/2011
Dear Emi, We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your… More » -
Review from Amanda O.
Skokie, IL
4/7/2011 12 photos
I paid $426ish for 2 'dolphin oddesey' passes. It would have been nice if they included parking in that price. The park was run down, in desperate need for a paint job. I must say the landscaping was nice but at an aquarium place you'd expect to see clear water, sufficient sized tanks and more frequent shows. The tickets included free passes to all of the park but really the shows seemed more like 'filler' so as to bore you enough to buy the over-priced dolphin tickets.
The poor manatees (4) seemed to be in a very small tank considering their size. But what do I know?
So anyhow, the dolphin experience was cool. We stood in knee deep water and gave hand signals to the dolphins, fed them, and got to touch them quite a bit. Also did a 'swim across the pool' which made me laugh with glee. The whole experience lasts about an hr and a half. During the 'orientation' they make sure to tell you how well they treat the dolphins. That only made me, the ever-suspect consumer, even more cynical. But whatever. I paid for it, right? So if you get this be prepared to pay loads of dough to get pictures. You DO have the option to bring an observer who can take pics but they have to pay $50, I believe. What a joke.
The main gripe I have is everyone except the trainers were rude and inattentive. While waiting to view our dolphin pics 2 employees stood in the checkout area but seemed to be on their break. Here's a tip for you young ins who have no experience being a professional: when your on your break get out of the customers' view. Otherwise expect to help or get some impatient, nasty stares.
All-in-all, if someone asked me for a referral I'd probably tell them try somewhere else, maybe sea world. It's a lot more expensive but the quality of the park is much higher and their dedication and care for the animals apparent.Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 7/12/2011
Amanda, I am happy to hear that you found the dolphin… More » -
Review from Mye N.
Lewisburg, WV
1/3/2011
The place is small and the admission price is a little costly at $37, but you can usually find 1/2 off coupons on the internet or local tourist places. The shows are short for those who couldn't pay attention for a long time, perfect for me I thought. There are about 6 shows and various feedings of the seals & sea lions and sharks. The seal show is the cutest of all though. If you only have time to see a show, see the seal and sea lion show--it is absolutely adorable.
Lolita is the primary attraction here, but there's only 2 or 3 shows a day to see this killer whale. As you can tell, the bigger the animal, the more attraction it gives.
It's amazing to see how well these mammals are trained and see them respond to cues and actions on command.
Definitely worth 3-4 hours of your day, especially if you have a kid or two. I'm 23, in the 18th grade, and still love to see this stuff.Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 1/5/2011
Thank you for the great review! We are always holding… More » -
Review from Meli L.
Miami, FL
12/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
If you're a local and have been to the Miami Seaquarium in the past 10 years, you don't have to go again. I'm a teacher so I go often (at least once a year) and it's ALWAYS the same. I went last year with my daughter and the price to enter was OVER Priced for what you get. The shows are short and seem to drag on. Perhaps they should change the music and concepts. I'm sure it's not too difficult.
Some tips if you are going to visit:
1. If you go during the summer, take plenty of water. It gets very hot especially when you are sitting at the shows and waiting to get a small splash. It's tortures.. Save the money and go to the beach!
2. Take your own beverage because the drinks are over priced.
Take like a lunch box and stuff it with stuff. They don't allow coolers ( I think).
3. Save your appetite and eat at other restaurants the area (Key Biscayne or Brickell) . The food their is pricey and not worth it, unless you don't mind a bland pizza, hard hamburgers or greasy chicken fingers. Trust me anywhere else will be better and worth spending the money.
4. If you have kids and their class is going on a field trip there.... Let them go. It's usually a lot cheaper $6-$10 and trust me it's not very eventful and you wouldn't have to deal with the shows.
5. The only show that you actually get really wet is the Whale show, so if you want to get wet because you are dehydrating from the heat go early to the whale show b/c the front gets crowded.
6. If you are visiting Miami and have never been to a seaquarium then I guess you might want to stop by, but it's nothing to rave home about. You can skip it, if you aren't a huge fan of animals.
7. The "water area" for the kids is quite disgusting. They put sand around it which is a horrible idea because the sand ends up in the water area. It is only a little playground in the shape of a boat with some shooting water guns. In the summer, it usually smells bad and is over crowded.
I wish they would fix it up a bit and update their facility and their shows, then perhaps locals might go back a little bit more, especially for that price.
It got two stars because... let's face it the animals are cute and the staff are nice, especially the animal care takers. They are willing to educate the kids, only if they ask...
Here's hoping it gets better! I'll let you know when I have to go AGAIN on a field trip... -
Review from Roland M.
Tucson, AZ
8/9/2011
Maybe by calling themselves a 'Sea-quarium' they abdicate the need to live up to serious institutions like Chicago's Shedd _Aquarium_. This place is a joke - a dilapidated theme park which charges nearly $40/adult! I didn't even have to pay admission, just parking ($8) and I still felt ripped off. You'll see everything within an hour, and most of what you'll see is disappointing, if not outright depressing. Be sure not to miss the deformed sea turtles!
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 10/13/2011
Dear Guest, I'm sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your… More » -
Review from Krystyn P.
Miami, FL
6/21/2011 1 photo
I really am torn about this place. On one level, I appreciate the kitchiness of the whole place - it hasn't been updated since the 60s... but with all the Mold-a-rama machines around, I can kind of get behind the look. I'm all for preserving some of that strange architecture. The thing I can't get behind is the animal enclosures. They just do not seem to be big enough for some of the animals... I'm a big supporter of having the animals in as close to a natural environment with plenty of room for them to explore and keep their minds active. I'm not sure that Seaquarium can support that with the facilities they have. I do like the animal interactions that they have... but overall, with the ticket prices they are charging (and the $50 they charge to take a picture with Flipper) - I feel that they could do a lot to improve the animals habitats to make this an overall better experience.
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 6/24/2011
Krystin, Thank you for taking your time and reviewing the… More » -
Review from Raquel M.
Miami, FL
8/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'm far from impressed and slightly depressed after taking the kids here. It is way overpriced, just to start. I did manage to be there when they were giving away the annual pass for the price of the one admission. The food, if they haven't run out, leave so much to be desired. The place itself is outdated and in desperate need of repairs. Some areas are not wheelchair accesible. Isn't that a violation of some law enacted over 20 years ago?
The tanks that they have these animals in are tiny and the water is dingy. With the amount of money they are charging for everything, I hope to see a closed for repairs sign in the VERY near future. I now have an annual pass that I am not sure I will put to much use. -
Review from Tianiee S.
Hollywood, FL
12/30/2010 2 photos
This place is worth the trip if you have kids in tow with you. There 4 different shows and 6 presentations. There are also other things to see that aren't on a schedule. The shows are all 20 minutes each, some of them will leave you soaked, so watch were you sit. We saw all shows expect for the Top Deck Dolphin. It was standing room only and with young children who are all under 5'0 they couldn't see a thing.
There are several places to eat, from hot dogs to BBQ. For me the food wasn't appetizing and I got a hamburger of all things. There are also gift shops and ample places for picture taking.
There is also a cool playground that has a water feature and is guaranteed to get the kids soaked.
My only negative is that the shows are extremely short and the audio quality that is used is horrible. I didn't understand most of what was being said. Overall the trip here was good.Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 2/8/2011
Dear Guest, Thank you very much for your comments. We are… More » -
Review from chasey r.
Valhalla, NY
8/21/2011
We enjoyed this alot. The shows were really good. After reading some reviews i was prepared for the worst. So my expectations were not very high but when i got there i was amazed that i didn't waste my time.Their concessions stand were a little High $3.00 for a bottle of water. The scenery was nice and i just loved the dolpins and the show they put on. Pirates looked like the theme for them. Maybe when the children get older i'll take them but for me once is enough. But enjoyed the show and the animals very much.
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Review from Craig R.
Brooklyn, NY
5/11/2010
Dissapointed is an understatement.
It cost two of us about $80 just to get through the gates. We head towards the 'Shark Reef' , which contains a few unhappy sand sharks swimming in circles. Throw in a few comatose alligators and deer (?) and you have the Miami 'Seaquarium'
... and there's the 'shows'. How many times do I want to see a dolphin jump through the air in some dingy, dirty stadium? And you're going to tell me that's the original Flipper from like ... 1960?
You would hope some of the entrance fee went towards conservation, but I saw no evidence of this. I left wishing I had spent my money and vacation day in a different place. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Miami, FL
9/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is really sad. First off, they charge you $8 bucks for parking. I think they are a bit delusional on this part. They are not exactly SeaWorld. I think the admission is thirty something dollars, I am not sure because I had a free pass. But I don't think I would ever pay for this place. Everything is super run down and I feel like some of the exhibits need a facelift. I didn't really go to any of the shows, just kinda walked around the different exhibits to take some photos. Got to get a peek at the people doing the Dolphin Interaction, they did look like they were have fun. The same amount of staff that I interacted with were friendly and nice and seemed to do their jobs well despite the not so great looking surroundings. They talk about how they do rehabilitation for a lot of the animals and some the animals looked like they were in bad boating accidents. So that makes me happy that they have a place to go and be safe. But....really....I don't feel this is worth 40 something a person (including parking).
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 10/13/2011
Jennifer, Thank you for taking the time to review our park.… More » -
Review from Vanessa P.
Aventura, FL
5/17/2009
I'm kind of upset I can't give this place negative stars. A friend and I went here thinking it would be fun to go since she's never been, and it's been about 20 years since I was last here. Boy, were we wrong, this place plummets into the deep end of the fun scale.
I could go on about how much of a rip off this place is ($8 for parking...really?!) and then another $38 dollars for a ticket to get in. We weren't even here 2 hours before we decided to waste anymore of our time here.
In a nutshell, this place lacks severely in the marine/sea life. They should reconsider naming it to Alligator Island, since that's the majority of what they seemed to have here.
I would definitely advise any tourist that is considering of visiting the Miami Seaquarium on not coming at all. Save your money and time on visiting another more noteworthy Miami attraction, because this is certainly not one of them.
P.S. I should note that I didn't look up this place on Yelp before visiting, which was my fault. I will forever remember to keep my faith in the Yelp community. -
Review from Michael S.
Coral Gables, FL
9/9/2010
What a lost opportunity.
This seedy, rundown facility that is more like a prison camp for fish is located next to three of the premier oceanographic facilities in the country.
The U of M Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, NOAA headquarters and The Maritime and Science Technology Academy are all located within spitting distance from the Sequarium.
Why some incredible synergistic facility incorporating elements of all facilities haven't been created is beyond my understanding.
Wouldn't it be nice to see fish treated nice and that poor whale released? -
Review from Shawn P.
5/20/2009
Like most people say money wise its a rip off.
I would expect that Miami - being famous being on the Atlantic Ocean and the sea would have the best Seaquarium in the US.
But no - if you have ever been to Baltimore's Seaquarium then o not waste your time at this run down place - really beside the dolphin show there is nothing here to see that you can not see in the Everglades or along i-95 in Naples. -
Review from Michelle J.
Miami, FL
8/10/2009
This park should be called the Miami fish tank because an aquarium it is not! I went to the Seaquarium on a sunny Saturday hoping to have a fun-filled afternoon looking at sea life. What I got was a hot and sweaty overpriced two hours with a quick dolphin show. The first shock was the fact that I had to pay for parking 8$!! The second shock was the $36 price tag to get into the park. I figured that for $36 they were going to have a lot of different attractions and I was going to see a lot of different animals. This was not the case.
The park is very small and in varying states of disrepair. The shows are staggered so it's difficult to see more than one or two in a single visit. The tanks are so dirty you can barely see the fish and sea life. I am not an animal activist by any means, but even I could tell that some of those tanks the animals are being housed in are too small. One example was the manatees, they had 4 of them in a small tank that was full of old food.
I guess this place had it's hey day but right now it's just a sad excuse to take tourist's money. -
Review from Veronica P.
Chino Hills, CA
2/28/2010
Although the claim to fame for the Miami Seaquarium is the home of "Flipper", this rather small aquarium does not impress.
Most of the tanks seem smaller than they should be, which doesn't give the animals to "roam" in a natural habitat.
One of my pet peeves are these types of places. Although the Seaquarium does do well with the manatees, as all of them are rescued animals. These animals are meant to be in a more natural setting with plenty of space and water to roam. -
Review from Eric C.
Arlington, TX
3/31/2010 4 photos
Cheeesy!
I would put in the same league as Gaterland or the 247 billboards along I-10 in Arizona leading up to "The Thing".
$8 to park. $36 to enter. What a gyp. The place is in disrepair. There are about as many souvenir penny press machines as marine residents.
It was painful to see the animals in such tiny confines. Porter Ricks, where are you?!
BTW... Miami Seaquarium is the third largest tax contributor to the Miami-Dade general fund. Foo on greedy tax gluttons and tax and spend profiteers! Booooo! -
Review from Christen F.
Stuart, FL
5/27/2009
For many years I have wanted to visit the Miami Seaquarium - I just have never made it there. At last, my super pal Vanessa and I decided to make it happen and set aside a special Saturday to explore the Seaquarium, fancy cameras in tow. I envisioned colorful fish, leaping dolphins, and wild marine antics from killer whales and sea lions. I was excited! I had assumed that the Miami Seaquarium HAD to be one of the best Aquarium-type attractions in the area.
...well you know what they say happens when you assume....
First, we had to pay EIGHT. DOLLARS. TO. PARK. in THEIR parking lot in order to pay MORE money to get into THEIR attraction! Ridiculous! Then, with tax, it was over $38 dollars admission. But hey, if it's this expensive it has to be good!
PSYCHE!
Some lowlights:
* a few dolphins swimming around in circles, begging for fish (heartbreaking).
* the saltwater reef fishtank that was so dim and murky you couldn't see deeper than four feet.
* the tropical bird and reptile area, with parrots who were tethered to trees in pairs, fornicating turtles, 2 flamingoes, and 2 boa constrictors.
* The crocodile and sea turtle area, and "Deer Island" (two white tailed deer and some rogue iguanas on a small patch of sand).
Perhaps the most interesting experience of the Seaquarium was the Manatee area. Thanks to the glass, I found myself up close and personal to one flatulent manatee's bum and I will never be the same!
After about 1.5 hours, my friend and I decided not to waste one more minute of our lives and we left.
On a scale of Miami Seaquarium to 10, we rated this a Miami Seaquarium. -
Review from Anish Z.
Tampa, FL
12/19/2008
To start off, I felt sorry for the animal that were housed there. The tanks seemed way too small for the animals. Imagined living in a space the size of a New York studio apartment without being able to venture outside and you might have a good analogy for what those animal must feel like.
At 40+ dollars per ticket and 8 dollars for parking I think more needs to go to rehabbing the park.
Interesting facts, Flipper the 70's TV show was filmed here. the dolphin from Ace Ventura's Pet Detective is one of the ones in the show, you can feed the sea lions.
The only true positive was that dolphin show was fun to watch and the weather was beautiful.
One liner: Save your money or make them revamp the park for the animal before you patron the site. -
Review from alissa w.
4/18/2011
Wow does this place need a major makeover. We went because I had 2 free tickets so figured I probably haven't been in over 20 years. The place looked run down, the attractions seemed nothing special. We literally covered the place in 45 minutes. We ended by the exit, and looked at each other and said I guess we are done. We didn't go to any of the shows though. Basically a few tanks one with Livingstone, sea lion, sharks, and that is pretty much it ! They had some birds, and turtles there to. The aquariums needed work they needed to add some more exotic larger fish. Overall, good for tourist visiting Florida, definitely not worth going back till they improve it.
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 5/27/2011
Alissa, We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your… More » -
Review from leon g.
North Hollywood, CA
10/3/2010
A great place to see. It was a little like Busch Gardens used to be. They had sea creatures and beautiful exotic birds like flamingos and toucans. My big gripe with the place is how expensive it is. I got clipped everywhere with exorbitant prices. It made me feel like I was being taken advantage of.
The way they charge, they should be able to update some of their hokey 60's type whale show bleachers. Many parts of the park looked like they hadn't updated it since the 60's. Some people may think that is charming though.Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 2/9/2011
Dear Guest, Thank you very much for your comments. Both… More » -
Review from Niki G.
Chicago, IL
5/20/2009
I can sum it up in three words: expensive, disgusting and cruel.
Why? What a dump! There was garbage floating in the endangered sea turtle pen, as well as the shark tank! There was rust everywhere and saltwater leaking from the pools. One of the deer has a large, big-bitten scab on her side and one of the dolphins had a wound on her tail that was so badly infected that plants were sprouting from it! None of those animals had shade from the blistering hot Miami sun and their tanks were so barren/boring - no rocks, kelp, or anything natural. The shows were dull and we ended up leaving half-way through most of them. It was more like a sick circus than an "educational experience" as the website claims.
Not to mention, Lolita the killer whale is in a tank so small, it is illegal to USDA/APHIS laws! The tank is the size of a hotel pool - shallow and small. I wish the Miami Seaquarium would just close and put all their animals in more suitable homes!
It took us literally 30 minutes to see the whole park - very boring and small. Dilapidated and rusty. The staff acted like robots and didn't really seem to know much about the animals other than what they were programmed to say. -
Review from Kevin G.
Boulder, CO
7/10/2008
I discovered that Seaquarium is the place where Flipper came from. Seaquarium is historic. The years have not been completely good to Seaquarium.
I discovered that it is hot in Florida in the summertime and there are a lot of sweaty tourists crammed into Seaquarium (self included). I didn't try any of the food; my stomach was already upset. Thankfully, most of the venues are shaded. I found air conditioning in the restrooms near dolphin encounters.
I discovered that killer whales are not whales but actually a large dolphin. Lolita and the dolphin family show was our favorite. The tank is small. It is "air" conditioned to 55F however to the animals are possibly more comfortable than the people in the stands. They don't get to leave at the end of the show though.
I was actually impressed with the animal and human performers. It occurs to me that they do these shows day in and day out but it does appear that in most cases, they genuinely do like to play with each other. Most of the shows feature high energy and loud music. They turn down the music for only a few minutes for an educational interlude.
Admission is $40 and you'll definitely want to leave within two or three hours tops.
Later in the week we went out sailing on Biscayne bay. We had an impromptu dolphin encounter. That was arguably a cooler animal experience than anything we saw at Seaquarium. -
Review from Jordan N.
3/4/2006
I love marine life so I give this place a star than its actual worth. It's a dipilated facility with a tiny tank for the shamu whale (also a big point of controversy -- it was supposed to be expanded, rebuilt, or whatever to at least meet the minimum standard for a habitable tank for the whale, but that never happened). However, in Miami, there's no better place to see marine life all in one setting. Just ignore the poor state this old complex is in.
An interesting thing: They serve arepas from one of the kiosks in the Seaquarium.
Side note: I've never waded with the dolphins, but that probably would make me think extremely highly of this seaquarium. But this being Miami, near the Caribbean and all, they should have a world class facility anyways. For the best of the best, a drive to Orlando would have to be made to SeaWorld. -
Review from Shannon P.
Hallandale Beach, FL
1/18/2008
Swimming with Dolphins! Yeahhhh such a great time for those who haven't -this is a must.
I went here on Christmas day and loved it. You get into a wetsuit and learn from the trainers about Dolphin behavior. They have you do some typical poses for the camera too for souvenirs. Sooo much fun.
The rest of the place is really not in that great of shape- However there are some other shows to watch and feedings. Of course over priced park food and drink.; so make reservations for dinner somewhere else.Listed in: What you should do for your GF…
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Review from Star G.
Miami, FL
4/27/2011
This is crazy... I'm 34 yrs old and the shows haven't changed a bit! Prices have.. It's $38.95 per adult and $ 28.95 per child... I guess it's the price to pay to just do something with the kids.
Comment from Angelica M. of Miami Seaquarium 5/27/2011
Star, I'm sorry to hear that you have not seen changes on… More » -
Review from Brian W.
6/18/2007 1 photo
PROS: Lots of great animals. Lots of shows. We really enjoyed the two dolphin shows, the whale show, the shark feeding, and the sea lion show. Not a very large place, easy to get around.
CONS: Somewhat dated. Not enough seating, not enough air conditioned areas, awful cheeseburger in the cafe. Expensive drinks ($3 for Gatorade). Not a lot of shade. -
Review from Audrey A.
Vincennes, IN
3/16/2011
Horrible tourist trap!!!!! Total waste of money. It's so small and hardly any good exhibits...everything is dirty and gross. The flipper dolphin show was boring too. I was so disappointed. Save the trouble and go to jungle island instead. It is 10x better and more interesting!!!
