We did a little exploring yesterday and found ourselves at the Florida Aquarium. The compact aquarium on three floors along the water in downtown Tampa seems to be a great way to beat the heat. You get the chance to have some close encounters with various animals for free, too. The Ray pool lets you reach in and touch the graceful rays and small sharks as they swim by. You can even pet some of invertebrates like starfish in the “No Bone Zone.”

We found one of the best parts to be the introduction to many of the local species of fish, bird, and reptile. The admission was about $33 per adult. You will actually pay less at the official parking for the aquarium than one of the private gravel lots. We left the Florida Aquarium happy that it was our chosen way to spend the day.

A Sea Turtle

Alligator

Turtle Swimming

Nurse Shark