A Visit to Mote SEA

Love sharks? How about manatees?

If you’re looking to get an up-close-and-personal view of Florida’s marine life, don’t miss Mote SEA at Nathan Benderson Park.

And Mote SEA isn’t just a rainy-day excursion. The massive 146,000-square-foot aquarium is worth putting on your Sarasota itinerary even when the sun is shining. With three floors of marine life, interactive experiences and rooftop views, there’s a lot more here than a few tanks of fish.

The first thing to know is that you’ll want to get your tickets early, especially during season. Mote can sell out, and this is one attraction where I wouldn’t recommend just showing up and hoping for the best.

If you’re traveling with little ones who have spent the morning excited about seeing sharks and manatees, you could be in for some serious alligator tears — as my dad used to call them — if you get there and can’t get in.

Mote recommends allowing 1.5 to three hours for your visit. I’d err on the longer side if you like to stop and actually watch the animals instead of racing from exhibit to exhibit.

Yes, There Are Sharks

Florida’s Gulf Coast Gallery is one of the highlights of any trip to Mote SEA.

And yes, this is where you’ll get to see the sharks.

There’s something mesmerizing about watching them move through the water. They don’t exactly hurry. They glide, turning almost effortlessly while everyone on the other side of the glass stops to watch.

One of the best perspectives is from the first floor, where you can stand beneath the habitat and watch sharks swim directly over you.

You’ll also see rays, sea turtles and other animals that call Florida waters home.

Sharks have a special place in Mote’s history because of the woman who started it all.

Dr. Eugenie Clark, better known as the “Shark Lady,” founded what eventually became Mote Marine Laboratory in 1955. Clark was an ichthyologist and world authority on sharks and fish who devoted much of her career to studying animals that people often feared without really understanding.

She completed 72 deep submersible dives — some reaching depths of 12,000 feet — and led more than 200 research expeditions around the world.

Clark also believed strongly in educating the public about sharks and challenging the idea that they were simply dangerous creatures to fear.

It’s hard to walk through Mote’s shark exhibits without thinking about how much of what you’re seeing traces back to the curiosity of one woman who wanted to know more about what was happening beneath the surface.

Manatees, Penguins and Rays

But sharks are only part of the experience.

You’ll also see brilliantly colored tropical fish, penguins and rays, along with exhibits showcasing marine environments far beyond Florida.

There’s even a stingray encounter, which is always a crowd favorite. Watching a ray glide toward your hand feels a little strange the first time, but that’s part of the fun.

And then there are the manatees.

Don’t leave without stopping to see Buffett and Lou, Mote’s resident Florida manatees.

Lou has a particularly remarkable story. He was rescued after being seriously injured by a boat strike and ultimately lost most of his tail. He now lives at Mote with Buffett, where the two also help visitors learn about the threats Florida manatees face in the wild.

They’re enormous, gentle-looking and surprisingly entertaining to watch — particularly once you start noticing that they really do seem to have personalities all their own.

This Aquarium Is About More Than Animals

One of the things that makes Mote SEA different from a traditional aquarium is its connection to actual marine research.

Mote isn’t simply displaying ocean life. Its scientists are studying sharks, coral reefs, manatees, sea turtles and other marine species, and that research is woven throughout the aquarium experience.

That makes Mote especially good for families with curious kids because there’s plenty to learn without the experience feeling like school.

The new facility was also designed around science education, including working and teaching laboratories that give visitors a better idea of what marine scientists actually do.

Of course, your kids may be considerably more interested in the shark swimming over their heads. That’s OK, too.

Take a Break

If you want to eat at the aquarium, check out Bite Café. You’ll also find water refill stations throughout Mote, along with other snack and drink options.

Or you can make Mote part of a larger day around University Town Center. UTC is right across the way, so you’ll have dozens of restaurants nearby if you’d rather eat before or after your aquarium visit.

Free parking is available at Mote SEA.

And before you leave, take some time to head upstairs and look around. One of the advantages of Mote SEA’s new location is that the experience extends beyond the animals inside. Nathan Benderson Park and the surrounding area give the aquarium a completely different feel from Mote’s former island location.

Is Mote SEA Worth Visiting?

Absolutely.

Families will probably get the most obvious mileage out of it, but you definitely don’t need to have kids in tow to enjoy Mote SEA.

Animal lovers can spend hours here. Couples can make it part of a daytime date. And if you’ve already spent several days on Sarasota’s beaches and are looking for something completely different, this is one of the easiest additions to an itinerary.

Besides, how often do you get to spend the morning standing underneath a shark and the afternoon taking a selfie with a manatee?