Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters

Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters: Interactive Aquarium in Marathon

Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters is an aquarium located in Marathon, in the Florida Keys, that combines marine exhibits with hands-on experiences. Its focus is on direct contact with animals such as stingrays, nurse sharks, turtles, horseshoe crabs, and other species, as well as snorkeling activities within its facilities.

Exhibits and Touch Tanks

The facility organizes its offerings around a series of tanks and themed areas. These include the Stingray Cove Tank, the Giant Isopod Tank, the Nursery Tank, the Tide Pool Touch Tank, and the Touch Tanks. It also has a lagoon with its own residents and spaces dedicated to tarpon, freshwater turtles, stingrays, and lobsters.

The visit includes a free guided experience and the opportunity to feed various animals, such as tarpon, freshwater turtles, stingrays, and lobsters. The aquarium is also home to fish, sharks, moray eels, alligators, seahorses, large groupers, turtles, and tortoises.

Animal Encounters

The aquarium offers several encounter programs available in addition to general admission:

• Big Shark Bay Encounter: allows you to feed and interact with adult nurse sharks and assist a marine biologist during a shark training session.
• Stingray Encounter: immerses visitors in the stingray tank to hand-feed them as they approach at leg level. Includes all necessary gear.
• Coral Reef Snorkel Encounter: allows you to snorkel or dive in the large coral reef tank, with hand-feeding of stingrays, fish, and even sharks. Includes all gear.
• Lagoon Snorkel Encounter: snorkeling activity in the facility's lagoon.
• Nursery Encounter: experience focused on the nursery tank.
• Private Guided Experience: option for a private guided tour.

The aquarium features a 200,000-gallon coral reef tank, connected to the shark tank, which is one of the main spaces for snorkeling and diving activities.

Visitors, Groups, and Events

The aquarium serves individual visitors and families as well as school groups, with specific programs for field trips and outings. It also offers the possibility of hosting birthdays, weddings, and corporate events at its facilities, and has an event calendar. On-site there is a café, Eagle Ray Cafe.

Conservation

The organization carries out activities related to marine conservation, including manatee rescue, rehabilitation, and release operations, coral restoration efforts, the r3each and the great hammerhead study, and the Goliath Grouper Study.

Practical Information

The aquarium is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00. Information about tickets and hours is managed through its visit section. The facility presents itself as a leisure option in the Marathon area, with directions on how to get there and a map of the park, as well as information on local lodging.

Location and Contact

Phone: 305-407-3262 · Email: info@floridakeysaquariumencounters.com