While I stayed in Tampa, I used CityPASS to get discounted entry into Busch Gardens Tampa and four other notable sites in the Tampa area. I saw the Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and the Chihuly Collection. Admission to the Chihuly Collection with CityPASS also includes entry to a glass-blowing art demonstration at the Morean Arts Center, the St. Petersburg Chihuly Collection’s parent organization.
Overall, I believe CityPASS Tampa is worth the $109 listing price, more than 54% in total savings to enter the above locations, but it is essential that you go to Busch Gardens to make the CityPASS most valuable.
Below, I write a more detailed guide to CityPASS Tampa and my personal experience with it. Plus, you will have the opportunity to purchase a CityPASS and support the work I do here at Tripping Thru The USA through affiliate marketing links. After trying CityPASS for myself, I believe in the product, too.
This simply means that if you purchase a CityPASS through the links in this post, I receive a payment for referring you to them as an affiliate. As far as I’m concerned, this is a win for everyone, you as the traveler, me and CityPASS. So check out below what CityPASS has to offer!
If you’re more curious what this means with your info, check out the full disclosure.
Overview of CityPASS Tampa
CityPASS Tampa offers entry into Busch Gardens Tampa, Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and a choice between the Chihuly Collection and the Museum of Science and Industry.
The pass, which costs $109 plus a $1 online processing fee, allows entry into these places over the course of nine consecutive days starting with the first day the ticket is used. Tickets are for a one-time entry, unless it’s noted on the ticket.
I used a mobile phone ticket which was very convenient, and streamlined entry into most of the locations. Paper tickets are available, but they are in booklets that CityPASS sends to you or can be purchased at certain locations.
For those with families, passes for children aged 3-9 cost $99 plus processing, though since I do not have children, I did not use this option. Check CityPASS for more information on kids passes.
A key thing to note—at certain locations, you will still need to pay for parking—specifically I had to pay at the Florida Aquarium ($6), Busch Gardens ($25), and Clearwater Marine Aquarium ($10). Just an FYI.
How much time do I need to visit all the attractions?
This is a good question, because some people may not have 9 days in Tampa—like me!
I had about two and a half days to visit all five attractions. It was a little bit of a whirlwind, but I viewed all five attractions in that time period.
Here’s how I viewed them over the course of three days:
Day 1: Florida Aquarium and ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Day 2: Busch Gardens Tampa
Day 3: Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Chihuly Collection and Glass Art Demonstration at Morean Arts Center
I believe your should give at least four days to view the exhibits. Clearwater and Chihuly/Morean are easier to do in one day because the Chihuly Collection takes less time to view.
Reviews of Each Location
Florida Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium, based in Tampa Bay, includes surface-level animals and deep-sea creatures from the state of Florida and beyond.
I encountered otter and deep-sea feedings from staff members, including divers within the tanks. You’ll see exhibits that showcase animals found within Florida and outside the biodiverse state.
People can touch invertebrate (without backbones) including anemones, sea stars, and rays, and see vertebrates (with backbones) at the aquarium.
Sharks, sea turtles, tropical fish, ordinary fish, alligators, birds and all sorts of wildlife reside here. The experience was quite fascinating.
The aquarium has some common American eating options, like chicken sandwiches, burgers, chicken tenders and pizza.
The aquarium also boasts a 4-D theater and a water-based playground.
While at the aquarium, I purchased a $5 specialty coin with a sea turtle, and guests can purchase from four options. It’s a good small souvenir, especially for coin collectors.
The Florida Aquarium has $6 parking (free for members), though I almost got caught paying $10 for event parking at the aquarium in a garage. Fortunately, I found the main place to park.
Definitely enjoyed seeing the Florida Aquarium!
ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Coming to ZooTampa, I wondered whether I would be able to see all the exhibits in 4 hours. I went to each section of the park, but some attractions at the zoo included family rides that didn’t interest me.
Despite this, I found myself fascinated by the wildlife and thematic sections of the park. The animals were incredibly photogenic, seemingly soaking up the attention from guests to the zoo.
The wildlife seemed to have plenty of area to roam, graze and explore, making the zoo seem more open and alive than some zoos I have seen.
I explored the zoo in a counter-clockwise path, starting with the Manatee Section and moving into sections featuring Australia, Africa, Florida, and Asian wildlife, traveling into the Primate section and ending with another aviary section I had missed towards the beginning.
I appreciated how the zoo included both non-native and local species of wildlife, which fortunately is a lot because the zoo is in Florida.
The David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center features a location where the zoo takes care of injured manatees and rehabilitate them back to health. I remember growing up hearing about injuries manatees sustained from boat accidents, so this was meaningful to finally see up close what I learned about as a kid.
You’ll see alligators, flamingos, river otters, the Florida Panther, and more in the Florida section.
Additional opportunities include a 15-minute tram ride around the African safari, which comes with the CityPass, and several upgrade packages that allow closer looks at the wildlife in the zoo.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is definitely a go-to spot in Tampa. While I appreciate seeing pandas and getting free admission at my local zoo, the National Zoo, ZooTampa has a vibe that is open and full of vitality that makes adventuring here worth it. Free parking also helps (which is not the case at the National Zoo).
Busch Gardens Tampa
Busch Gardens is best explored with friends, especially going on the roller coasters and rides.
Unfortunately, I went alone, which meant I wasn’t as interested in the rides, though I did go on the Stanley Falls Flume, a water-based log flume ride.
I will say that in November, ride line waits are very short and you can manage with the weather better than in the summer.
I focused on the animals again, with the highlight riding the train around and seeing giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and more African animals very close up. In fact, the train had to come to a complete stop at one point because the rhino got very close to the train. But we were all safe. After a while, the rhino stopped and we proceeded to the next station.
Throughout the park, you can get plastic figurines of several creatures. Watch out, it can be quite addicting to purchase these items, as they form the figurines right in front of you! The displayed price said $3, but the debit was $3.10 on my statement (tax I assume). I purchased the gorilla, giraffe, and lion.
Check in advance for demonstration times and live events, as I probably would have planned my adventure to Busch Gardens a little better if I knew about live events and talks with wildlife experts.
You’ll pay $25 for parking, but Busch Gardens is the key ticket item for CityPASS. If you go with a group of people or enjoy amusement parks, this is a top-notch park with rides, animal exhibits, and live events. It would have been a better experience for me if I was with a group of people, but that’s not Busch Gardens’ fault.
I did snag a small Koopa for winning a hoops game. When I was a kid, my parents never let me try the games section at amusement parks, and understandably so because they are so tough to win. Plus, what do you do with those ginormous stuffed animals?
In summary, Busch Gardens Tampa is what makes the CityPASS most valuable, so if you want to go to Busch Gardens, definitely purchase the CityPASS.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, located close to the Gulf of Mexico coastline in Clearwater, Florida, features the dolphins from the movie Dolphin Tale about a dolphin that lost its back flipper and strives to survive using a bionic back flipper. Warner Brothers Pictures has also made a sequel, Dolphin Tale 2, and the aquarium showcases how the aquarium played a part in the story and production of the film.
Winter is the name of the dolphin that received the bionic back flipper, and her friends, Hope and PJ, also inhabit the aquarium. In addition, you’ll see sea turtles, otters, a nurse shark, pelicans, and several other fish. There’s a large tank where scuba divers swim and feed the aquatic life, and you’ll see several creatures swim about in the tank.
One of the other hallmarks of the aquarium is that it is a marine hospital. Guests learn about how the aquarium rescues hurt animals, conducts surgery if needed, rehabilitates the animals, and releases them back into the wild if possible. It’s quite fascinating!
There’s also a theater where you can watch a few short video episodes about animals. The main segment I watched dealt with baby sea turtles who got washed back onto the shore. The video explained how the aquarium gets the baby sea turtles strong enough to survive the ocean and then releases them strategically back into the wild.
Some notable additions—The CityPASS gets you general admission to the aquarium, but you can also purchase a 90-minute dolphin adventure tour, other boat tours kayak tours, animal care experiences including taking photos with animals, and more. Check out the Clearwater Marine Aquarium website for more detailed information on these enhancements to the aquarium experience.
Unfortunately, I did not have time for any of these additional opportunities, given that I had to see another museum and meet up with a friend and fly home on the same day! But if I had more time, I’d try at least one of the opportunities.
One additional note: it costs $10 for parking. So that’s Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and finally…
Chihuly Collection and Morean Arts Center Glass Art Demonstration
The Chihuly Collection of the Morean Arts Center features glass art from Dale Chihuly. The colors and shapes are fascinating and I found myself taking several photos of the awesome artwork. Here’s one below!
When you choose the CityPASS with the Chihuly Collection option, you’ll also have the opportunity to see a live glassblowing demonstration at the Morean Arts Center. This is also quite fascinating, as you’ll see in the photo below.
I’m happy I made this choice, as both experiences combined are valuable and are complementary to one another. CityPASS holders can choose this option or the Museum of Science and Industry. I don’t have a personal review of that museum, but check it out and see whether that option is better for you or not.
Parking note: Living near Washington, DC, it was awesome to see free 2 hour parking on the streets of St. Petersburg near the Chihuly Collection. Hallelujah!
Summing up the CityPASS
So for the price of $109, CityPASS Tampa gives access to Busch Gardens Tampa, Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and a choice between Chihuly Collection/Morean Arts Center glassblowing demonstration and the Museum of Science and Industry. That’s a really good deal, I believe.
So Busch Gardens makes this deal have the most value. If you don’t go to Busch Gardens, the price of admission to the four other locations are about the same as the CityPASS price, so it’s essential you go to Busch Gardens to make this the most excellent deal that it is.
I think one potential improvement to CityPASS Tampa (and perhaps other locations) is to consider a ticket to a sports event in the city, depending on availability and schedule. This possibility may be trickier, but I find myself attending sporting events more frequently than amusement parks.
When visiting venues, consider these things also: parking, tolls, proximity to lodging, and activities that require an additional purchase. You’ll pay for these with or without the CityPASS, but be aware of those costs.
But I say, go for it! I hope to use CityPASS in another city in the near future!
Save up to 51% or more on Tampa Bay’s 5 best attractions at CityPASS.com – Shop Now!
How I Found Out About CityPASS—Full Disclosure
My first encounter with CityPASS came through searching possible leads to partner with companies to monetize my blog.
More specifically, I found CityPASS through accessing ShareASale, an affiliate marketing site that allows blog writers to post links in blog posts to companies discussed in their blog post. When users click them and purchase an item, the blog writer gets a portion of a “sale” or compensation for leading customers to their sites.
Since I saw CityPASS had a pass for Tampa, I thought I would test out CityPASS and see whether it was worth it.
Now that I have tried CityPASS, I do believe it is worth the price. It is a good model of giving admission to an overview of places at an excellent price. So if you would like to purchase a CityPASS, look below for a link to purchase, and by purchasing, you’ll go to these good locations, and support my blogging work!
Purchase a CityPASS and support my blogging at the same time!
So yes, if you click the link below and purchase a Tampa CityPASS through that link, I’ll get compensation to support further blog post, travels, and life tips.
Save up to 5% or more on Tampa Bay’s 5 best attractions at CityPASS.com – Shop Now!
And a general link for other CityPASS locations is below here.
Thanks so much for reading, and I hope this review of CityPASS Tampa has been helpful.