General Admission Includes
Make a Day of it!
Spend an hour or the whole day learning all about our family of Dolphins and California Sea Lions. Purchase General Admission now!
The dolphins live in various social groups in different lagoons. About every half an hour, we visit different groups for narrated behavior sessions that showcase their amazing abilities in fun, educational ways. You may see them taking part in a research study or learning new behaviors. Watch dolphin playtime and learn more in Fun Facts. There is plenty of variety for you – and for the dolphins. In between sessions, hang out in our shaded areas alongside the dolphin lagoons. Don’t be surprised when the dolphins watch you and often do things to engage your attention!
Even if you are not participating in an interactive program, there is always something to see. Take a look at the sea lions. Visit the bird aviary. Play and cool off in the Sprayground. Grab a meal, snack, cool beverage, or ice cream at Anchor’s Cafe.
Once you have paid for a daily admission, feel free to come and go from the DRC grounds as you please. We will give you a dolphin hand stamp to ensure you can come back later in the day to revisit your dolphin and sea lion friends!
Dolphin Research Center is situated by a bay directly on the Gulf of Mexico in the fabulous Florida Keys. The natural seawater lagoons that the dolphins and sea lions call home are also host to a wide variety of fish and other marine animals. Wild dolphins stop by from time to time to visit with their DRC cousins through the dolphin-safe perimeter fence!
Handicap Accessible
Dolphin Research Center offers wheelchair-accessible restrooms. Pathways provide easy maneuverability around the facility.
Service Animal & Pet-Friendly
Traveling with your service animal or pet(s)? No need to leave your furry friends at the hotel or in your car or RV. Dolphin Research Center is pet-friendly and welcomes responsible owners with animals that are leashed or harnessed.
Look at All You Get!
- Observe Animal Behaviors and Actual Research – Observe dolphins and sea lions performing and learning new things. Research, medical behaviors, play times, “kindergarten” for the youngsters, public interactive programs – you see it all! Watch their creativity. All learning sessions are unscripted and spontaneous. The dolphins add their ideas on a regular basis! Sessions and presentations take place about every half an hour so there’s always something to see.
- Chat with Trainers – Speak directly with our animal care and education staff who are always happy to talk with you about our animal family and marine mammals in general.
- Meet the Animals – Watch the natural behavior of the dolphins and learn their “dolphinalities.” The dolphins can swim quite close to you and love to people-watch, so be entertaining! They live in groups comparable to dolphins in the wild, so you can observe social dynamics, mothering styles, juveniles’ behavior and more.
- Live Presentations in our Educational Theater – Enter our air-conditioned theater for entertaining educational presentations.
- Educational Signage – Find out all kinds of interesting and fun facts from our educational signage as you wander around the grounds.
- Cool off at the Sprayground – Access to the Family Sprayground, featuring fresh water blasts and mists, as well as recorded sounds by the DRC dolphins!
- Relax and reflect in the Veterans Garden – Visit our Veterans Garden, an area of tranquility originally created by Vietnam Veterans and dedicated to all who have served or are actively serving during times of war
- Onsite Food Concession – Enjoy delicious breakfast sandwiches, lunch, snacks, ice cream, and cold beverages on-site so that you don’t have to miss a moment of dolphin and sea lion fun!
- Free Parking – Bus parking also available on a limited basis.
- Group Admissions – DRC offers discounted admission to tour groups of 20 or more with advance notice. Please call 305 289-1121, ext. 239 to arrange your group’s visit.
- Schools & Youth Groups – Our Education Department offers customized field trips for students and youth groups. Find out more about group visits Get information for teachers
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Ready to Visit?
We rely on guest visits, participation in our programs, and donations to care for our animals, learn more in research, educate about conservation, help injured manatees and more.