Fodor's Expert Review Mote Aquarium

A renowned research facility, the Mote is also a popular attraction that draws families and others interested in its international array of ocean creatures. It has a large outdoor habitat featuring a family of frolicking river otters. In the main building, a 135,000-gallon tank lets you view various types of sharks from above and below the surface.

Other tanks contain eels, rays, and additional creatures native to area waters. Touch tanks abound here for the little ones, and the not-so faint of heart can scope out a preserved giant squid—a rare find out in the wild.

The expanded Seahorse Conservation Lab offers a glimpse into the unusual creatures' lives and how the aquarium helps them survive and thrive. Hugh and Buffett are the resident manatees, and they have lived here since 1996 as part of a research program. There's also a permanent sea-turtle exhibit.