Make the Most of the Holidays with Santa & SeaTREK at The Florida Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium is spreading holiday cheer this season with YuleTides presented by GEICO, currently underway and continuing through January 4, 2026 (closed Christmas Day). Guests can enjoy festive décor, immersive experiences, holiday-themed activities, and meaningful gift opportunities. Starting December 20, YuleTides activities will be offered daily, giving families and visitors even more chances to celebrate coastal holiday magic during winter break.
**CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO &
PHOTOS OF YULETIDES**
Courtesy: The Florida Aquarium
Make Memories with Santa
Your last chance to catch Santa before the big day! Santa is visiting The Florida Aquarium December 20-21 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and December 22–24 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Families can snap photos, share their wish lists, and enjoy a holiday moment with Santa in his coastal-inspired suit.
Vacation Santa: Post-Holiday Fun
Once again, Santa Claus is returning to The Florida Aquarium for a post-Christmas retreat. From December 26 through January 1, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily, guests can visit Santa’s Wharf to snap photos with a relaxed, tropical Santa wearing a festive shirt, white pants, sandals, and his signature Christmas hat as he enjoys Florida’s sunshine and the Aquarium’s marine life.
Special Holiday Ticketed Events
Parents’ Time Off | December 20, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.: Parents’ Time Off lets you recharge your way while children explore, learn, and play in a safe, exciting space designed just for them. So go ahead and take some time off to relax, reset, or tackle the day. PTO has never felt this good.
SeaTREK Through the Heart of the Sea | Daily Dec. 20 to Jan. 4 (Closed Christmas Day)
Take an aquatic adventure with SeaTREK, a guided underwater walking tour designed for non-divers ages 10 and older. Held in the Aquarium’s 15-foot-deep Heart of the Sea habitat, SeaTREK lets participants explore coral caves alongside a rich diversity of Indo-Pacific marine life, including Māori wrasse, blue speckled grouper, spotted unicornfish, and even a loggerhead sea turtle. No swimming is required, making this an immersive and accessible underwater experience.
Seasonal Fun for All Ages
Guests can enjoy festive activities daily December 20 to January 4 (closed Christmas Day), including Arctic Coast Blast with ice-block igloo building, snowball target toss, and flurries on the green; crafts on the TECO Deck near the green space, with ornament decorating, popsicle stick frames, winter friendship bracelets, and special sessions with Mrs. Claus; YuleTides Stage performances by the Coralers and local school groups; and the Holiday Tree Regatta, festive scavenger hunts, and more.
Give More Than a Gift This Season
The Aquarium’s Holiday Gift Guide makes it easy to give gifts with impact:
- Give the Gift of Membership: Holiday membership gives loved ones unlimited visits, exclusive events, and the chance to join the Aquarium in protecting marine wildlife.
- Symbolic Animal Adoption: Support Aquarium residents while gifting a personalized certificate, plush, and educational materials. Limited-time savings available through December 31.
- Sea of Support Sculpture Sponsorship: Honor a loved one with a hand-crafted metal fish or bird in the Aquarium lobby while helping marine conservation.
- Mangrove Legacy Project: Donate or adopt a mangrove in someone’s honor to restore Florida’s coastline and waterways.
YuleTides is included with general admission. Plan your visit to experience festive fun, holiday magic, and gifts that make a difference at The Florida Aquarium this season. For more information, click here.
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