Camps
Explore our exciting camp options below! For Spring Break, we have both day-long and week-long spots available, each featuring a unique marine theme every day. Our Summer Camp runs throughout the season and promises engaging marine science activities that will create unforgettable experiences for your child.
Spring Break Camp
March 17 - 21, 2025
Let's get artsea! This spring, we're going to mix a splash of science with a dash of creativity for a unique week of ocean art camp you won't want to miss. As always, Tampa Bay Watch campers will embark on exciting adventures, participating in engaging labs, boat trips, and ecosystem explorations to discover the fascinating creatures that call our waters home.
But that’s just the beginning! Each day will also be infused with crafts, music, and movement, ensuring a fun-filled experience that brings the Bay’s animal inhabitants to life. Drop in for a day or two or register for the whole week. No matter what, you’ll leave with new knowledge, some art projects worth keeping, and a deeper connection to our ocean environment.
Registration opens January 13, 2025 at 9:00 am!
View our Spring Break 2024 Information Packet to learn more.
Cost: $75 per day
Ages: 6 - 10
Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location:
Discovery Center: 700 2nd Ave NE, St Petersburg, FL 33701
or
Auer Marine Education Center: 3000 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715
Questions? Email: education@tampabaywatch.org
Discovery
Center
Camp Schedule
Monday
Alligator
Tuesday
Squid
Wednesday
Snook
Thursday
Seahorse
Friday
Snake
REGISTER
Auer Marine Education Center Camp Schedule
Monday
Octopus
Tuesday
Parrotfish
Wednesday
Shark
Thursday
Dolphin
Friday
Scallop
Summer Camp
June - August
A Sea of Senses
As humans, we rely on just five senses to experience the world around us - but animals take sensory exploration to the next level! From transforming electrical signals into dinner to smelling with their tongues, this summer we’re going to explore the many ways Tampa Bay’s resident creatures depend on their super senses for survival. And it wouldn’t be camp without weekly boat trips, snorkeling, surfing, habitat exploration, games, labs, and crafts! Join us on the St. Pete Pier for a sensational blend of fun and science. Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
Cost: $360 per week (members receive 10% off, please call (727) 867-8166 ext. 241 for more information)
Questions? Please send an email to tbwdceducation@tampabaywatch.org – we’re happy to help!
Summer Camp 2024 Parent Info Packet: Click here to download
THEMES & AGES
Kingsnake Week: Lick to Locate
June 3-7, Ages 6-8
Tongues out for snake week! Snakes are undercover sleuths who use their forked tongues to collect clues - and oh boy are we going to learn from them! Let’s slither through a sensory obstacle course built to put your detective skills to the test, pose like pythons during snake yoga, and meet a cast of legless characters. Did you know the Discovery Center is home to five different snake species? This camp is going to be sssuper.
Horseshoe Crab Week: Oodles of Eyeballs
June 10-14, Ages 9-12
Armed with ten eyes, ten legs, and an actual coat of armor, horseshoe crabs have survived five mass extinctions since the dawn of the dinosaurs! Join us to observe these prehistoric creatures in our modern world. We’re going to make our own exoskeletons, create clay fossils, and find out how to become horseshoe crab helpers. Let’s molt!
Roseate Spoonbill Week: Feathered Feelers
June 17-21, Ages 6-8
What does a Roseate Spoonbill sing at snack time, you ask? “I’m pickin’ up good vibrations!” With their sensitive bills, these local celebrities sift through the water until “SNAP!” - a tasty morsel! Grab your binoculars and let’s immerse ourselves in birdwatching, unique feeding challenges, and flight experiments. This week will leave you tickled pink!
Guardians of the Gulf
June 24-28, Ages 13-15
Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a marine biologist? This week, teens are invited to embark on a citizen science adventure led by our staff scientists. We’ll study seahorses and scallops, dive into dissections, separate plankton from plastic, and contribute to real research projects designed to help us understand and protect the ocean. Explore potential career paths, hear from local experts, and discover how to become an environmental advocate starting today!
Barracuda Week: Shining Under Pressure
July 8-12, Ages 9-12
Under pressure! Did you know barracudas have a sixth sense? These toothy torpedoes use a special organ to turn pressure into knowledge - and we’re going to turn ourselves into sleek underwater predators! It wouldn’t be fish week without water games, scale-themed crafts, and perhaps a chance to cast a line. Get ready for a fin-tastic adventure!
Jellyfish Week: Mysterious Movers
July 15-19, Ages 6-8
It’s peanut butter jelly time - but hold the peanut butter! Brilliant but brainless, jellyfish defend themselves with stinging cells and rely on the ocean’s currents for a free ride. These fascinating floaters provide food for endangered species and protection for smaller animals. Come drift with us as we search for juvenile jellies, make free-flowing art, and glow with excitement about bioluminescence. Slime on!
Hammerhead Week: An Ampullae Adventure
July 22-26, Ages 9-12
The ampullae of Lorenzini - is it an Italian painting? Nope! It’s a shark superpower - an electric sense that helps these majestic creatures navigate the vast expanses of the deep sea with unparalleled precision! This week, we’ll go on a shark spotting mission (from the safety of our eco vessel), get charged up to play predator-prey games, and dissect a shark for real scientific research. Fin-ally, it’s the week you’ve been waiting for.
Mantis Shrimp Week: Beyond the Rainbow Realm
July 29-August 2, Ages 6-8
Ever heard of ROY G. BIV? Not if you’re a mantis shrimp! With special cells to detect UV and polarized light, these crustaceans see more colors than you can imagine. Prepare to unveil the unseen spectrum - we’ll experiment with electromagnetic waves, find out how our vision would measure up in the marine world, and create crafts even a mantis shrimp would love. This week, nothing is black and white!
The registration button will become active when camp registration opens. No space left in the week of your choice? Don’t worry, there’s a waitlist!
PLEASE NOTE!
Full-face snorkel masks are not permitted during snorkeling excursions or other water-based Tampa Bay Watch programs. Safety is our top priority, and there are a number of risks associated with this type of equipment. Clean, sanitized traditional-style masks and snorkels are available for participants to borrow upon request.
FOUL WEATHER POLICY:
We do our best to ensure that all planned activities are accomplished throughout the camp day, but safety is our first priority, and camp staff and captains reserve the right to change the daily schedule based on weather conditions (e.g. rain, high winds).
CANCELLATION/ REFUND POLICY:
If you notify Tampa Bay Watch of your intent to cancel at least 14 days before your child's camp session, the camp registration fee will be assessed for a full or partial refund at the camp coordinator’s discretion and a $25 administrative fee will be held against any refunds provided. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made less than14 business days before your camper’s session start date, if your camper does not show up for their camp session, or if your camper is dismissed from camp by camp staff for behavioral issues. If you have questions about a refund, please email tbwdceducation@tampabaywatch.org.
In the event of an unavoidable emergency or medical concern, a full refund will be issued. Tampa Bay Watch reserves the right to modify or discontinue programs due to inclement weather or to maintain safe operations. In in the unlikely event of a cancellation, a full refund will be issued. If you have questions about cancellations and/or refunds please contact tbwdceducation@tampabaywatch.org.
“My son said he actually did not have a least favorite part of camp… he liked everything! We were incredibly pleased with this camp from start to finish. Caring and knowledgeable team of teachers, wonderful facilities, incredible experiences, creative and intentional plans each day. We cannot wait to be a part of this next summer!”