Have you ever had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a manatee? And no, I am not referring to an experience you may have had at Sea World, we have had those as well.
Don’t get me wrong, we love to visit the Sea World exhibit. That is where my kids first learned all about manatees, also known as sea cows. My kids think it is really funny they are called sea cows. I can hear them laughing as I write this.
There are actually three species of manatees that live in rivers, seas, and oceans along the coasts of several countries. The manatees that you will find here in Florida are a subspecies of the West Indian Manatee.
Florida manatees live in our waters year-round and are a celebrated species in our state. There are even festivals celebrating these giant, gentle creatures.
During the winter months between November and March, it is the peak season to view the manatees in their natural habitat as they migrate to our freshwater Florida springs. Freshwater springs maintain a temperature of about 70 degrees year-round which is ideal for the cold-sensitive manatees not so much for me.
5 Great Places to see Manatee in the Wild
There are many great places throughout Florida where you can view these gentle giants. Here are five great places you can see the manatee in the wild in Florida.
Blue Springs State Park, Orange City, Florida.
Located about an hour north of Orlando, Blues Springs State Park is a very popular destination with both locals and tourists. The park is designated a manatee refuge in the months of November to March so swimming in the springs is not permitted during this time.
If you go during non-refuge months you may still encounter manatees while swimming in the water, but swimming with the manatee is never allowed and is actually punishable by law.
I remember years ago visiting and being in the springs when manatee approached, a whistle was blown and everyone was required to exit the water. We happily exited to the banks where we watched several large manatees swim by.
You can easily view the large gathering of manatees at Blue Springs State Park from the 1/2 mile boardwalk that goes along the crystal clear water of Blue Springs Run. Blue Springs State Park is our favorite viewing place for manatee.
Be sure to arrive early in the morning, especially on a weekend. There are many times that the park is at capacity and you may have to wait hours before entering. We have drove an hour to view the manatee on more than one occasion, only to find we could not enter the park.
Manatee Festival in Valentine Park, Orange City
January 25th and 26th, 2020, the 35th Annual Manatee Festival will take place in Valentine Park in Orange City. With entertainment, games, and food, there is fun for the entire family. Plus, there is also a free shuttle during the festival to Blue Springs State Park for manatee viewing.
You can learn more about the festival on their website here – https://www.themanateefestival.com/
Three Sister Springs, Crystal River
Another very popular manatee viewing site and one of the only places you can still swim with manatee is Three Sister Springs in Crystal River. It has one of the largest populations of manatee, but that also means bigger crowds to view these creatures. Three Sisters Springs is a great place to kayak or take a boat tour of the springs and manatees.
Florida Manatee Festival Crystal River
Taking place on January 18 and January 19th, 2020, the 33rd Annual Florida Manatee Festival is a celebration of the Florida Manatee. During the festival, there are free bus tours to the Three Sisters Springs unit of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Here you can explore the boardwalk and watch the manatee.
You can learn more about the festival on their website here – https://www.gomanateefest.com/.
Homosassa Springs
Not far from Three Sister Springs, Homosassa Springs, is a little less crowded and offers a number of tours that will get you up close and personal with the manatee.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville
Manatees frequent the 140,000-acre wildlife refuge year-round. The Haulover Canal connects Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River, allowing the manatee to swim in both bodies of water. Manatee viewing is on the east side of the bridge is a designated manatee observation area. You can find viewing platforms, interpretive signs, a boat ramp, and a polarized viewer are located in the area.
Apollo Beach
Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center is a solar power plant in Apollo Beach where plenty of manatees take refuge in the warm waters from November to April. You can view the manatee in their natural habitat and there is also an educational center located on the premises where you can learn more about them.
Guidelines for Manatee Encounters
- Do look but don’t touch
- Don’t feed the manatees
- Don’t separate a manatee from its group
- Do not enter areas designated as “NO ENTRY-MANATEE REFUGE”
- Do not chase a manatee if you see one while you are in the water.
- Avoid excessive noise and splashing if a manatee appears nearby.
- If boating, try not to pass directly over a manatee to avoid injuring it.
Whether you are visiting Florida or you are a resident, getting up close and personal with a Florida manatee is a once in a lifetime experience and something the entire family could enjoy!
Have you had a manatee experience? If so, please share below.