Where to See Hundreds of Wild Manatees in Florida This Winter, Some for Free

Manatees don’t do well in cold water. When nearby water drops below about 68°F, they leave open water and head for the few places that stay warm. Some of those places are natural springs. Others are the outflows of power plants. On the right morning, a single canal or spring run can hold hundreds of them, close enough to count whiskers.

The numbers are real. In the FWC’s 2019 statewide winter survey, the biggest counts came from warm-water areas: more than 1,000 in Tampa Bay, more than 900 in Lee County and more than 800 in the Crystal and Homosassa rivers. The highest statewide winter count on record is 6,620, from 2017. FWC treats these as minimums, not population estimates.

Below are the best places to see them this winter, with 2026-27 dates, fees and the rules that changed. Two of them, Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center and Manatee Lagoon, charge nothing for admission or parking. One caution up front: these are wild animals. A site can have hundreds on a cold morning and only a handful a few warm days later.

What keeps each site warm, and how you watch

Site	Warm-water source	How you view	Extras
Blue Spring State Park	Natural spring, 72°F year-round	Boardwalk along the spring run	River cruises through Blue Spring Adventures
Three Sisters Springs	Springs in Kings Bay	Boardwalk reached by shuttle	Free daily volunteer talks in season
Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center	Big Bend Power Station discharge canal	Boardwalks and a 50-foot tower	Ray touch tank, butterfly garden, nature trails
Manatee Lagoon	Outflow from FPL’s Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center	Observation deck	Free 2 p.m. docent tour, indoor exhibits
Lee County Manatee Park	Canal fed by the FPL plant across the street	Boardwalk	Volunteer naturalists, kayak rentals on the Orange River

5. Lee County Manatee Park (Fort Myers)

This county park is a non-captive warm-water refuge on the Orange River. The warm water comes from a canal fed by the Florida Power & Light plant across the street. Volunteer naturalists, trained in part by FWC, are on hand to help you spot and understand what you’re seeing. The park also has a boardwalk, trails and a playground, which helps if the kids lose interest before the manatees surface.

Timing matters more here than anywhere else on this list. Lee County says the best viewing is late December, January and February, when the Gulf is below 68°F. The kayak concession lists mid-November through March as the viewing window; outside that, expect few or none. The county also stresses that it’s water temperature that counts, not air temperature, so a chilly morning after a warm week may disappoint. Check the park’s page for current status before you go.

Parking isn’t free. According to a 2024 county release, parking runs $2 per hour or $5 per day from December 1 through April 30. County sources list different closing times, so confirm hours on the park page. The same 2024 release says no pets.

Kayak rentals are available through Manatee Kayaking Company. You paddle the Orange River, not the protected canal, and kayaks must be off the water by 4:30 p.m. The park is on Palm Beach Blvd. (State Road 80) just east of I-75.

4. Manatee Lagoon, An FPL Eco-Discovery Center (West Palm Beach)

This free 16,000-square-foot center sits on Lake Worth Lagoon, next to the warm-water outflow from FPL’s Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center. During manatee season, you might see dozens of manatees at once from the observation deck. Inside are hands-on exhibits about manatees and the lagoon. It’s the Atlantic side’s answer to Apollo Beach, smaller in scale but easy to fit into a Palm Beach day.

Docents called Manatee Masters lead a free “All About Manatees” walking tour at 2 p.m. It usually lasts 30 to 45 minutes. The tour costs nothing, but the center asks you to register so it can plan, and registration opens 45 days ahead.

The center is open daily during manatee season, November 15 to March 31, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and closes at 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Admission and parking are free.

The center’s own advice is specific: the best viewing comes when cool weather lasts two to three days with few clouds. Check the Manatee Cam before you drive over. No pets are allowed (ADA service animals are fine), and drones, fishing and swimming are off the table.

3. Blue Spring State Park (Orange City)

Blue Spring is the largest spring on the St. Johns River. Florida State Parks calls it one of the state’s largest winter gathering sites for manatees. The spring run holds at 72°F all year, so when the river cools, manatees move up the run into clear water. You watch from a boardwalk above them. The park’s concessionaire describes it as a half-mile accessible boardwalk with shaded overlooks and benches.

The comeback here is the story. In 1970, researchers tracked just 14 manatees in the spring run. In 1971, Jacques Cousteau filmed an episode called “The Forgotten Mermaids” here, and it helped convince the state to buy the land. The park opened in 1972. TV reports put the New Year’s Day 2026 count at 697. News reports citing the park’s Facebook post put the one-day high at 932 on January 21, 2024.

The big change this winter is the reservation rule. Since July 15, 2026, every day visitor needs a dated reservation, including annual passholders, walkers and cyclists. You book at reserve.floridastateparks.org up to 60 days ahead and pay the fee when you book. Same-day spots exist only while they last. Bring your reservation barcode, digital or printed. If you book a river cruise with Blue Spring Adventures, the park’s concessionaire, that confirmation gets you into the park.

Manatee season runs November 15 to March 31, and swimming and all other water activities in the spring run are banned during that time. The park is open 8 a.m. to sundown, 365 days a year, and the biggest counts follow cold snaps. Leashed pets are allowed on paved surfaces, nature trails and campsites, but not on beaches or in any facility. If you plan to bring a dog, call the park at 386-775-3663 to ask whether the boardwalk counts. Details are on the park’s day-use reservation FAQ.

2. Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge (Crystal River)

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is the only refuge set up to protect the West Indian manatee. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Kings Bay area can hold nearly 1,000 manatees on extremely cold days. Three Sisters Springs is where you see them from land. The city of Crystal River runs access: you buy a ticket at the Three Sisters Springs Center and ride a shuttle to the boardwalk around the clear springs. Citrus County’s tourism office reports a one-day record of 528 manatees here on December 27, 2014.

The refuge offers interpretive programs at the springs daily during manatee season, November 15 to March 31. The shuttle runs continuously from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the last ticket is sold at 3:30 p.m. Winter prices are $20 for adults, $17.50 for seniors 55 and up, $7.50 for kids 6 to 15. Buy online through the city’s ticket page.

Park at the Center; land access to the springs is by shuttle. No pets are allowed; service animals are welcome. You can’t get into the water from the boardwalk side, and paddle craft can’t enter the springs until April 1. To get in the water you have to go by boat or paddle craft from Kings Bay (your own, a rental or a refuge-permitted tour).

For a free extra stop, the refuge visitor center at 1502 SE Kings Bay Drive has manatee exhibits. The Florida Manatee Festival takes over downtown Crystal River January 16 and 17, 2027, with admission of $10 for adults and free for 12 and under. If you want a side trip, Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is nearby ($13 adults, $5 ages 6 to 12). Know that its manatees on view are mostly resident and rehabilitated animals, not wild crowds.

1. Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center (Apollo Beach)

Manatees have gathered in the warm, clean discharge canal of Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Power Station since the early 1970s. The canal is now a state and federally designated sanctuary. Tampa Electric opened the free viewing center in December 1986. In the 2023-24 winter, it counted 1,100 manatees at once, beating the previous record of 850 from the winter before. Tampa Electric says about 190 individual manatees have come back to the canal for more than 20 years.

You watch from boardwalks over the canal, with the power station in the background. The grounds also have a ray touch tank, a butterfly garden, nature trails and a 50-foot observation tower. It’s an easy pick with kids, and Tampa Electric says the whole site is wheelchair and stroller accessible.

The 2026-27 season opens Sunday, November 1, 2026, and runs through Thursday, April 15, 2027. That’s the longest window on this list. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the trails close at 4 p.m. The center is closed Thanksgiving (November 26, 2026), Christmas Day and Easter, and closes at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Admission and parking are free, and overflow parking opens just south of the center when needed.

Before you leave home, check the East and West webcams on the center’s website. Tampa Electric’s own rule of thumb: big crowds show up once Tampa Bay drops below 68°F. The center’s phone is 813-228-4289. Pet policy wasn’t confirmed by Tampa Electric, so leave the dog home or call first.

Manatee viewing sites at a glance, winter 2026–27

Site	Season	Hours	Cost	Pets
Blue Spring State Park	Nov 15–Mar 31	8 a.m.–sundown	$6/vehicle; reservation required	Paved surfaces/trails only
Three Sisters Springs	Nov 15–Mar 31 (winter pricing)	Shuttle 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; last ticket 3:30 p.m.	$20 adult / $17.50 senior / $7.50 ages 6–15	No
TECO Manatee Viewing Center	Nov 1, 2026–Apr 15, 2027	10 a.m.–5 p.m.	Free	Not verified
Manatee Lagoon	Open daily Nov 15–Mar 31	9 a.m.–4 p.m.	Free	No (service animals OK)
Lee County Manatee Park	Best late Dec–Feb	8 a.m.–dusk (2024 county release)	Free entry; parking $2/hr or $5/day	No

When to go

Go after a cold front. The first sunny, calm morning after a run of cold days is the one you want. Every site here follows the same rule: manatees come in when nearby water drops to about 68°F. Manatee Lagoon puts it more precisely, saying the best viewing comes when cool weather lasts two to three days with few clouds.

Most seasons run mid-November through March. Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center opens earlier (November 1) and stays open later (April 15). Lee County Manatee Park has the narrowest peak, late December through February. The December and January holidays bring big crowds, and Tampa Electric’s center closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; check Manatee Lagoon’s holiday hours before you go.

For Blue Spring, Save the Manatee Club, a nonprofit, posts daily counts during the season. Treat them as a useful signal, not an official figure.

What to book ahead

• Blue Spring State Park: A dated day-use reservation is required for every day visitor, up to 60 days ahead. This is a recent change, so returning visitors should take note.
• Three Sisters Springs: Boardwalk tickets are sold online through the city of Crystal River. Last ticket is 3:30 p.m.
• Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center and Lee County Manatee Park: Neither site’s official pages mention a day-visitor reservation requirement; Tampa Electric does have an online reservation form, so check it if you’re bringing a group.
• Manatee Lagoon: No reservation for entry, but some of its free programs require pre-registration, and as of late October the center’s website lists its public tours as temporarily unavailable, so check the Programs page before you go.

What to bring

• A jacket. The best manatee days are the cold ones.
• Polarized sunglasses, which cut glare so you can see into the water.
• Binoculars, for animals farther out in the canal or bay.
• Your Blue Spring reservation barcode, digital or printed.
• No dog, for most of these. Three Sisters, Manatee Lagoon and Lee County Manatee Park don’t allow pets, and Tampa Electric’s policy isn’t confirmed. Blue Spring allows leashed pets in some areas only.

Rules and safety

Never touch or feed manatees. Beyond that, each site has its own limits. Blue Spring’s manatee season runs November 15 to March 31; the park restricts water access in the spring run during that window, so check its current rules before you go. At Three Sisters, paddle craft can’t enter the springs from November 15 to March 31 (they’re allowed April 1 to November 14). Manatee Lagoon allows no pets on the property (ADA service animals excepted); check its FAQ for its full list of rules. At Lee County Manatee Park, rental kayaks must be off the water by 4:30 p.m.

Getting there

You’ll need a car for all of these. The refuge describes Crystal River as one hour north of Tampa on the Gulf Coast. Lee County Manatee Park is on Palm Beach Boulevard (State Road 80) in Fort Myers, just east of I-75. At Three Sisters, park at the Three Sisters Springs Center, since there’s no general parking at the springs. Official drive times from Orlando, Miami and Jacksonville aren’t published for the other sites, so map from your starting point.

If you only have one cold morning, the free sites make the easiest call: Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center on the Gulf side, Manatee Lagoon on the Atlantic side. Blue Spring and Three Sisters cost a little and take more planning, but they put you over clear spring water, where you see the animals instead of their outlines. Blue Spring now requires a reservation, so book it first. Then watch the forecast, check the webcams, and go when the water turns cold.

Photo credits

• Blue Spring State Park (8500103235).jpg by KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Manatees in Blue Spring State Park (8501212290).jpg by KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Manatee – Blue Spring State Park.JPG by Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Blue Spring State Park (8500084729).jpg by KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Manatees at Blue Spring State Park.jpg by Bkamprath, Public domain (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Three sisters springs near crystal river national wildlife refuge.jpg by Ramos Keith, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Boardwalk leading towards the water, overlooked by Big Bend Power Station, at Manatee Viewing Center, Apollo Beach, Florida, on 21 March 2024.jpg by MatthewHoobin, CC0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Manatee Lagoon, West Palm Beach 1.jpg by FunctioningMemberOfSociety, CC BY 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sea Cows, Cousins of Elephants – Flickr – JFGryphon.jpg by Jim Griffin, CC0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.