When the water cools, Florida's manatees head for warm springs and power plant discharge canals, which is when you can watch them from a boardwalk. That is why this list is a winter list. Manatees are wild animals and no place can promise a sighting, so treat each stop as a chance, not a guarantee. The facts below come from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida State Parks. Watch from a distance, use binoculars, and never disturb a resting manatee.
In this guide 7 sections
Three Sisters Springs
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is the only refuge dedicated to protecting the West Indian manatee. In winter you can look for manatees near the warm water sanctuaries from the Three Sisters Springs boardwalk, which FWC says has viewing on a limited schedule.
Insider note — The refuge visitor center on Kings Bay is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from November 15 to March 31. Land access to Three Sisters Springs is by shuttle.
Blue Spring State Park
One of the largest winter gathering sites for manatees in Florida. The park says visitors can see hundreds of manatees in the constant 72 degree spring water, from a boardwalk that runs a third of a mile from the St. Johns River to the headspring. Counts have grown from about 36 animals in the 1970s to over 700 in 2023.
Insider note — FWC notes that seasonal manatee programs are held in the winter months.
TECO Manatee Viewing Center
A visitor center with an overlook and boardwalk where, FWC says, you can see hundreds of manatees in the warm discharge canal off Tampa Bay.
Insider note — Call ahead for current viewing information, as FWC recommends for all wild manatee sites.
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
An Underwater Observatory lets you walk beneath the surface of the spring to watch fish and manatees. FWC says resident manatees live here year round and that wild manatees now have access to the headwaters of Homosassa Spring during winter.
Insider note — The park is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and ticket counters close at 4:45 p.m. It posted that shuttle boats were unavailable because of low water, so check its notices before you go.
Manatee Lagoon
An FPL Eco-Discovery Center with an observation deck over the warm water near the Riviera Beach power plant. FWC lists it for winter viewing, and the center has hands on exhibits about manatees and the Lake Worth Lagoon.
Insider note — The park runs a manatee webcam if you want to check before you drive.
Lee County Manatee Park
FWC says hundreds of manatees visit the Orange River and the power plant canal during winter, and visitors watch from the park.
Insider note — Gates close at sunset, so plan your visit for daylight.
Fanning Springs State Park
A spring and spring run on the Suwannee River. FWC says manatees are only occasionally present here, so treat it as a pleasant spring first and a possible sighting second.
Insider note — If manatees are the main goal, put Blue Spring or Crystal River first.
Good to know
When is the best time to see manatees in Florida?
Winter. FWC says manatees head for warm waters such as springs and power plant discharge basins in the winter months, and spread out along the coast the rest of the year. The Crystal River refuge visitor center runs longer hours from November 15 to March 31. No sighting is ever guaranteed.
Where can I see manatees near Tampa?
FWC lists the TECO Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach, where an overlook and boardwalk look onto a warm water discharge canal off Tampa Bay.
Can I see manatees in summer?
FWC says manatees disperse in warm weather, and that finding them can involve some travel and luck. Winter at a spring or warm water site is the dependable time to look.
How should I watch wild manatees?
FWC asks you to watch from a distance, use binoculars or a zoom lens, and not disturb manatees that are resting. Save the Manatee Club adds: look but do not touch, feed or chase them.
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