The 3 Best Places to See Manatees in Florida
Winter is coming, and so are the manatees! Here in Florida, November is the start of manatee season. It’s around this time of year that the Gulf starts to cool, and these gentle giants travel inland to spend the winter in the balmy 72-degree waters of our springs.
Words by Sara Sheehy
Live Wildly Lead Adventurist
Photo by Tandem Stills + Motion
Why do we love manatees?
Manatees are a keystone species in shallow-water habitats, meaning their presence is crucial to maintaining the structure of the entire ecosystem. From keeping seagrass beds in check to excreting the nutrients that underwater plants need to survive, manatees are a necessary part of our coastal and springs waters.
Photo by Tandem Stills + Motion
Apart from their role in the ecosystem, they are a beloved cultural icon in Florida—one that deserves our care and protection. The largest threats to the manatee include boat strikes, habitat loss, and decreased water quality from nutrient runoff and other pollutants. You can learn more about the Florida manatee and what you can do to help protect them in this educational resource from the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge.
Ready to see a manatee for yourself? Here are the 3 best places to see manatees in Florida, where you’re nearly guaranteed to observe one of these “sea cows” in the wild.
Photo by Sara Sheehy/Live Wildly
1. Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge and Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Crystal River, on the Gulf coast just north of Tampa, is nearly synonymous with the Florida manatee. In the colder months, you can potentially see anywhere from 600 to 800 manatees within the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, the only refuge created specifically for the protection of the Florida manatee.
The place to go is Three Sisters Springs, right in the center of town. During peak season, from roughly November to March, walk an easy distance on a well-maintained boardwalk to the spring. Once there, look down into Three Sisters or the nearby canal to see manatees feeding, resting, and swimming in the clear waters.
Photo by Sara Sheehy/Live Wildly
Just a short drive south from Crystal River is the manatee sanctuary at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. This spot is a rehabilitation center for injured manatees, in addition to being a home base for wild manatees during the winter months. Don’t miss a chance to descend into the newly reopened underwater observatory, where you might spot a manatee at eye level.
While at Homosassa Springs, you’ll also have the chance to see their resident Florida panther, black bear, alligators, and plenty of birds.
Live Wildly Tip: Take the pontoon boat shuttle from the visitor center to the main spring area at Homosassa Springs. It’s a wild way to approach the park!
Photo by Sara Sheehy/Live Wildly
2. Blue Spring State Park
East of Orlando, along the St Johns River, you’ll find Blue Springs State Park, a mecca of manatee viewing. This park is famous for a reason: on a cold winter morning, the spring run can literally be packed with hundreds of manatees seeking warm waters. On a record-breaking chilly day in January 2024, the park recorded a whopping 932 manatees!
While this park can get busy during the winter months, its long, elevated boardwalk makes for easy and fun manatee viewing. You’ll see mothers with calves, massive adults, and all sizes of manatees in between.
Blue Springs is closed to all human water activities such as paddling and swimming during manatee season, providing these creatures with an undisturbed sanctuary during the coldest months (the photo above was taken in summer, when a few resident manatees linger out of season).
Live Wildly Tip: Arrive early, especially on a cold day! Not only will you beat the crowds, but the manatees are often most active in the morning.
Photo by Johanna Pryor/Live Wildly
3. TECO Manatee Viewing Center, Tampa Bay
We love seeing manatees in wild nature, but manatees have learned how to co-exist with some industrial settings, too! The TECO Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach is one such location.
Here, the Big Bend Power Station, operated by Tampa Electric (TECO), releases warm water from its discharge canals into Tampa Bay. When water elsewhere gets chilly, manatees have learned to flock to these thermal vents for warmth. In response, TECO created a dedicated facility designed for visitors to observe the spectacle, with educational exhibits, a short nature trail, and observation boardwalks.
The Manatee Viewing Center opens on November 1 and closes mid-April.
Live Wildly Tip: Check the Manatee Viewing Center website for daily manatee counts, which can vary based on weather – the colder it is, the more manatees you’re likely to see!
Photo by Tandem Stills + Motion
Beyond the above 3 best places to see manatees in Florida, there are plenty of other spots where you might spot a manatee in the wild. Some of our favorites are the Haulover Canal in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, Lee County Manatee Park, and Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Happy manatee viewing!
Cover image by Tandem Stills + Motion
