Where to See Manatees on Florida's West Coast

Seeing a manatee during a Florida vacation is a magical moment. The Sunshine State offers several locations to view these gentle giants with many opportunities on Florida's West Coast. From Homosassa Springs to Fort Myers, following are five places to view the endangered species.

View Manatees at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Homosassa
Located just an hour's drive north of Tampa, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is the best bet for viewing Florida manatees year-round. It serves as a refuge and rehabilitation center for the endangered species. Visit the Fish Bowl, a floating observation platform and observe the underwater environment through large glass windows. Manatees and fresh and saltwater fish swim past. In addition to manatees, visitors can view native Florida wildlife including black bears, bobcats and American crocodiles by following the trail. Lu, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park's resident hippopotamus, celebrated his 50th birthday in 2010.

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
4150 S. Suncoast Blvd., Homosassa
Admission fee is collected.

View Manatees at the Manatee Viewing Center, Apollo Beach
Just a 30-minute drive south of Tampa is the Manatee Viewing Center sponsored by Tampa Electric in Apollo Beach. The warm waters discharged from the Big Bend Power Station make it an attractive Florida manatee habitat during the winter when Florida's waters cool. November 1 through April 15 the center is open for visitors to observe and learn about manatees. The habitat is also ideal for viewing fish species as bonnethead sharks, spotted eagle rays and tarpon along with a variety of shorebirds such as snowy egrets, little green herons and brown pelicans.

Manatee Viewing Center
6990 Dickman Rd., Apollo Beach
Admission is free, donations appreciated.

View Manatees at Parker Manatee Aquarium at the South Florida Museum, Bradenton
Less than an hour's drive south of Tampa is the Parker Manatee Aquarium at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton. The museum interprets the area's history dating back to the Pleistocene (2.6 million to 12,000 years ago) to present day. The adjacent Parker Manatee Aquarium is where manatees rehabilitate before being released back into the wild. The aquarium's permanent resident is Snooty, a manatee who will mark his 62nd birthday on July 21, 2010.

Parker Manatee Aquarium at the South Florida Museum
201 10th St. W., Bradenton
Admission fee is charged.

View Manatees at Mote Marine Aquarium, Sarasota
Science and nature educate visitors in an entertainment format at the Mote Marine Aquarium. The aquarium's most popular residents are Hugh and Buffett, manatees born in captivity and have called Mote home since 1996. According to Mote, they are trained to participate in research and have helped scientists determine how well manatees see and hear. Visitors can also pet stingray (barbs have been removed), observe seahorses and enjoy a sea life encounter cruise.

Mote Marine Aquarium
1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy., Sarasota
Admission fee is charged.

View Manatees at Manatee Park, Fort Myers
Cool Caloosahatchee River water is warmed as it passes the Florida Power & Light plant creating a haven for manatees when temperatures are cooler. The best opportunity to view manatees at Manatee Park is during the winter months, November through March, when water and air temperatures are typically cooler. During the summer when water temperatures have warmed, it's rare to see a manatee at the park. Calusa Blueway Outfitters offers guiding kayaking trips departing from Manatee Park and an opportunity to take a closer look at the gentle giants (Tel: 239-481-4600).

Manatee Park
5761 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers
Minimal fee to park.

Add magic to a Florida vacation. When visiting Florida's West Coast, see a manatee either in its natural habitat or in an aquarium.

Sources:

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Manatee Viewing Center
Parker Manatee Aquarium at the South Florida Museum
Mote Marine Aquarium
Manatee Park
Personal visits, 2008 - 2010