manatee viewing area

This is a great place to see the Manatee. We have been a few times. The park is very nice, lots to do, lots to see, nice gift shop.

Visiting from New York and went with our son who live in Tampa. Great free viewing of manatee. There were only a couple of manatee. They were pretty close and got some good pics and views. Also saw some incredibly large tarpon fish. From the pier/walkway you can see many fish. Even saw some dolphin. Great for kids of all ages. Looks to be handicapped accessible.

Actually visited twice during our stay. Noticed that as high tide rolls in the Manatees seem to come closer to the viewing deck as the water becomes a bit deeper and brings the warmer cooling water inwards. Manatees are slow moving so they will have a calming effect on your soul and disposition should you open up to their slow graceful manner. Some Floridians have never seen a Manatee and here you get to see hundreds. You really feel for the ones who have experienced propeller damage after you experience their pace of life. There is also a nice trail that starts on the other end of the parking lot. Highly recommended should you also care for a stroll and some exercise.

A seasonal attraction open during the winter months when manatees come to warm themselves in the discharge waters of the TECO Big Bend power plant. They are free to come and go as they please. When we were there we counted more than thirty "just chillin" with their friends. Some were floating on their backs, others seemed amused that so many people were looking at them. It is a wonderful thing that sanctuaries like this exist to educate we humans and conserve a little bit of nature. Free with plenty of parking and volunteers to help you understand everything that is going on. A worthwhile visit.

Manatee Viewing Center @ Apollo Beach FL is a great place to visit but only in coller temps. This is located at the Tampa Electric Co. The waters around the electric company are warm so when the water in Tampa Bayis cold, usually below 68 degrees, the mantee's will all congrigate in the water together by the Electric company for the warmth. We were just there in early February 2015. The day we went the outside temperature was about 70. We saw at least 100 Manatees. The Viewing Center has built a really nice deck over the water so you can look down right below where you are standing and get a very good view of the Manatees. We saw a mother and her calf, some very large manatees as well. There is also a Viewing Tower you can walk to and view the entire area. They also have a small museum with all kinds of info about mannatees, as well as a Butterfly Garden. The Parking and Admission is free. They are open daily from 10-5 from Nov. 1 through April 15. Be sure and wear comfortable walking shoes.

The manatees cooperated. We saw a couple dozen of them. Slow beautiful creatures. They tell us that Jan/Feb. is the best time to come when the water temperature is below 60. Then there are usually over 200 in this small lagoon supported by Tampa Power. Free parking and free admission. What a novelty. Worth a visit until mid March.

Tampa Electric has constructed a very nice, family friendly area for viewing the manatees that come to their warm water discharge canal while the water is cold in the surrounding area. Manatees like their water at 68 degrees or above so from around November 1 to the middle of April there are a great number of them swimming around just outside of the water discharge pipes at the electric power generating plant. If you go, you will usually see a number of manatees swimming around. However, remember this is not Sea World and these are wild animals who are not fed and are not performing on a man-made schedule. With that said, it is a great place if you catch it right and I think you have better than a 60% chance of seeing something. The facility that Tampa Electric (TECO) has built and for which they charge zero, including plenty of free parking is great. They also have an education center with some interactive things that the kids will enjoy so this is a good thing to do and will be a success as long as you remember it is not Sea World.

In the shadow of Tampa's Electricity Power Station, (which is the reason they are there), the Manatees can be viewed from elevated boardwalks, in their natural habitat. The parking is well organised, but the Gift Shop does get very crowded - a small price to pay for a FREE facility.

I really enjoyed our visit at the manatee viewing center. There were plenty of docile, playful manatees right below the boardwalk.The powerplant is easy to get to and both the parking and access to the center are free of charge.I would definitely recommend a stop here if you are in Tampa area or even if you are just driving on I75, it is only a few minutes away.

I was expecting some trashy road-side stop but was pleasantly surprised when we arrived. We saw the sign on the highway and decided on a whim to stop. It feels a bit corporate-do-goody because it is located right next to a factory, but we were able to see many manatees and the crowd flow was manageable.

This place is amazing. There is not alot of things you can go to that is free, but this place is. We saw hundreds of Manatees, adults and babies. There was also lots of fish that could be seen as well. There was even some sharks that were jumping and spinning out of the water that you could see if you were lucky enough to see it when it happened. There was lots of educational information here to learn as well as see all the manatees and birds and etc.. I would definitely recommend this to be a place to stop to see manatees for free.

A great little spot for viewing Manatees. We were there in the dead of a Florida winter. Of course while you are there you are at the mercy of nature, but on our recent visits, manatees abounded in this little man made estuary. There is a lovely boardwalk to a viewing station. Often a docent can be found on the boardwalk, ready to answer any questions you might have. Parking is free, admission is free. That is hard to beat. I assume that the power company foots the bill for this manatee motel viewing centre. As well there is an information centre and a gift shop. The gift shop does not gouge on souvenirs either. As you enjoy the manatees there is an audio presentation playing, highlighting different aspects of your experience. If you get the chance, go out on the boardwalk/pier. It offers a different perspective of the power plant and the manatee viewing area.Make sure to bring your camera. The entire area is picture worthy. One pleasantly surprising note, at least to me, was the fact that the power company did not continuously plug themselves in the audio presentation nor the information centre presentation. If they are paying for this expensive display, they resisted the opportunity for self aggrandizement and promotion of themselves, and left the emphasis on the manatees.A very enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours

It's truly great to see the Manatees in the warm waters of the Teco power plant. There are lots and a great opportunity to see these magnificent creatures up close and personal. 100% recommended.

This is one of those attractions that can only be found in Florida. A free viewing area next to the power plant that provides the fresh warm water desired by the manatees.With the cold weather of the past few days we were able to view over 100 manatees just playing in the water. An attractive boardwalk makes for a great viewing area. If you are nearby during the cooler winter months don't miss this.

It was amazing to see so many manatees just congregating at Apollo beach, just lazing around . It seemed as though there were over 50 plus babies.Fabulous.