Whenever I see manatees in their natural settings, their beauty and mystery never cease to amaze me.  I’ve seen them playing in the Gulf of Mexico just offshore of Englewood Beach and I’ve seen them in springs and canals. And each time is like the first.

Here are a few of my favorite manatee viewing areas:

Blue Spring State Park, Orange City:  Blue Spring is a designated manatee refuge and during the colder months of the year, hundreds of these gentle giants can be seen in the spring.  There are numerous observation areas along the spring run, as well as a boardwalk that goes to the spring itself.   Please visit my earlier blog post on Blue Spring State Park to learn more.

Manatee Springs State Park, Chiefland:  Manatee Springs is one of the state’s largest springs and is also a National Natural Landmark.  Water from the spring run flows into the Suwannee River before it meets the Gulf of Mexico. Watch the manatees from the boardwalk or from the shoreline.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville:  A manatee observation deck overlooking the Haulover Canal provides the perfect spot to watch the marine mammals. Another area close by is across the bridge to the boat ramp.  I actually saw more playing there than at the observation deck itself.  Again, most of the manatees can be seen during the spring and fall when the weather is a little cooler.

Other places you might want to visit for manatee viewing:

• Fanning Springs State Park, Fanning Springs
• Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River
• Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center, Apollo Beach
• Lee County Manatee Park, Ft. Myers

The best time for viewing aggregations of manatees is from November through April when they are finding their way into the warmer waters.  Water activities are suspended in the state parks during the winter season because of the manatees.

Enjoy the view!