Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center

In a time before cellphones, tablets, and social media, I was born in Tampa, Florida. A short couple years later, my parents decided to move the family to California. I don’t remember much about Tampa, so when I visited for the first time in over 20 years, my dad insisted on taking me to places that he hoped would jog my memory.
One such place was the Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center. We went on a sunny afternoon in December and walked around the walkway to a bend where everyone was standing. I noticed the manatees were floating far away, closer to where the warm water was flowing out from the factory.
We took a stroll down the Tidal Walk in hopes of getting a better look, but we couldn’t really see anything. The water was murky, but I did enjoy the peaceful and nature-​y surroundings.
I like how educational the center is, I think this would be a great place for children. There is no fee for admission or parking, which is nice!

We went on April 12, 2016. We saw only one manatee in the river. It was really hot and my daughter hurt/​bruised her foot on the platform for the binocular stand-​they had it marked with yellow and black stripes– so not their fault. Otherwise, I liked the walkway and walking around in nature is always nice. We got a really cool stuffed animal Manatee –grey with big blue eyes– in the gift shop. It was very educational, fun and free! My daughter liked it and so did I!

We must have picked a great day to visit the free Manatee Viewing Center. There were lots of manatees and even a few spinner sharks we got to see.
The educational center was clean and informational. We ended up having to split our party because my four-​year-​old was more interested in the games and puzzles inside.
The concession stand also is worth mentioning. I wasn’t expecting much, but ended up with a tasty sandwich, chips, and a can of soda for around $ 5. It was a much better lunch than I thought I’d have that day.

They say this is the second most popular attraction in the Tampa Bay area on trip advisor but buyer beware LOL. Actually it’s 100% free so you don’t have to buy anything but I would not make a special trip for it. We live in Apollo Beach and have been a few times and it is pretty cool but it’s not amazing. I think they are doing a very good job providing the education for folks who are not familiar with the local marine life but it’s hard to catch all the dolphins and manatees and sharks at the right time. Easy to see Manatee from a distance but the other marine animals are kind of hit or miss.
They do have a pretty cool gift shop and snack shop and a few things to do for the kids but is definitely not a full day outing.

The two stars are simply because we didn’t see a single manatee during our visit, when we ask the guard where we can find them, he told us that they are in the area only in January and February. What a disappointment! They didn’t have even have a sign to explain it. I am going to make another visit next winter to catch a glimpse of the wonderful creature, and hopefully I will updated my review then.

If you’re in the Tampa area, don’t miss taking a trip to the Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center! The Big Bend Power Station’s discharge canal contained saltwater from the Tampa Bay that was used to cool the Unit 4 section of the plant — manatees and other animals found this little refuge area and would come and hang out when the water was 68 or colder. Now, this area is specifically sectioned and designated as a sanctuary by state/​federal regulations so the animals can be protected/​relieved from the cold! Manatees are too cute to begin with, but it was beautiful/​super exciting to see a mama manatee with her babies, sticking close by — absolutely adorable! There are other fish you can see in the water, such as Striped Mullets, Snooks, Tarpons, Needlefish, Cravalle Jacks, Redfish, Spotted Eagle Rays (I saw one just hanging about!), Southern Sting Rays, and even a Black-​Tipped Shark! The water isn’t as clear, and the manatees seem to stay just under the surface, just cruising around. Great spot to take pictures and to enjoy these lovely animals, and since the admission is free and there’s plenty of free parking, there aren’t really any excuses to not stop on by! :D
+manatee viewing area: D
+different fish life
+free admission!
+free parking!

Great and magical
Place. So many manatees in one spot. Can’t believe my eyes. We saw lots of baby manatees as well. There were sharks jumping out of the water. What a terrific way to spend a couple hours. Highly recommend this place.

The center and viewing area are a nice way to see them as noted by all the people there.
The signs say something about the clean warm water However, I don’t believe clean water foams.
Old polluting technology …
Wouldn’t it be nice to see them in a clean environment.

One of my all-​time favorite FL places, but too many people are finding out about it! Kudos to them for handling the crowds and overflow parking. A FREE site to see the manatees as they come to the warm water at the electric plant at Apollo Beach. Today there had to he hundreds there. A friend saw a huge tarpon jumping from the water the day before. It’s awesome to gaze at these magnificent creatures waiting for them to lift those faces for a breath or plop? Their tale.
There is a display inside and a lovely boardwalk among the mangroves.
It’s a must see! Check the weather and when their open as I wasn’t thinking and sent a friend a few years ago in April when they were already gone:(

The first time we went they had just opened up for the season and the weather was not good enough for the manatees to be in the viewing area yet. So we didn’t see anything that day. But the kids had fun playing in the wind machine and they also have another machine you can put a penny in and I will smash it into the shape of a manatee. The place is really cool with the Docs the way you can walk around and look into the water. We did go back another day and we saw several different types of fish along with the manatee. We also went by there via boat and there were manatee then too. Overall this seems like an excellent place to bring kids or anyone who just likes to watch the Manatee and other sea life.

Great views of lots of manatees, including loads of little ones, during a visit in late January. It is so great to see these creatures in a natural setting and to see the crowds who come out simply to watch what amounts to little more than these massive bodies floating underwater or occasionally letting a snout or fin break through the water’s surface.
Even on a day when the boardwalk was crowded, folks seemed to be able to easily maneuver into a prime viewing spot as visitors would come and go.
This is such a simple pleasure and you can enjoy it without paying any parking or admission fees. There is a snack counter and a gift shop so you may not completely escape without spending money.
I have enjoyed the nature walk that borders the waterfront on previous visits but this time stayed on the viewing platform, walked through the educational center, which is small but filled with exhibits and interactive stations, and strolled through the well stocked retail shop where everything from fun jewelry and cute shirts to all sorts of various manatee memorabilia can be found.

Driving up to the manatee viewing center, one is easily tempted to turn right back around. In fact, I did– 3 years ago when I first moved to ruskin. Today, with a few hours to burn on a Saturday, I finally decided to return.
My family and I were greeted by the same ugly, imposing smoke stacks and acrid odor that turned me around the first time (something like the smell of a cast iron pan that has been filled with water for days), but I was determined to see this thing once and for all.
The primary parking was full. Overflow parking was nearly full. My husband turned to me and asked «Is this place like Disney Land or somethin’?» The amount of guests seemed rediculous for what it was.
As for the actual viewing center, it was exactly what I had pictured. There was a small series of raised walkways over the water surounding the powerplant. There was a gift shop and fewer than a dozen museum-​style displays about manatees. The place was small and clean. Luckily the smell was carried away by the sea breeze.
The only thing really worth doing was viewing the manatees from the raised walkways. Although the nearest manatee was at least 20ft away due to the height of the walkway, watching them was pretty entertaining — for about 10 minutes. The sheer number of manatees (more than 100 in visual range) made this place worth the stop for me, but I live 10 minutes away.
In short, if you have to drive more than 20 minutes out of your way to get there, don’t bother. If you are passing through the area, go ahead and make a detour. This is a unique, though easily forgettable experience.
Recommendations: Come in winter (for more manatees) and on a weekday (for fewer people).

I thought it would be cool to take my mom to the manatee viewing center when she visited in December. Unfortunately the gulf was warm that week so the manatees didn’t need to come. We did see a couple of sharks and cool birds with mohawks.
I would definitely come back just to walk around. They have a little snack shop, gift bar, and an educational center. The factory itself was also quite a sight.

Entrada gratis, lugar agradable relax 10 min con la naturaleza, un poco frío el clima no te olvides de tus lentes

Always enjoy stop by whenever we are in the area. Each visit offers different, refreshing images of the cute manatees which live here comfortably. Nice outing for all ages.

Had a great time with the family. & it was free. Lots of different wildlife to see. The winter had been unusually warm so there weren’t tons of manatees but still a great time.

#303
This is a local gem provided by TECO, Tampa Electric Company, located on the bay between the Gibsonton and Apollo Beach power station. In the colder months Manatees come here for the warm water ejected by the power station. If it gets real cold you might see crowds of Manatees and people. Not that many in the warmer months. This is well worth a visit to see local wildlife and its free.

This is a fun and unique spot to see wildlife in the water. I’ve only been once and I think I was cursed by my lack of luck when it comes to observing water born creatures. I went whale watching once in Santa Cruz and saw one whale for about a microsecond. Here, there were easily dozens of manatees but they stayed 99.9% submerged all the time and were 100+ feet away. We did see a significant number of huge fish following each other around in long slender schools which was interesting.
I’d recommend coming here at least once during the winter even if it is a longish drive from Tampa and further still from Clearwater /​St Pete. If the drive bothers you, think of the alternative… This massive power plant could be in your neighborhood instead!

Great spot for manatee viewing! I’ve been 4 or 5 times, and have seen tons of manatees every time.
You are coming to visit a power plant, basically, that has this great spot (due to the warm water) for manatees to congregate. The power company, TECO, decided to make the most of the situation by building some connected decks for folks to browse and spot manatees up close.
There’s also a nice little walkway that goes out into the bay a bit, and I’ve always spotted many different fish species along the way.
This is also a good spot to see a solar tree, which are lined up in the parking lot, pretty cool.

Super fun place to go! I bring all of my friends when they come to visit. It’s fun seeing all the manatees just floating around like lumps or churning up the water with their swimming. The grounds are well-​kept, and there are lots of nice walking trails. Be sure to come during the right part of the season! I came later around April with a friend during my first time, but it was far too warm and fairly disappointing for her. We didn’t see a single one, but that’s to be expected considering the time of year. Every time I’ve been this winter has been spectacular. If you are ever concerned, you can always check the manatee cam online before you go. Note that the manatees sort of blend with the water, so it can be difficult to tell if they’re out there via the webcam.
Keep in mind that it can get pretty crowded, but there is a far lot for parking that is connected by a walking trail through the woods. I would highly recommend this place when Tampa has «cold» weather. It’s a wonderful place to see manatees.

This place was a lot of fun! I can’t believe they don’t charge to visit this place. It’s quite a spectacular place if you like observing wildlife. I can’t believe how big the tarpon are there.
What a fun day!