Manatee Lagoon

A great conservation and education center tucked away near power plant. Cost: Free with donation options When to go? Year-round for educational experience all ages. Short video, educational activities particularly engaging under 10. Manatee viewing starts Nov. 15 through March. Typically peaks January/February. This was a great stop over to have a picnic lunch, observe water and do activities after a prolonged car ride. Worth the stop and likely will be a habit traveling this direction.

Great free mini adventure. We did not see any manatees in the lagoon but the exhibit is a nice break in the AC. the Banyan tree was very neat. It’s no cost so it was ok there weren’t any manatees and will try again next time.

A must visit, lots to learn and even better if you're lucky you can see manatees. In winter am guessing there are more to see as the water is warm from the next door power plant. But definitely worth a visit. It isn't an all day visit more an hour or so. Or longer if the manatees are visiting and you want to observe them for longer

Manatee Lagoon is a peaceful and educational place where you can see manatees in their natural environment. When we visited, the staff explained that manatees are usually visible when the weather is cold — typically in December and January, since Florida doesn’t get cold often. So, if you're planning a visit, try to go during those winter months for the best chance to see them up close. Even if you don’t spot any, the center is beautiful, with great exhibits and views. A relaxing and family-friendly spot worth checking out!

Unfortunately we didn’t see any manatee but it’s a nice viewing area if they are there. There is a pretty private beach area 🏝️off to the side. Brought some cute shell earrings from the gift shop 🐚

I absolutely enjoyed this place, even when there weren’t any manatees around. They have a gift shop and an observation deck on the second story. There is plenty of seagrass for the manatees along the bed of the beach, and great sights of the lagoon and condos from the first and second floors.

Manatee Lagoon is a must-visit destination for nature lovers and those curious about Florida’s gentle giants. This 4.6-star-rated educational center offers a unique opportunity to observe manatees n their natural habitat, especially during the cooler months when they gather near the warm waters of the adjacent power plant. The facility is well-maintained and welcoming, featuring informative exhibits that highlight manatee conservation efforts and the local ecosystem. The gift shop provides a selection of souvenirs, making it easy to take home a piece of the experience. Whether you're a local or a visitor, Manatee Lagoon is a peaceful and enriching spot to learn about these fascinating creatures while enjoying scenic waterfront views. With its blend of education, conservation, and natural beauty, Manatee Lagoon is a fantastic place to spend a few hours. If you're in the Palm Beach area, it's definitely worth a stop!

My wife and I stopped here late in the afternoon on June 19, 2025 while on a camping trip at John Prince County Campground about 15 miles south of the Manatee Lagoon. There used to be an oil-fired (steam) power plant here (with tall smoke stacks), whose warmed cooling waters used to outflow into the intracoastal waterway (attracting Manatees, particularly the cool winter months), but it was torn down about 10 years ago and Florida Power & Light installed natural gas powered turbine generators in their place, which are much less polluting and not as ugly. The amount of warm water outflow from the new gas-turbine generators is probably substantially less than the old steam powered plant offered, but the Manatees still hang out in this area during both the summer and winter months, and we even saw a mother and her juvenile offspring cruising down the outside walkway and seawall during our visit. The educational visitor center here is very nice inside, totally free (no admission fee) and open to the public. It takes about an hour to tour it (if you read all the displays) and they have a few staff members on duty to answer any questions you might have. It does close at 4 pm each day, so keep that in mind when planning your visit arrival time. Outside, on the concrete walkway, you can hang out over the safety railings and peer into the very clear ocean water that washes into the intracoastal waterway from Palm Beach Inlet, that's less than a mile northeast of here. The facility also has a few outdoor displays and a solar-roofed pavilion with some picnic tables. There is also a fairly large parking lot that is also free of charge and is guarded by a roving security patrol cart.

Manatee Lagoon is a small, educational place that is awesome for kids to learn about manatees. There are a few indoor exhibits that are interactive for learning. The outdoor area is equally small but it has a manatee viewing area, but seeing them is not guaranteed. It depends on the time of year. I believe the colder months are best, whereas the summer months are the worst. We did It's free but you can make a donation, so it's a must see if in the area because of that alone. If you want to spend money you can check out the gift shop. There is plenty of parking and the property has great views of the water.

Although we did not see any manatees today, it was such a fun experience. For the moment we stepped inside, were greeted by a very friendly attendant, who explained where everything was. First, we checked out the educational classroom. This was great to build a grasp and understanding of manatees, who they are, how long they've been part of history of this earth , the difficulties which they faith day-to-day and why it's important to keep something safe. The center does a great job at balancing illustrations and educational material to engage the audience. There is a viewing tower at the top, but today we did not see any. And when I came a couple years ago, you could see a head above up every now and then, but it was so far that it's hard to see. It left me wishing that they had a viewing deck on the lower level where you could look through a glass under the water below. Maybe someday! Glad we stopped by as we were in the area, but might not make an entire drive for a day out here . However, there is a beautiful waterfront area and park, which could be nice to spend time at when you come visit as it has great views of the marina. There's a wonderfully curated gift shop and I recommend checking out. It's difficult to come and not buy something because they have so many different cute sea life options in the boutique.

We had a great morning visiting the Manatee Lagoon in WPB. About 60-70 of them around the visitor center! The best time to see them is January or February when the morning temperatures are in the 50s or 60s... Calming and serene ! The parking and the visit are both FREE. The visitor center has lots of information on the manatees and the fauna and flora of the area. They had some small aquarium displays with Lion fish and other fun species.

I went for an Everglades training for work. It was an adorable place full of FREE resources and programs. The workers were very kind and extremely educated in their field. It felt like a nice family place to enjoy for a few hours watching the manatees.

It is on the outskirts of West Palm Beach on the intercoastal waterway. I wanted to to see manatees in their natural habitat so I took an uber up. It is gated with an exhibit showing how sea grass grows. I guess the manatees feed on it. I looked over the railing where I could see the manatee. They like the warmer water from the neighboring electric company. Fascinating to see the manatee in the wild.

I've been wanting to go to Manatee Lagoon for a while but since it's quite the drive from Miami, I haven't made until recently for their annual Manatee Festival. The event was very well organized with police presence and a shuttle service to a nearby parking lot. The lagoon/center is very beautiful right by the ocean. It's next to an FPL power plant. From my understanding, the power plant was what caused the water to be warmer and attracted manatees. Shortly after the manatee center was built. Just note that there's no guarantee that you will see any manatees as they are not enclosed and come on their own, usually in the mornings. The center offers some educational information and a gift shop. The festival had plenty of activities for children and even amazing food trucks!

Manatee Lagoon is owned by Florida Power & Light. They provide educational tours for schools and civilians And while they are not a refuge for manatees you may be able to spot manatees during peak season between November to March

If you're in West Palm Beach and looking for an educational, and family friendly spot, Manatee Lagoon is definitely worth a visit! Best of all, it is free. The moment you arrive, you're greeted by two adorable stone sculptures of a mommy and baby manatee, setting the tone for a charming experience. Inside the small but well organized building, you'll find a few tanks featuring unique hermit crabs, tropical fish, and other sea creatures. Informative displays line the walls, offering info to marine life, and there are even interactive workstations where kids can engage in hands on learning about aquatic environments. While we didn't spot any manatees during our visit, an employee keeps track of sightings on a whiteboard, so guests can see how many have been spotted recently. The crystal clear water surrounding the lagoon provides great views, making this a relaxing and worthwhile stop. If you're a local or just passing through, Manatee Lagoon is a great place to explore.

I've been wanting to go here for so long and was so happy when I saw on the manatee cam how many there were! It's easy to park and a short walk over with beautiful views. The inside is cute too and they have cute manatee merch. So sweet.

Dedicated to the understanding and preservation of these gentle creatures. It's a cold and windy day. The cold tends to keep them down under water. We caught glimpses of a few when they poked their noses up to breathe. The windy and cloudy conditions made it all but impossible to see beneath the surface. I will definitely come back on a clear, calm day in hopes of seeing more manatees.

Such a fun experience! Cold ocean waters during winter in Florida bring manatees near the FPL plant. They have a small indoor museum and manatee talk to learn fun facts. A few small fish tanks and a lot of educational material.

I came here for a fundraiser event. Easy to find on my gps. Greeted by friendly security guards upon arrival. Plenty of handicap spots available along with EV chargers. Loved the view of the water from the second floor.

Came here today for a ServiceNow SNUG workshop, very cool venue, not quite large, but has an awesome view of the Lake Worth Lagoon and Palm Beach Island.

What a great place! We saw about 30 manatees when we were there. There was so much information to absorb in the facility. The skeletons display was very informative and there was a detailed explanation of who they were. I feel I know so much more about the manatee, their habitat and how FPL is working with them for the manatees. The facility is so bright and clean. Definitely well maintained. There was a nice flow of people so you could always get a nice view of the manatees.

Cool place dedicated to learning and understanding about manatees. Right next to the powerplant. There is a small museum inside with 4 zones outside to view manatees. They do have a live cam but it only takes into consideration one small spot. Every time I checked there wouldn't be a manatee on cam but when we visited to our surprise there was 3!!! They do timely counts themselves and on the website informs people of the times you would expect to see manatees at the lagoon depend on time of year and weather conditions. There's free parking and a nice walk way to exercise on to enjoy the views of the pier

I've been intending to come here for years, so glad that I made it today. It's free to visit. They have a free tour 1x/day. Isabelle, our tour guide was wonderful, so enthusiastic! Manatees spend 8 hrs a day eating. They are 10 ft long and up to 1,000 pounds. They have large size Pictures & panoramas that explain all about the manatee, their habitat and threats. They have QR codes so you can learn more. This is a wonderful place for adults and children.

I loved this place. It was my first visit and although the day was really ugly and rainy it did not take away from our visit. Unfortunately we did not get to see manatees but we learned a lot about them. The staff is great and very willing to answer questions. A great place to visit with kids. I will definitely visit again on a nicer day.

Prior to your visit go on there website and check out the Manatee cam. As one of the managers explained Manatee's are notorious for no-shows. Nonetheless, If you have kids and need something free to do, bring them here. What they offer? (From their website) There are other fun family options that are offered at Manatee Lagoon throughout the year. Manatee Lagoon staffers have created an extensive calendar of activities, ranging from daily educational presentations, yoga on the waterfront observation deck, programs for kids to story and more. Visit our events calendar to access the schedule and registration details. Manatee Lagoon is one of Palm Beach County's fun and engaging family-friendly attractions, with interactive, entertaining exhibits that tickle your curiosity about the environment of the Lake Worth Lagoon and the wonderful world of manatees. The only downside is I needed to know if they had wheel chairs available and because the city runs it ,the call goes directly to the power and light company which doesn't make sense. If you are not on the property how are you able to answer customers questions?

This is a two-story building with all kind of educational pictures and displays about manatees including a skeleton of one. The facility was built 2016 by FPL because the manatee were coming here during cold months bec of the warm discharge waters. Very good PR for FPL and it is free to the public. Today we saw one manatee but then the water was a bit cloudy. Many people come here to see and sit on the inter-coastal, nice thing they did!

Came here to check out the manatees. Weather was cooler and a few manatees promptly arrived for our viewing pleasure. They don't stick their heads out of the water too far and not for very long do make sure to continually scan the water. We did not go into the building so can't rate that experience. Parking was a bit tricky as we had one disabled person with us and all handicap spots were taken - had to drop her off, go park in far lot and then when it came time to leave, the main parking lot was blocked off as full and we had to drive in the Exit to go pick her up.

OMG this is an amazing place! The manatees are everywhere! They are swimming around in groups, mothers and babies, so beautiful! Highly recommend! Keep in mind, it has to be in season to see them!

Always enjoy visiting! Love the winter months when we can see the sea cows warming up. Manatee lagoon does fun events and lectures throughout the year.

If you're coming during the cooler season you can see a few or even dozens of manatees. I like to stop in even during off season, you can just take in a relaxing salty breeze without getting sand in your shoes. And there are other animals to be seen like fish/rays/sharks.

What a beautiful place. The best part, it is FREE. This place only opens on Manatee seasons. We weren't looking and didn't see any manatee but it is a nice place to visit

Came in March and didn't see any manatees. The day before we got there they had only seen one. We did see some barracudas which was cool. They have a nice gift shop and area indoors where you can learn more about manatees and fish in the area. Even though we didn't see any manatees, it was easy enough to stop in. Free parking.

Nice area beside the FPL plant where you can learn and sometimes see manatees. There is a really nice educational building here that gives a lot of info about the manatees. There is an area of the water where the manatees come to when it gets cold. There is a lot of boats out here too to see and watch. Nice area with tables and benches. Good place to just chill on a nice day.

No manatees which was disappointing, but we understand this is not some sort of zoo where you're guaranteed to see a manatee! The facility was small, but had some great information about manatees, and other wildlife. We saw some barracuda, Jacks, Sgt Majors and a ray swimming in the area while looking into the water, though, so all not lost!

Very nice quiet place didn't see manatees :( but nice place maybe when you come you'll see some manatees

Make sure it's on a cool morning and get there early hoping to get a look at the manatees nice place to bring visitors and share a little bit of our Florida with them

We lucked out but that's because it was cold ( by Florida standards). It's a great place to come and learn about the sea cows. Free admission, learning opportunities. Great place for families. Plan on a stop, even I'd no manatees in the area, it's a nice place to sit and watch the water.

Beautiful facility! Unfortunately, I did not get to see any manatee. However, there are two levels of viewing area. Very informative and educational center. Nice gift shop. Free to visit, which is a plus. Take a walk around. You may see some fish and hopefully a manatee. Nice walking area for viewing the water. Enjoy!

This place is very small and not much to see. Basically just gives you an opportunity to see manatees when it's season and they are swimming by. Still very nice option to have to explore Florida's wildlife.

Not thrilling. Came late afternoon with my son. There were approximately 8 employees and we were the only 2 patrons. No one said even a hello. Very awkward. Will say it is clean but not much in offerings. Wouldn't recommend.

This place is definitely worth the time you spend learning about the mermaids of the sea!

What's not to like about Manatee Lagoon? It's free, It's educational, and most of all it helps our sea cow friends the Manatees. Located and sponsored by FPL the Manatee Lagoon is a two floored educational building with a lovely observation deck both upstairs and down. Between the months of November-March is Manatee season and these lovely creatures can be found near the lagoon on any given day in search of warmer waters. Manatees can not survive in waters below 68 degrees for very long and the heat given off by the neighboring FPL plant gives them some warmth. While there's not much to do inside te building the lagoon does offer educational Ted type talks as well as free yoga classes on Saturday mornings and Tuesday/Thursday evenings. There is also an event space if you would like to host business event there. While there is never a guarantee that you'll see a Manatee due to the fact that they come and go as they please, what they are doing here is pretty awesome and worth a trip.

This place is truly amazing. Lots of information on manatees. Definitely recommend during the season. There is lots of information on the website to help plan your trip. The venue is also beautiful, I could definitely see this as a wedding venue for it has such a great waterway view and tons of parking. Stunning, just visit any day just to look around. The staff is knowledgeable and nice. They also have weekly events such as sunset yoga, manatee talks and much more. The faculty is closed on Mondays and they open from 9-4. Definitely recommend even if it's just for the views.

This place is a beautiful museum dedicated to manatees. They have picnic tables and chairs near the water to hang out. We have come here three times and were unlucky all three times. We saw 0 manatees. It is a drive and there really isn't much to do there for more than 30-1 hour.

The Manatees in all their glory! This eco center has small very appropriate display for learning about the Manatees. On my trip we saw 2 of them and they were as stunning as described in writing. Admission is free. There is a gift shop for craft items to purchase.

I love Manatees, so after I found this spot, I had to make a quick stop before heading to my destination. The building itself is very nice and I love that they have a walking path near the water. They also have a cute Manatee statue before walking inside. Once inside, I admired the nice mural they had and the items in the store. After that, I went on to learn more about the Manatees. I was excited to see Manatees and only got to see the back of two Manatees, but after that I didn't see anymore. It was such a cute spot to check out and made for a wonderful d

No manatees when I went, but nice gift shop to support the conservation efforts and many fish and we saw stingrays as well. Was an easy stop mear where we were staying, it seems like other times of the year the area is filled with manatees. I recommend going and trying your luck. No cost to see the area and pretty views anyway

I would have given a four stars for the lagoon museum, but nowhere in the information indicated that the manatees are generally there only in early morning. The museum is spacious, well designed and full of great information, the observation deck with a pleasant surprise

A must see! There are so many manatees here! We weren't sure if we would see any and within one minute of arriving we saw 5! The education center is phenomenal. Tons of great info about manatees, very educational. There's a second story you can go up to, to get a different view of the manatees. This park strongly exceeded my expectations. I would recommend it to anyone.

This was a highlight for me. Easy to find location with free parking and admission. Cute little gift store, visitor center, and big observation decks for watching. There are a lot of seats and benches for when you get tired of standing at the railing and the staff is friendly. Plus, there are manatees!

This is a fabulous museum and it's all free. The best time of year to go is when it's very cold as that's when the manatees start to cluster. I really was pleasantly surprised when I finally made it over there to see for yourself!

Lovely little gem of a museum! Provides educational exhibits focused on the Florida manatees. Highly recommend a stop as it is free and you could see mandates during the season. We didn't see any as it is getting to the end of the season, but still a very nice stop.

Manatee Lagoon was one of the most incredible places I've been to in Florida. On a cold afternoon, head over to this hidden gem to see dozens of manatees hanging out in their natural habitat. When I went, there were sharks, rays, and other fish swimming around as well. Not to mention the beautiful grounds that are always clean and kept. Contrary to what I thought, this place is not just for kids! Seeing a manatee up close is so exciting. 10 out of 10.

I was in a bad mood when we first came here, thinking it would be boring and a tourist trap. But faced with sea cows and warm breezes, what more could you ask for in December? I saw all ages of onlookers having fun, from great-grandparent looking people to toddlers. Basically, if you can see the manatees, you're bound to enjoy them. And wouldn't you know that my mood complete turned around! There was a mama manatee with a precious baby swishing along next to her and it was adorabubble! When they surface and stick their nosies up just long enough for a breath-- so cute! There is a museum type thing right next to the outdoor viewing area. Pretty small, but educational. Staff/volunteers? were stationed throughout and answered every question my grade-schoolers had. There's a small gift shop attached with lots of manatee paraphernalia, too.

I feel so blessed with all the wonderful places we are surrounded in Florida. You can find something new to see and explore every single day. Manatee Lagoon is one of those rewarding places where even in the middle of the city you still feel like you're in the middle of the nature. This is one of many free entrance education facilities located in Florida which purpose is to educate and inspire visitors to protect this vulnerable habitat we so often take for granted. The observation dock is and ideal place for sea wildlife viewing, particularly hearse and beards of manatees. Florida Power & Light Company has a warm-water outflow located right there next to the deck (and for that reason it was built in the first place), so in a colder Florida months, many manatees heard there with babies We usually visit in January when spotting manatees is guaranteed.

This is beautifully located on the Riviera Marina with a view of Peanut Island and homes parallel giving lead way to boats passing by. The parking is free, the entrance is free, you can't go wrong. The building is 2 floors, accessible w/either elevator or stairs. The balcony on top is breathtaking, an awesome,clearer bird eye view to the stars of the show,manatees! This floor also displays photography of sealife from local artist. I was lucky and gracious to have observed one laxing in the water. This is an educational center that is not touristy and not holding any captive. Manatee season is winter time where there migrate to warmer waters so they come and go as they please here, the way it should be. Inside has info on feeding, mating, sounds you can hear that they make, a skeleton composed of real bones from a deceased adult and baby manatee found, ways you can help these beautiful animals and our coastal way, videos of biologist at work.They keep track of how many manatees "visited" the center, what time, and write it on a white board for us to observe. They also have a gift shop and some drinks. I don't think I saw any food available. This is a neat spot I discovered thanks to Yelp!