I’d been aware of West Palm’s Manatee Lagoon for a while and had it on a list of attractions to check out. Manatees are found throughout Florida but Manatee Lagoon is known as the best place to observe wild manatees in Florida. When a post popped up in my Instagram feed recently I clicked through and noticed they were set to hold their annual Manatee Fest on the following Saturday. So what better time to check it out?
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Manatee Lagoon Location
Manatee Lagoon is situated directly on the ICW at the extreme northern edge of West Palm Beach. The site is adjacent to a large FPL power plant. Outflows of warm, clean water from the plant are the main attraction for the manatees. The observation area and educational center are owned by the power utility as well.
Looking at the center’s website, they list operating hours but it’s not entirely clear if that applies to the whole site or just the indoor education center. When approaching the waterfront on foot there aren’t any gates to pass through so it may be possible to observe the wildlife from dawn to dusk.
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Manatee Lagoon is about 45 miles north of Fort Lauderdale and 75 miles from downtown Miami. It’s accessible by either the Brightline or Tri-Rail trains combined with either a West Palm local bus or an Uber. If you’re coming to South Florida by car it’s definitely worth a stop on your way south.
Manatee Lagoon Property
The site is for all intents and purposes a public park, but again, it’s owned by the power utility. The educational center is a two-story building with a wrap around porch on both levels. Observing the manatees from the second level really adds a lot to the experience and is a great spot to take photos.
There’s typically parking available but even on the crowded festival day it was easy to park in the adjacent neighborhood. Give yourself enough time to arrive by 2 pm if you want to hear the daily educational presentation while you observe the manatees.
The website indicates pets aren’t allowed but I saw several dogs on leash throughout the festival. It’s again unclear whether that rule applies just to the education center or the whole property. There are picnic areas onsite where you can enjoy whatever you care to bring along.
Manatee Lagoon Wildlife Spotting
Manatee Season at the lagoon is from November through March. When the water temperatures drop below 68 degrees manatees are in danger of suffering from the cold and come to seek out warmer waters. The outfalls from the plant are significantly warmer than the ambient water temps.
Manatees live for 30 years or more in the wild so this place has become a well-known wintering ground where they’ll return year after year. These sea cows just float around and hang out here until they’re hungry enough to brave the chills, then go eat their fill of grass before returning by the hundreds.
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The lagoon is clear down to the bottom and about 12 feet deep. It’s also a great spot to see fish schools of all sizes and even sharks.
Manatee Fest
Manatee Lagoon’s annual manatee fest takes place in February and lasts all day on a Saturday. It’s a very family friendly event with loads of booths, programs and activities for children.
Parking is free with the site accessible by a free motorcoach shuttle. There were food trucks and all of the typical booths you’d expect to find at a street festival. A Caribbean band kept the mood light throughout the day.Of course, Florida weather is pleasant and mild in February.
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The festival drew a great crowd but never felt overcrowded. It didn’t take me long at all to find a spot right on the rail to hang around and watch the wildlife.
Dina’s Vegan Deli and Desserts
The food truck lines were pretty long at the festival. Without a lot of immediately obvious choices near Manatee Lagoon I had to look a little further for lunch.
One of the best parts of life in South Florida is that the food scene is really fantastic and underrated because so many restauranteurs have roots in NYC, Jersey and Philly. When you come from Philly and the menu is all vegan? That’s a must-try for me.
In the world of vegan restaurants there are a few different sub-types. There’s the legit health food place (meh), the Black owned Soul Food spots like C4 Eats in Hollywood (good), and the places that specialize in “guilt free” vegan junk food (hit or miss).
Dina’s in Riviera Beach is definitely a hit. A little out of the way and not the easiest to find, it’s definitely worth the trip. I had a half caesar and the buffalo fries and really lament that I couldn’t try four or five different menu items. This is probably the best vegan spot in South Florida and I really wish it were more accessible from Broward County. I’ll definitely be looking to stop by any time I’m driving north from now on.
