The last Wednesday in March is Manatee Appreciation Day, which honors the gentle giant also known as the sea cow, which has no known natural predators or enemies. The manatees swim in the waters around Florida from April to October and then when the weather gets colder, they head to freshwater springs (November to March). If you want to experience manatees up close, consider some of these manatee adventures, when camping nearby. According to visitflorida.com, manatees experiences can be found here:
Crystal River: Considered the Manatee Capital of the World, consider one of several tours offered at Three Sisters Springs, located in Crystal River. There is also a 1600-foot boardwalk for viewing. Also of note, this location is one that is legally sanctioned to allow swimming with the manatees here.
(Nearest resort is Encore Crystal Isles)
Deering Estate: Miami’s Deering Estate has a manatee viewing area which opens up into Biscayne Bay. Special events are planned for Manatee Appreciation Day so check out deeringestate.org for details.
(Nearest location is Encore Miami Everglades)
Fort Myers: Visit Manatee Park where the manatees gather in the Orange River during the winter (December through March) near the power plant as the water is warmer here. You can choose to walk the boardwalk or kayak along the river. The best viewing time is said to be early morning.
(Nearest resort is Encore Fort Myers Beach)
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge: In warmer months, manatees can be found at this wildlife refuge and can be viewed from the Manatee Observation Deck
(Nearest location is Encore Space Coast)
Orange City: Visit Blue Springs State Park, which is one of the largest winter gathering areas for manatees, and walk along the elevated boardwalk to catch sight of the manatees in the warm springs below.
(Nearest park is Thousand Trails Orlando)
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- Explore the Thousand Trails Camping Pass and the Thousand Trails Cabin Pass
- Find more campgrounds at ThousandTrails.com.