The popular Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach is officially welcoming visitors for its 2026-27 season, launching its landmark 40th anniversary with free admission and a series of new facility upgrades.
Operated by Tampa Electric, the attraction draws nearly 400,000 visitors each season to observe wild manatees congregating in the warm-water discharge canal near the Big Bend Power Station. The sanctuary opens Sunday, Nov. 1, with free parking and admission for all guests.
A central addition this season is a permanent home for cownose rays within the facility’s touch tank habitat. According to Stan Kroh, manager of land and stewardship programs for the utility, keeping the rays at the center year-round eliminates the stress of seasonal relocations. During the summer off-season, the resident rays will serve as educational ambassadors for local campers.
“The Manatee Viewing Center has always been a special place where people can experience the wonders of Florida up close, and now we’re excited to have the rays make their permanent home here, too,” Kroh said.
Visitors arriving at the 500-acre Florida Conservation and Technology Center campus will also encounter several other infrastructure improvements. These additions include a shaded shelter for guests waiting for tram pickups near the southern edge of the parking lot, a fresh-water turtle habitat featuring underwater viewing windows at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, and public access points for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s fish hatchery. Additionally, the utility installed new solar-powered charging tables to replace units previously damaged by hurricanes, while upgrades to the Tom Hernandez Clean Energy Center are scheduled to roll out throughout the season.
The phenomenon that created the viewing center dates back to the early 1970s. When natural water temperatures in Tampa Bay drop to 68 degrees Fahrenheit or below, wild manatees seek thermal refuge in the warm-water canal maintained by the power station. Hundreds of the marine mammals can frequently be spotted at once during peak cold snaps. Utility officials noted that during an especially frigid day last season, a record 2,100 manatees gathered in the canal simultaneously. Long-term monitoring has identified about 190 individual manatees returning to the warm-water sanctuary for more than 20 years, with at least one animal documented visiting the site for over four decades. Federal and state designations protect the area as an official manatee sanctuary.
Serving as the primary anchor for the broader Florida Conservation and Technology Center—a collaborative 500-acre campus uniting Tampa Electric, The Florida Aquarium, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the University of Florida for environmental research and education—the facility has welcomed more than 8.7 million visitors since its inception.
Beyond viewing manatees and touching rays, guests can explore a nature trail, ascend a 50-foot observation tower, and tour environmental exhibits. The center operates daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Nov. 1 and April 15, closing only on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, with an early 3 p.m. closure on Christmas Eve. Officials recommend comfortable walking attire, note that trained service animals are welcome, and direct the public to call 813-228-4289 for further inquiries.
