Manatee Park
The Basics
You can easily spend a leisurely (or more active) day at Manatee Park. Get out on the water in a canoe, take a long walk, or explore the butterfly garden—then unwind over a picnic meal. Throughout the year, the park also hosts educational programs on topics like fish identification and butterfly gardening.
Things to Know Before You Go
Dogs aren’t allowed in Manatee Park.
Park facilities include restrooms and a gift shop.
The park is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
How to Get There
Manatee Park is located off Florida State Road 80 (Palm Beach Boulevard), and the most convenient way to get there is by car.
When to Get There
The park is open daily till dusk. The best time to see manatees is in late December, January, or February, when gulf temperatures drop and the animals seek warmer water.
Where to See Manatees in Fort Myers
Manatee Park isn’t the only place to see manatees in the wild in the Fort Myers area. During the winter months, head to Lovers Key State Park at the southern end of Fort Myers Beach, where manatees often gather in the warm waters of the canals. Park staff will let you know if sightings are likely.
- Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium
- IMAG History and Science Center
- Burroughs Home & Gardens
- Southwest Florida Museum of History
- Edison and Ford Winter Estates
- Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
- Lakes Park
- Zoomers Amusement Park
- Fort Myers Beach
- Sanibel Island
- J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
- Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve