The Manatee Lagoon is the perfect place to bring your kids or friends to beat the heat this summer in Florida! The Manatee Lagoon is an FPL Discovery Center that overlooks the warm Intracoastal Waters of the Palm Beach Inlet. The lagoon fills up with manatees year round but especially during the winter months when the warm water runs off of the Florida Power and Light Company’s Next Generation Clean Energy Center. During the cooler months, this clean energy initiative production. 

The Manatee Lagoon is new, just opened in February of this year.  The facility is 16,000 square feet and boasts interactive, hands-on and educational exhibits and displays and it offers a two-level educational center and display decks, a gift shop, and café and picnic areas. Admission to the Manatee Lagoon is free to the public.

The Manatee Lagoon will be open from Tuesday through Sunday from 9am to 4pm and the park will be open from 9am to 5pm. For more information about the Manatee Lagoon please call 561-626-2833 or visit www.visitmanateelagoon.com. 

MANATEE FACTS: 

• The Florida manatee is the largest manatee in the world.
• Adult manatees can grow up to 3,500 pounds and over 12 feet in length.
• Most manatees reach about 1,200 pounds in their adulthood.
• Manatees are almost exclusively vegetarian, feeding on sea grass in both salt and fresh water environments. 
• Manatees can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes. 
• Manatees only drink fresh water. They can go up to two weeks in salt water without fresh water but must return to fresh water to drink. 
• The Florida manatee’s population has steadily grown, with an estimated 5,000 manatees in Florida. Even with their numbers growing, the manatees are still considered endangered.