Today, Becky and I are playing hooky to go see manatees at Blue Spring State Park! Here’s everything you need to know.
Planning to see Manatees at Blue Spring State Park
Manatees, also known as sea cows, are large aquatic mammals commonly found in Florida. And the best time to spot them is in the winter when water temperatures drop. Each winter they migrate to the warmer springs with an average temperature between 68 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit year round. And with the biggest concentration of springs in north-central Florida, there are some great places to find them.
Becky is obsessed with manatees! And last year we got to see some while Glamping at Manatee Springs in Florida. Though it got warm early, and we only saw a few that whole weekend. But there is one place this year in central Florida that has been reporting hundreds daily. And after a huge cold front across the country that caused flurries in Florida, now’s the time to go. So we’re taking a vacation day to visit Blue Spring State Park.
Things to Know before you go to Blue Spring State Park
Here’s a few things we recommend before making your trip to see the manatees at Blue Spring State Park.
- Go when it’s cold – The colder the air temp, the colder the water temp. So the colder it gets, the more manatees will head to the springs.
- Be prepared for the cold – You will be outdoors most of the time, so pack layers and bundle up. We’re expecting it to still be in the 30’s when we arrive.
- Go when it’s sunny – The sunnier it is, the clearer you will be able to see the manatees in the water. Cold, sunny with calm winds is best.
- Go early or prepare to wait – Don’t wait to see how many manatees are in the park. Go early to avoid the crowds or expect a wait sometimes over an hour.
- Be prepared to drive there – The campground and cabins need to be booked well in advance. And with no big hotels around, plan a day trip and drive there.
- You cannot get in the water – The spring run is closed from all water activities when the manatees arrive. So no swimming, snorkeling or paddling allowed.
- Admission is not free, but cheap – If you’re driving in with a full car, it’s only $6 per vehicle. It’s only $4 if you drive in yourself. And it’s $2 if you walk or bike in.
- Be prepared for crowds – Even if you go early, expect lots of people when the manatee count is high. Even on a weekday, you could see busloads of people.
- Park hours – The park is open from 8:00AM until sundown, 365 days a year. Though the manatees are typically here between November-March.
Arriving at Blue Spring State Park
After dropping off our daughter at school in the morning, we leave for the park. Located between Daytona and Orlando, It’s over a 1.5 hour drive for us. But it’s a Monday, and it’s looking hopeful when we arrive at the entrance at 9:35AM. With only 4 cars in front of us, it only takes a few minutes to get to the gate to pay our fee. And then we drive straight to the spring.
We pull right into the 1st parking lot and easily find a spot. We recommend this smaller parking lot if you can get it (highlighted on the map). It’s closer to the spring head as well as the gift shop and restaurant. And it’s in the middle of the boardwalk that takes you from the spring head to the river.
Where to see the Manatees at Blue Spring State Park
You can look for manatees anywhere along the half mile boardwalk. But we decide to start at the top and make our way down. So, here’s each stop on the boardwalk from the spring to the river.
Manatees in Blue Spring
When we reach the spring, we see a covered area. From here we can see a side view of the whole spring including the boil underwater. We can also see a lot of really big fish. The visibility here is great, especially when the sun is shining.
Though we can see about a dozen manatees in and around the spring, this view is not the best. There is a single barren tree obstructing a clear view. But don’t make the mistake of stopping here. The boardwalk continues past this point.
As we continue, we can see better views from the top of the spring. But at the end of the boardwalk is the best view. From here we can not only see straight down into the spring, but also down the spring run.
It’s a pretty view even if no manatees were here. Though today we can see plenty of them huddled together. And with the trees all around, there seems to be less wind which helps with the visibility.
From the end of the boardwalk, we can see the manatees playing in the spring. We see one rolling over, while most are simply floating together. Most people don’t take the trek to get here, so it’s less crowded. But there are some other nice spots along the boardwalk.
Upper Swim Entrance
From the end of the boardwalk, we walk past the spring head back toward where we started. And on our right, we see a walkway off the boardwalk to the right that takes us straight to the water.
Though the swim entrance is closed, being at water level provides up-close views. And we can easily see in the water, though we don’t see any manatees huddled here. However we do spot one coming our way.
After a few minutes, we see a couple more coming toward us. The pair float effortlessly right by us taking the current, and gliding through the water.
This spot is also not crowded. And it’s a great place to see manatees swimming to and from the spring head. We definitely recommend a stop here.
Lower Swim Entrance
Back down the boardwalk, we make it to the gift shop and restaurant where we started. And this is where the main swim entrance is that again takes us down to water level. Though being across from the parking lot, this is much more crowded.
We find an opening at the railing and are blown away. We see gray shapes everywhere. There appears to be dozens of manatees huddled here.
Looking out at the water, we see manatees everywhere. Though there is a little breeze on the water, we can easily spot them, especially when they come up for air.
We slowly move down the viewing area to our left. And when we get between the 2 ramps to enter the water, we can even see a manatee up-close.
This guy is right below us, just chilling underwater. That’s until another manatee comes in and takes his spot. It’s amazing to see these gentle creatures so close.
On the way back, we stop one more time here to see a momma manatee with 2 babies! They are also just at the end of the stairs. The momma is in the middle straddled by a baby on each side. We watch for a little while as each takes turns coming up for air. This stop is unbelievable, but we’re only half way down the boardwalk.
Lower Boardwalk Viewpoints at Blue Spring State Park
As we continue downt he boardwalk toward the river, there are a few more viewpoints. As we are walking we can still see manatees. And at the next viewpoint there are still plenty in the water.
This viewpoint is not a swim entrance, so it doesn’t have stairs into the water. But it still provides good views. Though it is windier here making more ripples on the surface of the water.
We can still easily see lots of manatees in the water including some close to us. And then we spot a canoe floating down the spring run. It’s the official manatee counters for the park. We wondered how they counted the manatees each day, and now we know.
Counting manatees seems like it would hard to do, but there is one manatee that’s easy to spot. There’s a manatee statue right on the boardwalk, which makes for a great photo op.
As we continue down the boardwalk, it opens up where we see the 2nd parking lot. It’s much bigger and we see a couple school buses. By this time it’s almost 11:00AM, and the park has gotten more crowded. But before we make it all the way to the river, there’s a great park sign we have to stop at for another picture.
Blue Spring Landing at the St. Johns River
At the end of the boardwalk, there is one last viewpoint where the spring run meets the St. Johns River. This river is much darker than the clear waters of the spring run. Though it’s a critical river system for the manatees, providing access to the warmer springs during the winter.
The St. Johns River is the longest in Florida and flows north through Jacksonville to the Atlantic Ocean. And in the summer manatees can be found throughout the 310 mile river and its tributaries. But in the winter they stay in the middle section closer to the springs.
We continue past the kayak rentals to Blue Spring Landing and the dock behind it. From the dock we look back at the roped-off spring run closed for the season. And though all we see is the dark water from here, we can still see manatees going in and out of the spring run.
Looking down the river the other way, we see a St. Johns River cruise boat. If you want to see more of the river, you can take a narrated wildlife tour from here. But we are ready to head back up the boardwalk.
Restaurant and Gift Shop
When we left it was in the 20s, and we are still cold even after 11:00AM. It’s supposed to be in the 40s, but even with thermal layers, heavy coats, gloves and beanies, we need something warm. So we head to Blue Spring Canteen to find coffee.
At the counter, we see a sign that they also sell beer here from Blue Springs Brewing. Sounds interesting, though once we get our coffee we head outside. I peek in the gift shop to see a long line. So with coffee in hand, we walk back to the spring head one more time. The coffee warms us up to see more manatees. And when we return, Becky says she’s done.
Exiting Blue Spring State Park
By now, the park is much more crowded, and we’re ready to leave. The parking lot is also full, and cars are circling, hoping for an open space. As we exit the park right at noon, we pass a long line of vehicles waiting to get in. Some drivers even turn around and leave instead. On our way out, we also pass a large tour bus heading toward the entrance.
We’re so glad we left when we did. And Becky looks up Blue Springs Brewing to find it’s just 12 minutes down the road. And it’s also a pizzeria. So, we decide to head there for lunch.
Blue Springs Brewing
We’ve been to this state park before, but never knew there was a brewery nearby! Once back to the main road we turn right, and it’s only a few minutes on the left. You can find them at: Blue Springs Brewing – Riverwalk Pizzeria – Pizza Restaurant in FL.
The brewery looks like it used to be a Western Sizzlin’ restaurant. It’s in a huge building, and the whole brewing operation is inside. And there is plenty of seating options, including spots around their huge TV-lined bar to restaurant style seating. We settle on a cozy booth.
We each get identical flights of beer which come out first. They come in adorable manatee holders that just adds to the charm. We both like the White Water Vanilla Cream Ale the best. But they have multiple tasty beers.
Their menu is actually huge with lots of appetizers, salads, burgers, Italian dishes and of course pizza. I choose their original 1/2 pound burger and onion rings, while Becky gets a custom calzone. The food and beer hit the spot. But now we have to head home.
Summary of Manatees at Blue Spring State Park
What a great day off from work! We left early and beat the crowds. It was cold, but that’s what brings the manatees into the springs. And today had to be a record day. Becky finds that they posted their count on their Facebook page showing over 900 manatees!
We enjoyed walking the length of the boardwalk from the spring head to the river and back. And though we saw manatees throughout, we did have a few favorite spots. The north end of the boardwalk overlooking the spring head was beautiful and provided unobstructed views. Though we saw the biggest concentration of manatees at the Lower Swim Entrance, which was much more crowded. Though it was worth it to see some manatees up-close, including a momma and her 2 babies. It was truly incredible. And finding Blue Springs Brewing was a perfect way to end our trip seeing manatees at Blue Spring State Park.
Check out more of our experience in Florida State Parks!
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