The Anclote River is Florida’s Hidden Gem for Manatee Sightings

A little manatee never hurt anybody. It’s true: Though manatees can grow over 13 feet long and weigh upwards of 3,500 pounds, the herbivorous Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is a gentle giant. Make no mistake, however, that manatees are fair-weather friends. 

Although the Florida manatee is considered native to Florida—and was named the Florida state marine mammal in 1975—archaeological research suggests that manatees only moved to Florida in the late 19th century, fleeing the West Indies for warmer waters at the onset of the Industrial Revolution (Pluckhahn and Thulman, 2024). With a thin double-layer of fat, manatees’ migratory patterns are heavily influenced by water temperature. On any given day, Florida’s 8,350 to 11,730 manatees are, in other words, where the water’s nice. 

And in sunny Florida, the water is usually nice. But as soon as the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico waters drop below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, Florida’s sea cows become more like inland spring cows, where the water is more resistant to drops in temperature. This is why both the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) officially observe Florida’s manatee season between November 15 and March 31, when manatees are at risk of “cold stress syndrome” if they remain in the cooling waters of the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico. 

If you have spent any time trying to find manatees in Florida, you almost certainly know that manatees are no strangers to Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge (Crystal River), Blue Spring State Park (Orange City), or even the discharge waters of Tampa Electric Company (Apollo Beach). Why? Because their waters are reliably 72 degrees Fahrenheit or greater. Further, these Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)-recognized spots are well managed and in compliance with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines. 

 

The Anclote River may be one of the best places to see manatees in Florida 

 

Should you be near Tampa, however, it is worth exploring Tarpon Springs’ Anclote River. Fed by the aquifers of the Starkey Wilderness Preserve in the Land O’ Lakes region and emptying into Saint Joseph’s Sound towards Anclote Key Preserve Park, the Anclote River is a lesser-known manatee hot spot. The 30-mile river—stretching from just east of Suncoast Parkway westward through Seven Springs, past the famous Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks and into the Gulf—is an ideal stopping-over point for manatees en route to warm spring waters, if not a winter haven itself. 

The FWC also recognizes the Anclote River as a top Florida manatee destination. Unlike similar spots, it remains a hub for aquatic activity all year. In a February 2026 interview, Noah Rouse, General Manager of Anclote Village Marina (the first marina inside the river from the Gulf), explained that Anclote River harbors manatees year-round: “Whether they are traveling upriver towards the warmer sanctuary waters of Spring Bayou in the winter or migrating out to the Gulf in Spring or Summer, we’ve got manatees.” 

Rouse knows the area well. He has been the General Manager at Anclote Village Marina for seven years and oversees pontoon and tritoon boat rentals, a premier service offered by the marina: “When I first came, we had only four boats, then we added two more, and now we are up to 10.” Rouse has kept adding boats to his rental fleet to keep up with the demand for getting out and seeing manatees and other wildlife around the River. While he and his marina crew cannot guarantee manatee sightings, they guarantee that the Marina will equip them with everything they need, including a full safety course, and to get out and enjoy the River and nearby Anclote Key Preserve. 

 

Manatees, dolphins, pelicans, and spoonbills: The Anclote River flourishes with wildlife

 

And there is much to enjoy in the area. Jessica Ganderton, Operations Manager at Anclote Village Marina, explained that “we see manatees, dolphins, pelicans, and pink spoonbills just off our docks, and it is very easy to maneuver our boats upriver towards the Tarpon Springs sponge docks or out to Anclote Key Preserve.” 

 

 

 

Though you may see hundreds of manatees in the confined pools of Blue Spring or Crystal River, Anclote River offers the unique experience of seeing manatees in their “natural” habitat. Here, manatees are likely to be seen traveling independently or in small pods. One reason for this is that there are not hordes of people around. A 1998 study of human and manatee interactions at Crystal River found that when surrounded by humans, a majority of the manatees tended to bottom-rest while a small percentage engaged with humans (Wooding, 1998). In and around Anclote River, the manatees are less overwhelmed by large groups of people and more likely to behave normally (Reep & Bauer, 2023).

The manatee-curious often find themselves battling large crowds in peak season. At Blue Springs, the park often reaches visitor capacity by nine or ten o’clock in the morning, at which point visitors report waiting for up to three hours just to park their car. Visitors to Crystal River must take a shuttle from Three Sisters Springs Center or reserve a guided boat tour. Popular manatee destinations such as these often face the bottlenecking of boats, kayaks, and swimmers all trying to get into the main manatee area. 

But Anclote River is expansive and supports various niches that are hospitable to manatees and the manatee-curious alike. Alongside Spring Bayou and Anclote Key Preserve, Ganderton suggests taking a boat “just around the corner” to the Anclote Power plant, whose warm discharge waters locally replicate the famous TECO Manatee Viewing Center (Tampa Electric Company). On the Anclote River—and especially at Anclote River Marina—you can enjoy a manatee adventure free of tickets and crowds. 

If you’re heading to the Anclote River for a manatee adventure, you’re likely to see much more than just the “massive floating potatoes” that boaters report sighting to Rouse at Anclote Village Marina. To that end, Rouse encourages boaters to navigate into the Gulf and three miles over to the nearby Anclote Key Preserve. The Preserve boasts 11,773 acres of explorable territory that is home to over 43 species of birds, including bald eagles, American oystercatchers, and piping plovers. Rouse’s Marina crew works with Marina guests to ensure they know how to navigate out of the River and follow proper safety precautions around manatees, including slowing the boat and never touching the animals. He emphasized that renting a boat is “really the only way” to give the Key the attention it deserves, citing the logistical challenges that arise when visitors attempt to use a ferry service. “If you want to really see the Preserve,” Rouse explained, “let us know how long you want to be out there and we will get you all set up to enjoy your day, on your timeline.” 

Not ready to commit to a boat rental? Consider just getting your feet wet with lunch at Miss Vicki’s on the River and keeping your eyes peeled for the vibrant pink plumage of roseate spoonbill wading just a stone’s throw from manatees, as Ganderton recently spotted one recent winter morning. 

 

Anclote Village Marina is home to one of the best places to see manatees in Florida

 

 

Whatever your appetite for adventure, Anclote Village Marina’s coastal position offers guests front-row access to the wildlife and waterfront culture of Tarpon Springs. 

 

References

Pluckhahn, T. J., & Thulman, D. K. (2024). Historical ecology reveals the “surprising” direction and extent of shifting baselines for the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostis). PLOS ONE, 19(11), e0313070. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313070

Reep, R. L., & Bauer, G. B. (2023). Anecdotal Accounts of Manatee Behavior: Conservation and Management, Behavioral Ecology, and Cognition. Aquatic Mammals, 49(2), 130–147. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.49.2.2023.130

Wooding, J. B. (1998). Interactions of Humans and Manatees in Crystal River, Florida.