Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach has opened for its 2026-27 season, marking 40 years since the free attraction first welcomed visitors to see manatees gathering in the warm-water canal beside the Big Bend Power Station.
The centre, which attracts nearly 400,000 people each season, has introduced several improvements, including a permanent home for its cownose rays in the touch tank.
Tampa Electric said keeping the rays at the facility throughout the year would avoid the stress of moving them elsewhere during the summer. They will also be used as educational ambassadors for summer campers when the centre is closed to the public.
New features at the Manatee Viewing Center
Visitors will find a shaded shelter near the southern end of the car park for those waiting for the tram, along with a freshwater turtle habitat at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center featuring underwater viewing.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s fish hatchery is now open to the public, while solar-powered charging tables have been installed to replace equipment damaged by hurricanes.
Further improvements to the Tom Hernandez Clean Energy Center are planned during the season.
Stan Kroh, Tampa Electric’s manager of land and stewardship programmes, said the attraction offered visitors the chance to see Florida wildlife while learning about conservation.
“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,” he said.
Manatees have been using the warm-water canal since the early 1970s. When Tampa Bay’s water temperature falls to 68F or below, large numbers of the animals gather there, sometimes in their hundreds.
A record 2,100 manatees were counted at the site during one particularly cold day last season. Tampa Electric has also documented about 190 animals returning to the area for more than 20 years, with one manatee recorded as returning for more than four decades.
The canal is designated as a state and federal manatee sanctuary.
The viewing centre forms part of Tampa Electric’s 500-acre Florida Conservation and Technology Center, which also brings together The Florida Aquarium, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the University of Florida for research, education and conservation work.
Visitors can follow nature trails, view the surrounding habitat from a 50-foot observation tower, explore environmental exhibits and gently touch the rays in the dedicated tank. The centre has received more than 8.7 million visitors since it opened.
Admission and parking are free. The centre is open daily from 10am to 5pm until 15 April, closing on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Easter. It closes at 3pm on Christmas Eve, while the trails and observation tower shut at 4pm.
Visitors are advised to wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Pets are not permitted, although trained service animals are welcome.
