Page Updated: September 15, 2023
Manatee Park
Manatee Skeleton Replica - Fort Myers FL
Located on Palm Beach Blvd in Fort Myers, Manatee Park is a 17-acre regional park with a handful of picnic tables, playground, half mile walking loop, nice canopy for shade, small boardwalk, kayak rentals and a launch site for The Great Calusa Blueway; a paddling trail that serves Lee County from Pine Island Sound to Estero Bay.
On September 28, 2022, Category 4 Hurricane Ian made landfall near the island of Cayo Costa, FL. Damage to the island and the surrounding greater Fort Myers area was catastrophic. Many communities lost businesses and homes. The determined began the arduous process of rebuilding. Others have chosen to move on.
The waters around the park are warmed by the discharge canal of the Florida Power and Light Plant directly across the street. During the cooler months of the year, this warmer water draws large aggregations of manatee. The clerk in the gift shop relayed those months are November thru March. Our visit was in April. Cute park for a quaint picnic or a quick walk. But, I’m sure it’s amazing if you actually get to see manatee.
Came specifically to the park to see manatee and didn’t see a single one. Here’s why:
-b&b
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
Sanibel Island
