By Sally Tippett Rains
For those headed to Spring Training in Jupiter, Florida, the games and practices at Roger Dean Stadium are center stage, but there are a lot of other fun things to do in the Jupiter Area. Wild life is everywhere, and we’re not talking about the “Spring Break” wildlife, we are talking about the animals and plants.
One place we recently discovered is Manatee Lagoon. It serves as a prime viewing spot for Florida manatees that gather in the warm-water outflows of the adjacent FPL Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center. Manatees are large sea creatures, related to the elephant. They are gentle, slow-moving herbivores with gray, wrinkled skin, two flippers, and a broad, paddle-shaped tail.
Christie Netzel, who with her husband Rick Netzel do the popular “Life in the Palm Beaches with Christie and Rick” radio show on Oldies 95.9 and 106.9 in West Palm Beach, Florida says Manatee Lagoon is a great tourist destination. They are both in the hospitality business and longtime residents who love to extoll all there is to do in the area. They are photographed left, at Manatee Lagoon.
Their show which runs on , is also a weekly one hour radio show that features local businesses, events and of course, the destination of the Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast.
“Visiting Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach is a must for anyone looking to see Florida’s ‘sea cows’ in their natural habitat without paying a dime,” said Christie Netzel.
According to the Manatee Lagoon Website : Manatee Lagoon is dedicated to educating the public about manatees and Lake Worth Lagoon, and inspiring communities to preserve and protect Florida’s environment and wildlife for future generations.
One of the top reasons to see Manatee Lagoon besides that it’s free is that it’s “hands-on” learning: The 16,000-square-foot facility features interactive exhibits on manatee biology, seagrass nurseries, and Lake Worth Lagoon’s ecosystem
The Manatee season is from approx.: November 15 to March 31, so Cardinals fans who are going down during Spring Training will need to plan to get there before the end of March.
Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
FREE admission and parking
Address: 6000 N. Flagler Drive West Palm Beach, FL 33407
For more fun things to do in the Jupiter, West Palm area, check out our Spring Training Page. Spring Training is a lot of fun and there is more to do than just baseball. CLICK HERE.
