Photos: What to do on a cold day in Orlando – visit the manatees
About an hour north of Walt Disney World is a park that lures hundreds of guests when the temperatures take a dive. The guests are manatees who seek the refuge of the 72-degree waters of Blue Spring State Park.
A trip to Blue Spring is a bit awe-inspiring when you come upon 500 manatees in the waters swimming, playing and eating.
Manatees cannot tolerate water temperatures lower than 68 degrees for an extended period of time. They have only about an inch of fat and have a very slow metabolism, so warm water is a must for survival.
The crystal-clear spring water offers unique views of the manatees from the boardwalk, which stretches about a third of a mile from the St. Johns River to the headspring. There are a number of observation decks that look directly over the water.
There is also a dock that leads to a swimming area, that is available in the summer, where you can walk down and get a closer look at the manatees as they swim by.
The park is also used release manatees back into the wild have they have been rehabilitated from injury. Researches are constantly monitoring the manatees and can make sure the animals make it back safely into the wild.
The park take a census of the manatees daily and you can find out the count by calling 386-775-3663.
WHAT TO KNOW IF YOU GO
Location: Blue Spring State Park, 2100 W French Avenue, Orange City FL 32763
Directions: You can get directions here.
Hours: 8 a.m. until sundown.
Fees: $6 per vehicle
