{"id":227446,"date":"2026-04-11T10:07:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T10:07:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/227446\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T10:07:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T10:07:24","slug":"nestled-between-jacksonville-and-fort-lauderdale-is-floridas-scenic-lagoon-for-fishing-and-manatee-spotting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/227446\/","title":{"rendered":"Nestled Between Jacksonville And Fort Lauderdale Is Florida’s Scenic Lagoon For Fishing And Manatee Spotting"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Leonard Zhukovsky\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

There’s plenty to see and do in the Palm Beaches: The scenic stretch of Florida’s coastline is dotted with pretty waterfront parks,\u00a0laid-back beach towns like\u00a0Hypoluxo<\/a>, and a handful of wildlife reserves, including Lake Worth Lagoon<\/a>,\u00a0a natural habitat for marine life. Running parallel to the seafront, it’s the largest estuary in Palm Beach\u00a0County, and a prime destination for spotting manatees and catching fish.<\/p>\n

The picturesque lagoon stretches for 20\u00a0miles from North Palm Beach to Ocean Ridge, FL, forming the shoreline of 13\u00a0distinct cities and towns. The estuary features a blend of fresh and salt water, the former flowing in through flood control canals and the latter from the Atlantic Ocean. The brackish water is rich in nutrients for a wide variety of plant and animal life: Lake Worth Lagoon is home to reefs, seagrass, and lush mangroves, as well as green sea turtles, over 250 species of fish, and 100 species of birds.<\/p>\n

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Spot wildlife up close at Manatee Lagoon<\/p>\n


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\n \"Manatees <\/p>\n

romarti\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Like Homosassa Springs, a top spot to come face-to-face with Florida wildlife<\/a>, Lake Worth Lagoon is also a habitat for manatees. Given the length of the lagoon, there are many places to spot the large aquatic mammals from the shore, including John D. MacArthur Beach State Park<\/a> in North Palm Beach. But one of your best bets is Manatee Lagoon<\/a>, set on the waterfront of Lake Worth Lagoon in West Palm Beach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The free-to-visit attraction is positioned beside the\u00a0Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center, a power plant that provides an outflow of warm, clean water that draws in manatees each winter.\u00a0In addition to informational exhibits, Manatee Lagoon has open-air observation decks and promenades along the water’s edge that serve as privileged wildlife lookout points.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At Manatee Lagoon, as elsewhere along Lake Worth Lagoon, the best time to spot manatees is from mid-November through late March, when manatees tend to gather in the estuary’s relatively warm waters.\u00a0“On a good day, you can see them just a few feet away,” said one recent visitor on Google<\/a>. “One of the most heartwarming spots in South Florida.”\u00a0Manatee Lagoon is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during prime manatee season but closes on Mondays during the rest of the year. For more wildlife fun, check out\u00a0Florida’s most scenic beaches for manatee watching, according to travelers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Cast a line at the Lake Worth Lagoon<\/p>\n


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Thomas Barrat\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

The lagoon is also a popular fishing spot. Cast a line for snook, pufferfish, and bonefish, all of which are commonly caught in these waters. There’s also a chance of catching lane snapper, crevalle jack, great barracuda, hardhead catfish, and more. You can fish from the estuary’s shoreline, where conditions are usually good in the quiet early morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Alternatively, head to an organized fishing area, like the\u00a0Snook Islands Natural Area<\/a>, with a\u00a0590-foot-long accessible fishing pier, or\u00a0Phil Foster Memorial Park<\/a>,\u00a0home to the Blue Heron Bridge & Fishing Pier.\u00a0The park has a pair of fishing platforms and a fishing pier with cleaning stations, and thanks to the abundance of fish and marine life in the surrounding waters, including starfish, eels, parrot fish, rays, crabs, shrimp, and more, it’s also a great place to snorkel.\u00a0Fishing facilities are open from sunrise to 10 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are plenty of towns where you can base yourself around the Lake Worth Lagoon. One to try is Lake Worth Beach<\/a>, previously known as Lake Worth, a coastal city with artsy downtown vibes<\/a>, thanks to its many music venues, art galleries, and a historic theater, the Lake Worth Playhouse<\/a>.\u00a0It’s just a 15-minute drive south of West Palm Beach, and even closer to Palm Beach International Airport<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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