November through March, manatees flock up the Orange River to this warm-water discharge canal from the nearby power plant. The waterway is now a protected sanctuary, with a landscaped park and playground in addition to viewing platforms at water's edge, where manatees swim almost at arm's reach. Calusa Blueway Outfitters rents kayaks; reserve ahead whenever the VC is closed. The park is signed off Hwy 80, about 6.5 miles from downtown Fort Myers, and 1.5 miles east of I-75.