Apollo Beach derives its Greek and Roman sun god name suggested by Dorothy Corr in 1958 for the area's greatest benefit of abundant sunshine, also inspired by the US space program becoming popular in Florida, with developer Francis Corr purchasing 1957 land previously called 'La Vida Beach' and 'Tampa Beach' by New York investors Turner, Dean and Clark. This Hillsborough County Tampa Bay eastern shore community evolved from Dickman family's 1923 farming and grazing pasture on low-elevation mangrove land through Paul Dickman's 1930s waterfront community conception, serving Florida's Gulf coast heritage 17 miles south of downtown Tampa where retired Michigan businessman Corr transformed the uninhabitable wetlands into the sunshine-celebrating community now home to Tampa Electric's world-renowned manatee sanctuary.
The beach offers free manatee viewing at Tampa Electric's Manatee Viewing Center (6990 Dickman Road) operating November 1-April 15 daily 10am-5pm, where warm discharge waters from Big Bend Power Station attract 190 documented manatees with one returning record 42 years. Boardwalks overlook warm-water refuge areas, while remodeled education center, cownose rays touch tank, 50-foot wildlife observation tower, and eight-tenths-mile coastal habitat trail through saltern, marsh and strand habitats showcase plant and animal life. Southshore Café provides on-site dining, while the warm clean circulated Tampa Bay water creates winter sanctuary for gentle giants leaving colder waters, complemented by free parking and admission making this Tampa Bay's premier free attraction for wildlife observation and environmental education.
Apollo Beach dining includes Circles Waterfront Restaurant at 1212 Apollo Beach Boulevard for fine dining seafood, steaks and pasta overlooking Lands End Marina with Tampa Bay sunset views, Finn's Dockside Bar and Grill at 1112 Apollo Beach Boulevard for delicious seafood-focused dishes and craft cocktails in waterside atmosphere with dock space for boaters, and Sunset Grill at Little Harbor for lunch, dinner and renowned Sunday Champagne Brunch overlooking secluded beach with Saint Petersburg views across Tampa Bay, serving Hillsborough County's eastern Tampa Bay shore community where warm waters create manatee refuge and sun god namesake celebrates Florida's abundant sunshine heritage.
