Tours
Searching for a Crystal River manatee tour? You're in the right place. Every one of our tours departs from our private docks on the Homosassa River, a few miles south of Crystal River. Same manatees, same springs, a fraction of the traffic.
Your tour departs from our private docks on the Homosassa River, a few miles south of Crystal River. Your captain chooses the best manatee water each day. We've found that the quieter river just outside the refuge means fewer boats, calmer manatees, and a better encounter for you. You'll get the exact meeting address in your confirmation.
Crystal River's Kings Bay is famous, and on a cooler-month weekend it's shared with dozens of tour boats, kayaks and paddleboards. Same manatee population, same Nature Coast springs, a fraction of the traffic. Guests who have done both tell us they won't go back.
Some days on the Homosassa it's just our boats and 50 manatees, like SeaWorld after hours. The river takes a skilled local captain to run, and when manatees are thin, ours know where to look: under the bridges and around the logs. There are few public launches, so we leave from our own resort docks instead of a crowded public marina. You get a larger area to swim with manatees than the refuge, and no random daily closures.
Yes. You may have read online that Crystal River is the only legal place to swim with manatees in Florida. It isn't. The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge has its own permit system and rules for tours inside the refuge. The Homosassa River, where we operate, is outside the refuge, and passive encounters there are legal under the same federal and state protections that apply everywhere manatees live.
Quick comparison
Three Sisters Springs
Homosassa River (our tours)
Location
Crystal River, inside the refuge
Just south of Crystal River, outside the refuge
Water
Spring-fed, about 72°F
Spring-fed, about 72°F
Best season
Cold days in the cooler months
Year-round, biggest numbers in the cooler months
Crowds
Heavy in peak season
Light
Cold-day closures
Yes
No random daily closures
Parking
Varies; some marinas charge per person
Free at our private resort docks
Group size
Varies by operator
Never more than 6 per boat
Wherever you swim, float quietly and let the manatee choose. If you'd like to do it with six people instead of sixty, come see us in Homosassa.
Book your tour
Book your manatee tour
Every tour is a small boat with six guests or fewer. Choose a tour to see dates and times.
Private
$450 per boat, up to 6
Groups up to 24 on 4 boats
Departs 7, 10 and 1
Private, more water time
$585 per boat, up to 6
Groups up to 24 on 4 boats
Departs 8 AM and 1 PM
Private, lunch included
$999 per boat, up to 6
Groups up to 24 on 4 boats
Departs 8 AM
Not sure which one? Compare the tours
More than six in your group? Call 352-257-8687
