Sea cows. Sea potatoes. Gentle giants. I like to call manatees the “angels of the sea” because they are the sweetest and least aggressive animals to ever walk on the face of the earth. They can do no harm! I first learned about manatees when I had Undersea Adventure installed on the computer when I was a kid, the 90s interactive encyclopedia/game narrated by the late oceanographer Jacques Costeau. I just thought they were the cutest sea creatures ever in the software!
I’ve seen manatees in photos and actually got to see 2 of them in person in Xcaret during my honeymoon in Mexico. But never in my wildest imagination did I realize that you could swim with them, but only in a specific area in Florida.
Cecilio and I recently went to Crystal River to see, swim, and interact with the manatees. Our 4-night stay was all about them. After all, Crystal River is known as the Manatee Capital of the World. This small town an hour north of Tampa is completely dedicated to these creatures, that they have an annual Manatee Festival in January!
This guide will share all the details about swimming with manatees in Crystal River, Florida. Crystal River and Homosassa Springs are the only areas in the world where you can legally swim with these sweeties.
Note: when I talk about swimming with manatees, I really mean snorkeling with them. I will use the terms swim and snorkel interchangeably because I assume you’re going to want to go underwater to see them and even take photos of/with them!
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Everything You Need to Know About Swimming with Manatees in Crystal River
Manatees’ Living Conditions Throughout the Year
Manatees, specifically the West Indian Manatee we all know of (there are other variations of manatees living in West Africa and South America), live in shallow coastal waters and rivers all along the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. During the winter, when the ocean waters get too cold, they migrate to the springs in and near Crystal River, where the water is roughly 72°F (22°C) all year. Despite their hefty size (weighing up to 1,000 pounds!), manatees are mammals with very little body fat, making them unsuitable for living in cold conditions. It would put them at risk for cold-induced illnesses and death.
This is why November—March is peak manatee season in Crystal River. There are thousands of them gliding through Kings Bay and Hunter Springs, which are a part of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Kings Bay and Hunter Springs are where most people swim, snorkel, and kayak with the manatees. They also swim around Three Sisters Springs, a privately owned wildlife refuge and an inlet.
While you can see and swim with manatees in Crystal River all year round, the best time to do so is during the winter. During the summer, there are still around 40-100-ish manatees in the springs. But they would be all spread out along the springs, and it’s nothing compared to the swells of them present during the cooler months.
Finding the Right Manatee Tour
Every corner of Crystal River is dotted with manatee tour companies. Whether you want to snorkel or kayak with them, you won’t have a hard time finding the right tour that fits your schedule, needs, and budget.
What to consider when looking for a manatee tour company
- Do they have private or semi-private tours or are you okay with a general tour with a bigger group?
- Your budget
- Do they have a wide range of wetsuit sizes?
- Do they have a flexible refund policy? For example: do they offer refunds if you don’t see any manatees or if for some reason you need to back out at the last minute?
Our experience with River Ventures
Cecilio and I toured with River Ventures, one of the best and long-standing manatee tour companies in Crystal River. They provide fantastic service from the moment you step into their building to their warm hospitality (can’t forget about their delicious hot cocoa up front for those cold morning tours!). Most importantly, you can see their dedication to caring for the manatees and ensuring that we as the guests behave accordingly to prevent harming and disturbing them.
River Ventures, along with other manatee tour companies, offers a variety of manatee swimming tours in Crystal River and Homosassa Springs. Their wetsuits (which you are required to wear) go up to 5x. I really appreciate their inclusivity when it comes to the wetsuit sizing because I’m sure that not every tour company has a wide range of sizes. This ensures that everyone can participate and have fun on the tours no matter what size.
River Ventures offers 3 main manatee swim tours:
- ‘OG’ Manatee Snorkel Tour with In-Water Guide/Photographer: This is the most popular and most affordable tour River Venture has. This tour holds 10 people maximum which is still a smaller group than other operators.
- Exclusive Small Group VIP Heated Manatee Snorkel Tour: This is the tour Cecilio and I went on. It is similar to the OG tour, except that it holds a maximum of 6 people, making it an intimate experience with more personal attention from the captain and guide. There were 2 other women on this tour, and we got to know them and made small talk. The boat was also heated with a small space heater. It is more expensive than the OG tour, but I believe that the smaller group and heater make the cost worth it. I liked being able to walk around the boat freely easier.
- Private ‘OG’ Manatee Snorkel Tour with Guide for up to 10 people: If you and your crew (or partner) want to be the only ones on tour, with complete 1 on 1 attention from your captain and guide, this is the tour for you. But the exclusivity comes with a steep cost. If I could’ve, I would’ve booked this one (and I’ll probably save up for this next time I go).
All of River Venture’s manatee swimming tours come with snacks, drinks (coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and water), snorkel gear, photos and videos available to purchase, a guide, and a US Coast Guard captain. If you don’t see any manatees during your tour, River Ventures will give you a full refund. That usually happens in the summer, but even then it’s pretty rare because you’ll still see manatees from time to time.
I will be a little honest; I was pretty disappointed that I didn’t get very good photos specifically of me and the manatees during the excursion, but a lot of that could’ve been because I was flailing around and trying to figure out how to float and breathe underwater (I’ll explain more below). I also kept switching back and forth between being above water and underwater. It was a challenge considering I have snorkeled before in Hawaii, but there’s an art and technique to swimming with manatees in Crystal River (I will also explain this later).
Because of this, Cecilio and I were struggling in the water, even though the springs were super calm. We were only out for maybe 20-30 minutes. Cecilio also struggled while using our GoPro to capture footage, and I didn’t get great shots with the manatees (but the other women did) 😭
But this doesn’t discount our fantastic experience with River Ventures. In fact, I am using this as an excuse to go back and book a tour with them to swim with the manatees for a longer period. I just need to practice my breathing techniques and relax in the meantime. We had Trish and Captain Wade as our guides, and we are forever thankful for their kindness, hospitality, and knowledge.
I want to come back for a redo, and Crystal River is one of those destinations I can see myself visiting over and over again..
If you relax while underwater and figure out how to breathe while still holding a GoPro, you will be able to capture beautiful photos of and with the manatees!
Mind your Mana-manners
Everyone who participates in a manatee swim tour has to watch a 10-minute informational video from the US Fish & Wildlife before putting on their wetsuits and heading onto the boat. This video is called Mind Your Manatee Manners. It’s pretty much common sense, but you’d be surprised by how much people disregard the rules and still continue to harass the manatees. The video is about respecting the manatees and the wildlife since the springs are their home and we are the guests. Each one of us needs to put the manatees’ best interests first.
Prepping for the Swim
After you watch the video, you will get fitted for a wetsuit. A wetsuit is required to help you stay afloat. It also keeps you warm since the springs tend to be on the chilly side. The water was warm when we swam (I’ve swam in pools that were much colder), but sometimes they can drop down to as low as the 60s.
You will need to wear a swimsuit under the wetsuit. Ladies, I recommend a two-piece so that it’s easier to go to the restroom if you need to.
After you have your wetsuit on, one of the employees will pick you up in a minibus to take you to the springs. Then you will hop on the boat with your fellow guests, guide, and captain and swim deep into the springs where you will find swells of manatees to swim with.
Your guides will give you a snorkel mask and a pool noodle to help you float. Before you put on the snorkel mask, you need to spray it with defogging mist. Once you’re ready to swim, you have the use the boat ladder and climb backwards to get to the water.
The feeling of seeing manatees on every corner is magical and surreal. It’s hard to describe unless you’ve done it, which is why I encourage everyone to do it at least once in their lifetime. It’s incredibly adorable seeing a mama manatee and the calf, especially when the calf is nursing. It’s an experience I’ll never forget even though I didn’t spend too much time in the water. Trish said that once you got to experience swimming with these gentle giants, you’re going to want to come back over and over to swim with them. I know I want to come back next year to swim with them longer, soak it in deeper, and get even better photos.
Practical Tips for Swimming with Manatees in Crystal River
Don’t be afraid of them. They are completely harmless.
Despite their massive size, manatees are one of the friendliest and most harmless creatures on Earth. Our guide Trish reassured us that they are big babies and that they are probably more intimidated by us than we are of them. The manatees have a way of sensing your fear and anxiety the closer they get to you, and the more you relax, the more likely they will bond with you.
Don’t hit, push, or kick the manatees.
I shouldn’t even have to spell this out but some people still do these things! If you love manatees and want to protect them, please don’t do this. Oh, and don’t feed them either; they have their own food in the wild!
Avoid touching them. If you must, let them come to you.
When you see the manatees, you have to practice passive observation. This means that you don’t go too close to them, but they are allowed to go close to you. And they usually will since they’re such friendly creatures; they are like dogs! Manatees are incredibly curious and playful creatures, which is why they get taken advantage of by humans.
The manatees booped Cecilio and me and gave us kisses. They also rolled their bodies over wanting belly rubs. Trish encouraged us to touch them but in a gentle way with one hand, and to give them belly rubs. I have a feeling being in a small group allowed her to feel comfortable in telling us to give them a cuddle. If we were in a bigger group like the OG tour, she probably wouldn’t have encouraged it.
Book the morning tours to see the most manatees.
While you can see manatees all day long, the mornings are the best time to see them since that’s when they are the most active. It’s worth getting up at the crack of dawn for in the middle of January, when you’re half-awake and bleary-eyed. Plus, the refreshing spring water and the adrenaline of seeing the manatees will wake you up!
Practice snorkeling and taking underwater photos before you go on your tour.
This is something I wish I had done beforehand, but I booked this trip last minute as a Christmas gift for Cecilio (okay, and for me too…but in my defense, he is a huge manatee lover! And he had travel credit after canceling our would’ve-been Costa Rica trip last year). And it’s too cold to swim or snorkel anywhere in NorCal.
What I suggest (even for myself) is to practice snorkeling and learn to breathe with the mask in a pool or in a local area that’s popular for snorkeling. For me, that would be in parts of Lake Tahoe. So I would practice snorkeling there. Someone who lives in SoCal could snorkel in La Jolla Cove or Channel Islands National Park. But if you’re not near any similar spots, practicing in a pool would be your best bet.
The same advice applies to practicing taking underwater shots. Cecilio and I recently bought the GoPro Hero 11, which is waterproof. You don’t need the underwater housing; in fact, I wouldn’t recommend it because you can’t switch between taking photos and videos.
If you don’t have a GoPro and don’t want to spend extra money, you can get a plastic waterproof pouch for your phone. It’ll keep your phone completely dry but you still can take photos and videos with it.
Do not wear fins.
I’m not sure about the other tour companies, but River Ventures does not provide fins and they do not allow you to bring them. It’s so easy to kick manatees and other people with them, and we don’t want that. The springs are also shallow bodies of water (with the deepest part being 6 feet), and you could easily kick up sand and dirt from the ground, making the water appear cloudy.
Do not swim with your feet. Use your arms instead, especially underwater.
This was something I struggled with a lot. Manatees are easily spooked, so we want to be really quiet and talk in soft voices. Swimming with your feet causes loud, splashing noises. When swimming with your arms, use a breaststroke underwater or roll your arms together in a circular position slowly. This also helps you maneuver yourself more easily. I tried to avoid swimming with my feet as much as possible, but sometimes it couldn’t be helped, especially when I struggling, lol.
Take slow, deep breaths as you’re underwater.
I didn’t do this, but hindsight is 20/20 and I know that this is what I need to keep in mind next time. Long, slow, deep breaths decrease your risk of aspiration (inhaling water in your lungs). Plus, this helps calm you down and reduces your anxiety when you’re in the water.
I don’t mean to scare you, but this article talks about how important breathing is for snorkeling and that the right breathing techniques can prevent risks of death. Now this article focuses mostly on snorkeling in Hawaii. Hawaii’s waters are way choppier and stronger than Florida’s. The springs in Crystal River are basically like pools in comparison! It’s still important to keep in mind no matter where you snorkel in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What month is best to swim with manatees?
While you can see manatees all year, they’re pretty sparse during the summer. November—March is the best month to see manatees. This is because they migrate from the ocean to stay in warmer waters, otherwise they are at risk of cold-induced stress, health issues, and death.
Is it better to go swimming with manatees in Crystal River or Homosassa Springs?
While there are some manatee swimming tours in Homosassa (River Ventures even offers them!), most of the tours and tour companies are operated in Crystal River. Which also means more crowds, especially during winter. Most of the manatees hang around Kings Bay, Hunter Springs, and Three Sisters Springs, but there are a decent amount of them that swim to Homosassa River. If you want a quieter, more intimate experience, go to Homosassa. But if you’re looking for convenience and to see as many manatees as possible, Crystal River it is.
How long is the tour?
The tour is roughly 3-4 hours, which includes watching the Manatee Manners video, putting on the wetsuit, driving to the springs,
Ready to Go Swimming with Manatees in Crystal River?!
Hopefully I have convinced you to book a ticket to Tampa (or Orlando) and drive all the way to Crystal River for a few nights to swim with these babies. If you’re ready for a once-in-a-lifetime experience swimming with manatees in Crystal River etched in your memory for years to come, I urge you to book this tour ASAP!
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Hannah is a travel writer, graphic designer, and the founder/editor of Hannah on Horizon. She is based in Sacramento, California, living with her husband and two adorable dogs. She shares tips on how to experience luxury travel on any budget, and how to maximize time at each trip or destination, no matter what your budget or amount of vacation time at work. She enjoys making you feel like you have visited each destination with her through her storytelling and informative writing style.