Crystal River Florida Manatee Experience
Visiting the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, sheltering manatees year-round.
USA
We had the opportunity to visit Crystal River, Florida. This charming coastal city is located on the Gulf Coast and is known for its picturesque scenery and vibrant wildlife. Crystal River is famous for its crystal-clear springs and serves as a gateway to various nature preserves and parks.
The main draw for us to visit this small town was its unique opportunity to swim with manatees, particularly in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, which offers visitors a chance to safely experience these gentle giants in their natural habitat.
Prior to doing our excursion in the water we explored this small town and enjoyed the natural beauty as well as some wall art that the city had on display.
One of Aliya's favourite spots was Hunter Springs Park. This area had a small beach to splash and enjoy the water from. The park's parking lot is quite small so we opted to do the scenic walk from our hotel. Walking down N Citrus ave is where you can spot several murals and view the town's little shops.
Many guided tours are available for an unforgettable underwater adventure. We booked with American Pro Diving Center-Swim With Manatees. Not sponsored and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience with them. We booked based on their stellar google maps reviews and they did not disappoint. We did their morning excursion and had a great experience on the water and would highly recommend them.
In the video below you can see some of the footage and overview from our underwater excursion.
We weren't sure if the detour to the small town of Crystal River would be worth it but with the abundance of wildlife and unique natural experience we were glad we made the trip.
Be sure to add this destination to your itinerary when you are in Florida. Happy Exploring!
