Swim, clear kayak or boat: three ways to meet Crystal River manatees
In a wetsuit you float right beside the manatees of Kings Bay. In a clear kayak you look down at them through the hull, and on a viewing boat you stay dry and watch from the deck. Each suits a different kind of visitor, and each comes with its own catch.
In the water with a mask and snorkel
The two guided swims, Explorida's group swim from ~$69 and Crystal River Manatee Adventures' semi-private swim from ~$76, put you in the water with the manatees. You float at the surface in a wetsuit, and an in-water guide shows you where to look.
Nobody dives down. The wetsuit holds you up, and Explorida hands out float noodles as well, so a calm swimmer can rest without kicking. The refuge asks for passive observation, which our rules for the water go through one by one.
When a manatee drifts past at arm's length, you see its whiskers and the scars on its back, a view no deck can give. The water is the catch. It holds about 72 °F (22 °C), which feels cool after an hour even in neoprene.
Explorida takes up to 10 swimmers, while Crystal River Manatee Adventures keeps it to six per boat. The smaller boat costs a little more, and its GetYourGuide listing says it is not suitable for non-swimmers or people with heart problems.
Explorida's swim holds 4.9 from 2,400+ reviews on Viator, and the semi-private swim 5.0 from 500+. Explorida starts with the Manatee Manners video before anyone pulls on a wetsuit.
On a clear kayak above the manatees
Kacey's clear kayak tour from ~$79 puts you in a see-through boat, so you watch the manatees through the hull. You choose between a see-through hull and an ordinary sit-on-top kayak, and the fare covers the guide and a life vest for everyone.
Groups stay small, up to 10 people, and the tour lasts two to two and a half hours. It meets at Pete's Pier Marina, where parking costs $10, and a free photo package comes with the fare.
Kacey's tour holds 4.8 from 200+ reviews on Viator and 4.5 from 48 reviews on GetYourGuide. The listing asks you to arrive 15 minutes early and bring a hat and a waterproof bag.
Paddling is the price of staying dry. One reviewer said some paddling skill helps, and wind on Kings Bay turns it into harder work. You also stay out of the water, since the tour does not promise a swim.
Outside the cold months the tour heads for Three Sisters Springs. Through the winter manatee season the spring run is closed to paddlers, so ask the operator where the kayaks go then, and read our Three Sisters Springs explainer before you book.
See them through the hull
Kacey's Custom Adventures takes up to 10 paddlers out in clear or sit-on-top kayaks, with a free photo package. You stay dry and look straight down.
From the deck of a viewing boat
Explorida's viewing cruise from ~$50 is the shortest outing, about 1.5 hours on a Coast Guard certified boat with up to 12 people. Swimming is not allowed, so you watch from above in your own clothes.
The cruise holds 4.9 from 1,200+ reviews on Viator and 4.7 from 200+ on GetYourGuide. It meets at the same Explorida center on N Citrus Ave as the group swim.
The listing mentions birds and turtles on top of the manatees, and now and then a dolphin. On a bright day with clear water you see the animals well, while on a murky day they can look like grey shapes under the surface.
The cruise listing says it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or for children under 3. Boarding any boat from a dock takes a step or two, so ask the operator first if that worries you.
Which way suits you
- Confident swimmers get the most from either swim, and the semi-private boat suits them if they want fewer people in the water
- Nervous swimmers do better on Explorida's swim, where the listing says no snorkeling experience is needed and float noodles are handed out; our guide for non-swimmers goes further
- People who hate cold water should take the kayak or the cruise, since the springs sit around 72 °F (22 °C) whatever the weather
- Photographers get free pictures on the kayak, or an in-water guide shooting on the swims; our photo guide compares the packages
- Families with small children can try the cruise or the kayak with life vests, as our manatee tours with kids page explains
- People with limited mobility will not find a tour here promised as accessible, so call the operator before booking
If two of you want different things, a swim in the morning and the cruise later the same day both leave from Explorida's center. That way the cold-water hater still meets the manatees.
Time and money for each way
The swims take the longest, about three hours from check-in back to the dock, partly because of the briefing and the wetsuit fitting. The kayak runs two to two and a half hours, and the cruise about 1.5 hours.
The cruise is the cheapest at ~$50. The swims at ~$69 and ~$76 and the kayak at ~$79 sit closer together, and the kayak's fare already includes photos. Our price comparison adds up the extras for each.
How the season changes the answer
In winter the manatees crowd into the warm springs, which helps all three ways. Swimmers see the most animals, but the boat ride back in wet neoprene can feel cold, and the semi-private swim heats its boat in winter.
In summer the herd spreads out into the river and the Gulf, so you see fewer. A boat covers more water than a kayak, and Explorida's cruise listing says its captain finds manatees in any season. Our best time guide has the rest.