Private Manatee Swim in Crystal River
5
Private Manatee Swim in Crystal River
By Manatee Fun Tours
About
Ages 0-99
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More
- Professional guide
- Private tour
- Use of all necessary equipment
- Entry/Admission - Manatee Fun Tours
- Entry/Admission - Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
What's not included- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Start:
- Manatee Fun: Swim with Manatee Tour in Crystal River & Homosassa, River Ventures, 498 SE Kings Bay Dr, Crystal River, FL 34429, USAMeet us at River Ventures Tour Center 498 SE Kings Bay Drive. We have coffee and hot cocoa waiting for you! Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your tour time!
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 12851P1
- There is a maximum of 6 people per tour, infants and children count as people so please be sure to include each person in your count.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 12851P1
Itinerary
- You'll start atManatee Fun: Swim with Manatee Tour in Crystal River & HomosassaRiver Ventures, 498 SE Kings Bay Dr, Crystal River, FL 34429, USAMeet us at River Ventures Tour Center 498 SE Kings Bay Drive. We have coffee and hot cocoa waiting for you! Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your tour time!See address & details
- 1Manatee Fun ToursStop: 30 minutes - Admission includedSee details
- 2Crystal River National Wildlife RefugeStop: 3 hours - Admission includedSee details
- You'll return to the starting point
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- christis9110 contributionsCrowded but lots manateesVery crowded in the water, but we saw lots of manatees. The heated houseboat is the only way to go when it's cool outside! Nice service!Written 28 February 2024
- 104mal0 contributionsProfessional and PeacefulThe tour stands apart from other tours as it only has a max of six passages per event, and they take and provide free photos so you can focus on just exploring. We saw some other bigger tour company groups not affiliated with ours, which were frankly overcrowded and loud; however, since our group was so small, the manatees were not scared away. The staff were wonderful and kind.Written 5 September 2023
- Casper P0 contributionsBest Manatee tour in FloridaVery nice staff and a incredible experience. Got to see many Manatees. Both babys and the adolts. We got snacks and drinks onbord for free. It was an amazing experience we would never forget. Would recomend this for a friendgroup or a family.Written 29 June 2023
- Guide7939500 contributionsa must do visiting floridaperfect tour guide, thanks Sara and JJ for this experience. Highly recommended. Great people working at this place.Written 3 July 2022
- 586davidn0 contributionsAwesome ExperienceWe had a wonderful experience in April with Captain Peter and our in water guide Shellie. They worked hard to spot some manatees and Shellie was amazing with our hesitant 5 year old. She watched and helped him while my wife and I were able to watch the manatee. All gear was provided except towels. We appreciated Shellie’s extensive knowledge of all the wildlife we saw.Written 22 April 2021
- Roving7258320 contributionsBucket list experience!Soo much fun! Seamless online booking. Accommodating customer service, great info about manatee, clean equipment, great Captains - Broderick & Shelly and awesome tour guide in the water (Shelly). Totally worth the price! The Captain's knew the best place to take us! There were no other tours there - just the 6 of us with about a dozen manatees to ourselves plus 2 playful juveniles whose curiosity got the best of them as they interacted with each of us. Pictures and video of the in/ underwater excursion are taken discreetly throughout the experience for you to purchase for a small fee at the end. Totally worth it! You can relax and enjoy the entire experience then have a great visual keepsake. Leave your phone or camera in your car. Immerse yourself in the experience! Take my advice, go in February (the cooler the better), get up early and do the first tour of the morning. Leave your smart phone and camera in the car. Dress in your bathing suit and warm sweats. Pack a beach towel and flip flops for when you get out of the water to avoid soggy shoes. Reserve a heated, semi-private boat. The rest is up to the manatees. Keep it simple, relax and enjoy! We did an air boat ride booked as part of the tour, which was also fantastic! Great company and operators!Written 28 February 2020
- Kathy M0 contributionsFun tour in Homosassa springsWe had a great time swimming with manatees! Our crew of 2 women was fabulous. Very friendly and knowledgeable. This company bent over backwards to help us when we had to make a reservation on a date when they were full. We initially bought a groupon for the boat in Crystal River but the date they had available didn’t fit with our schedule so they accommodated us at their Homasassa location. We were so grateful that they did this for us! Thank you very much!Written 22 February 2020
- 467jamies0 contributionsNice!Had a great time! The staff were very knowledgeable and had great sense of humor. I very much enjoyed our trip and would go again in a heart beat.Written 22 January 2020
- jkuntz620 contributionsCapt BroderickCapt Broderick knew exactly where to go to find the manatees and tried to find the best spot to maximize our experience. Matt did an excellent job of making sure we got to interact as well as getting photos in spite of the murky water!Written 22 January 2020
- N7208ZUlindat0 contributionsManatees are such beautiful creaturesMy granddaughter Maddy and I shared a beautiful day in the water with these wonderful creatures. Our tour guides were Broderick and Hailey. Broderick is funny and knowledgeable, and Hailey guided us through the water to see the best experiences with the Manatees. Maddy got to pet one, she loved it! We both had a great time and will be sure to go back again!Written 8 January 2020
- 311maryams0 contributionsExcellent ExperienceWe had an AMAZING experience on the Mantee Fun boat with Captain Broderick and Matt. They make sure you have fun and get the experince that you pay for. What a wonderful day we had and we will be back again. WIll defintely book with them again.Written 6 January 2020
- whocansay1230 contributionsPrivate Tour, Beautiful Experience!My husband and I had a very nice time on our Manatee Fun tour. Encountering manatees, swimming in the beautiful clear waters of Three Sisters Spring, and relaxing on the boat on Crystal River. All were a picturesque end to our Florida vacation. Our Captain was extempore among captains, personable and offering snacks, water, soda, and hard seltzer water, as well as awesome travel tips. We mixed the offered coffee with hot chocolate (amazing!, imho) and it was so soothing after a fun and reasonably chilly swim. Our guide, Lindsey, was also very personable and she went above and beyond to try and make the trip special for guests - especially when introducing them to the manatees. I noticed many times how she was trying her best to find the best manatee spots, improve upon the closest encounters, and ultimately doing her her best to help everyone have the best time possible. I would definitely recommend this company and all the crew and management, again and again! Fun day and I'm very thankful for the beautiful times and memories.Written 27 December 2019
- CBKi0 contributionsAWESOME EXPERIENCEWe had an outstanding experience this morning that exceeded all of our expectations . THANK YOU SO MUCH to Captain Broderick and guide Megan you both made our experience so memorable and so much FUN ! Your photos and videos Megan are fantastic thanks so much again . Chrissy & MarkWritten 1 November 2019
- RobertinAtlanta20130 contributionsMemorable ExperienceOur entire experience was very professional and extremely enjoyable. The woman (I wish I remembered her name) who did the introduction in the River Ventures office was superb. She was enjoyable to listen to, enthusiastic and very informative. Captain Broderick was extremely welcoming with his corny jokes and genuine concern that all of us have a first class tour. My wife is recovering from an injury and he assisted "Mama" in getting down from the dock and encouraged her to take her time climbing the boat ladder from the water. He immediately located a group of manatee and got us on the water before the participants from the other tour companies could crowd the space. His concern for our safety as well as the safety of the manatees was always evident. When we come back to Crystal River next February, we will definitely request Captain Broderick and the Manatee Fun at River Ventures!Written 29 October 2019
- MeghannMS0 contributionsAbsolutely incredible. Would go back in a heartbeat.We had the time of our lives. Troy and Matt went above and beyond to make everything perfect. My son is handicapped, and they took care of him so I could snorkel. I can’t say enough good things about everyone at the shop. We would go back a million times always with the same people. If you get a chance, don’t miss snorkeling with River Ventures. I cried a lot of happy tears!! Thank you to all of you for a day we will never forget.Written 24 July 2019
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
More to explore in Crystal River
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
77 reviews
Excellent
76
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Steff S
123 contributions
We went on a semi-private tour with 3 other people. Captain Broderick told us all about the manatees and was very clear on the best way to see them without disturbing them or scaring them away. The guide, Matt, was able to find a mama and baby for us to see, along with a few others. Matt was great about bringing us right to them. We moved to another location where one was sleeping and we could see clearly. Everyone was respectful and we had an amazing trip. I highly recommend this tour but definitely go in the winter!
Written 11 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Quyntessa
Westminster, CA1 contribution
Apr 2012 • Couples
My boyfriend and I took a private tour with Captain Broderick on his lovely boat! I can't swim at all, but I definitely did not want to miss out on swimming with the manatees! Captain Broderick was willing to work with me and my boyfriend to ensure that I safely experience everything I wanted to see. He was extremely patient, positive, and helpful. It is nice to have a captain who will cater to your needs. Not only did I get to swim with wild manatees, I also snorkeled (successfully for the first time ever) in the clearest of all waters. We never ever felt rushed, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy the beauty of Crystal River.
During our tour, we bumped into other tour groups who were also looking for manatees. The other boats looked pretty crowded and uncomfortable, which made me and my boyfriend appreciate how lucky we were to have the boat all to ourselves.
I'd highly recommend this tour to anybody who wishes to swim with manatees in a peaceful and calm environment. :)
During our tour, we bumped into other tour groups who were also looking for manatees. The other boats looked pretty crowded and uncomfortable, which made me and my boyfriend appreciate how lucky we were to have the boat all to ourselves.
I'd highly recommend this tour to anybody who wishes to swim with manatees in a peaceful and calm environment. :)
Written 8 April 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the compliment on the boat, it is a work in progress. Our desire is to make it user friendly, warm and comfortable. As far as your success goes I attribute that to your williness and courage. You are a good listener and allowed me to help you.
I remember when your boyfriend mentioned that you could not swim and I assured him of the wetsuites ability to keep you bouyant. I told him that I could coach you through it, It still takes a lot of courage to try something new and daring. My hat off to you!
Hopefully no one will ever feel rushed or hurried on one of our tours. It is my duty to try to provide an experience that you will treasure for many years, thanks for letting me share.
Come back in the winter and enjoy our warm boat and make more memories.
Captain Broderick your "Big Fun" Manatee Tour Guide
Written 15 April 2012
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Wendy O
Hengelo, The Netherlands6 contributions
Jun 2012 • Couples
We have booked a private Manatee tour with Manatee Fun tour Crystal River. The booking proces was great. I send an email to Capt. Broderick and got an email back within hours. Because the day that we were panning to swim with the manatees was already booked we called the next day. Capt. Broderick responded relaxed and suggested to book on sunday June 17th. We agreed and the payment with Paypall was easy. Again within hours we received an email from Capt. Broderick that he received the payments and is looking forward to meet us on June 17th. Today at 8:30 am we arrived in Crystal River and met Capt. Broderick, a likable man. He started to explain the rules and within a couple of minutes we started the tour. The wetsuits we good and Capt. Broderick has enough equipment. He also has snacks and drinks onboard. Capt. Broderick always wants to find a Manatee in a private setting. Other board where holding up to 20 people and more than 10 people are in the water when they found a Manatee. As far as we could see where they not correct instructed, which could result in stressed Manatees. Capt. Broderick was able to find a couple Manatees during our tour without the other boats present. His instructions from the boat when you are snorkeling are good so you will find the Manatees faster.
We will be back in March next year for an other tour and then hope to see even more Manatees. We liked the boat, Capt. Broderick and of course the Mantees. Go and book this tour if you like to have the private tour.
Best regards,
Wendy en Edwin
We will be back in March next year for an other tour and then hope to see even more Manatees. We liked the boat, Capt. Broderick and of course the Mantees. Go and book this tour if you like to have the private tour.
Best regards,
Wendy en Edwin
Written 17 June 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We do our very best to get back to our clients as quickly as possible, we realize how important your time is. When you make a decision to choose our company we don't take it lightly, there are so many choices you cold have made, "We thank you!.
Thank you for the wonderful compliments we promise to keep trying to improve our quality of services. Hopefully you can come back and visit again this fall/winter when the manatees return.
Captain Broderick "Your Big Fun Manatee Tour Guide"
Written 26 June 2012
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Emily 🌹
1 contribution
Sept 2019 • Couples
My boyfriend surprised me for my birthday with a getaway trip to Florida. One of our most memorable stops were at this place. I never knew how awesome it would feel to swim so close to a manatee. I’m barely 5’2” so I felt like I was swimming next to a majestic water elephant. Our tour guide Broderick was such a fun captain and was so determined to make our experience a special one. He instantly knew I was Filipino and shared fond memories with me of his Filipino grandchild. He had eagle eyes the way he was able to spot the manatees out. I loved his concern for the environment and the way he stood up against those that were being careless. He made sure to educate them of their reckless behaviors and how it affected the wildlife around them. His humor and personality made the trip even more joyful and his assistant, Megan, was so knowledgeable of the area and was able to capture so many priceless moments with her camera. It made the decision of buying her photos such a no brainer! She was so nice and helpful but would also join in on poking fun at the captain which made the boat trip so entertaining. I can’t express enough how grateful I am to have such awesome tour guides that were dedicated to delivering us such a once in a lifetime experience. I would definitely recommend this specific tour company to anybody!
Written 2 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cathy P
Chelmsford, UK1 contribution
Aug 2019
Our private trip with Manatee Fun Tours was unforgettable and the memories will last a lifetime. Captain Broderick and our guide Megan were fantastic, very friendly and funny. We saw a number of manatees despite being there at a quiet time of year (August). Megan took some wonderful photos for us and we were really pleased with the quality of them. We would definitely recommend this company and their personnel to anyone seeking a manatee experience.
Written 5 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claire W
High Wycombe, UK6 contributions
Jul 2019 • Family
We did the private tour for 3 hours on Crystal River with this company. Captain Broderick and Megan were fabulous. They really looked after us and wanted us to have the best experience. My 2 daughters aged 9 and 6 had a fabulous time as did my mum who snorkelled for over an hour aged 74 for only the second time ever. I would completely recommend this experience. We will never forget this beautiful place, lovely people and the amazing manatees. Thanks Claire, Jean Mark, Pat, Lexi and Emilia.
Written 1 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kurt k
Geneva, AL28 contributions
We have been to Crystal River several times and have booked tours with several different companies. River Ventures has consistently been the best, especially their private tours! Our Captain Tom and Gavin were awesome! But the staff at check in handle the flow of visitors incredibly well (unlike several other outfitters) and make you feel very welcome and special! Brittany and Kat were wonderful a special thanks to them and not just because they make incredible hot chocolate!!! Best outfitters from start to finish in Crystal River!! Thank yall for the many special memories given to me and my children and for the future memories yet to be made!
Written 29 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LeAnne C
1 contribution
Jun 2018 • Family
I took my two kids, 11&13, and my sister on a private tour/swim with Captain Broderick and our guide Matt. The Captain and Matt did an excellent job locating the manatees and giving us an up close and personal experience. They were awesome and the manatee are amazing creatures, gentle giants. We are definitely coming back to do this again in the winter and will request Captain Broderick and Matt.
Written 16 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AEM74
Noblesville, IN22 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
My BF and I booked a private 2-person manatee swim after finding Manatee Fun here on Trip Advisor. We were so excited about this experience, and Captain John and MF did not disappoint. We went out to King Spring in the Crystal River and it seems we were there during a perfect weekend b/c it's before high season when the area will get crowded. We had such a wonderful experience; definitely a bucket list item checked off!
Written 14 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Allan W
Leicester, UK76 contributions
Jan 2016 • Friends
There were three sexagenarians (60+) looking to swim with the manatee at 06.30 on the coldest morning in Florida this year. Having scraped the ice off the car at 05.00 we left Gainesville for Crystal River not quite believing what we were doing.
We had booked with Capt. Broderick as we wanted private boat hire with a heated cabin - we are only so foolish.
What a great Captain. He entertained us with stories on the short trip to where the manatee were centered, interspersed with a health & safety briefing and how to behave around the manatee. We were the first boat to arrive on station.
Eventually we could put it off no longer and it was wet suits on and into the water, Brrrrrr. It was still dark at this time but after a few minutes these grey shapes appeared out of the gloom and started to examine us. Soon they were bumping into us, appearing in our faces, 'kissing' our face masks and then just as suddenly they were gone. Was that it? No, another one appeared and then three or four competing for our attention. And so it went on, periods of quiet followed by either single or multiple visits. Some were short glimpses, others where we were being deliberately rubbed against, almost lifted up as they came up underneath us, or entertained as they would just roll over through 360 degree.
What an amazing experience! These are 'wild' mammals, not trained for public display, but so, so gentle. Once one had befriended you they seemed to keep coming by or even stay with you for longer periods.
Other boats began to arrive and the peace and tranquility was lost, but the manatee didn't seem to care.
Eventually the cold got to us even though it was meant to be 22C in the water, and we swam back to the boat. Believe me, that warm water poured down the inside of your wetsuit was heaven! We were helped to disrobe- no easy feat and then back in the warm to dry off and change.
Back to the dock being 'entertained' all the way.
A great experience, highly recommended and what a great captain, he deserves his 5 star rating.
We had booked with Capt. Broderick as we wanted private boat hire with a heated cabin - we are only so foolish.
What a great Captain. He entertained us with stories on the short trip to where the manatee were centered, interspersed with a health & safety briefing and how to behave around the manatee. We were the first boat to arrive on station.
Eventually we could put it off no longer and it was wet suits on and into the water, Brrrrrr. It was still dark at this time but after a few minutes these grey shapes appeared out of the gloom and started to examine us. Soon they were bumping into us, appearing in our faces, 'kissing' our face masks and then just as suddenly they were gone. Was that it? No, another one appeared and then three or four competing for our attention. And so it went on, periods of quiet followed by either single or multiple visits. Some were short glimpses, others where we were being deliberately rubbed against, almost lifted up as they came up underneath us, or entertained as they would just roll over through 360 degree.
What an amazing experience! These are 'wild' mammals, not trained for public display, but so, so gentle. Once one had befriended you they seemed to keep coming by or even stay with you for longer periods.
Other boats began to arrive and the peace and tranquility was lost, but the manatee didn't seem to care.
Eventually the cold got to us even though it was meant to be 22C in the water, and we swam back to the boat. Believe me, that warm water poured down the inside of your wetsuit was heaven! We were helped to disrobe- no easy feat and then back in the warm to dry off and change.
Back to the dock being 'entertained' all the way.
A great experience, highly recommended and what a great captain, he deserves his 5 star rating.
Written 24 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.