Small Group Manatee Snorkel Tour with In-Water Guide and Photographer
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Crystal River, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Swimming with manatees is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and doing it in the wild makes it all the more magical. Join just a handful of others out on Crystal River to snorkel with its native West Indian Manatees. Your guide will teach you all about these gentle giants and how to respect their space (although we can’t guarantee they’ll respect yours) before ample time to swim and take photos.
- Learn more about manatees and the conservation efforts in Crystal River
- Passive observation is encouraged to protect the welfare of the manatees
- Take incredible underwater photos to show off with
- Groups are kept to a maximum of six for the benefit of guests and animals
What's Included
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- Wetsuit
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Bottled water
- Heated Enclosed Pontoon Boat
- Towels, sunblock, sunglasses and hats are not included but highly encouraged.
- Gratuity for Captain and Crew (15% - 20% Standard)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 439 NE 1st Terrace, Crystal River, FL 34429, USA
Meeting point is at Salty Siren Tours, 439 NE 1st Terrace, Crystal River, FL 34429 (Located in the Crystal Terrace Plaza (behind Hardee's on US Highway 19). PLEASE SHOW AT YOUR DESIGNATED TOUR TIME. There is no need to arrive any earlier than your scheduled trip time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Please Note: Children 6 and under must be under adult passenger supervision at all times. Children six (6) and under must wear a life vest at all times when the boat is in motion.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Robert_L
Highly recommend Salty Sirens!!! Very knowledgeable, very sweet people! From the moment we walked in, they treated us like family. Great experience! We will return for sure. They even knicknamed our youngest daughter Penguin! Funny store but it was just awesome!
Reviews
5.0
based on 611 reviews
Shana_N, Apr 2026
The staff at Salty Siren are friendly and knowledgeable. They kept us and the manatees safe and made sure we had a great experience. Our group was more than half children (ages 7-10) and the staff were great with the kids and with people of different ability levels. Both our guide and boat driver were easy to talk to - like meeting up with old friends. The photos we received were high quality too!
Kayla_C, Apr 2026
Our Captain and guide (Sam) were amazing. They tried to find us manatees and spotted them so well. We were very lucky to see a baby, it was so sweet and so small! They were very knowledgeable and accommodating the whole trip! Thank you for a memorable experience!
Leah_B, Apr 2026
It was absolutely amazing. All my son wanted for his senior trip was to see a “sea pickle”. And he saw more than 1. It was beyond perfect!! I chickened out and couldn’t stay in the water for very long. But my son loved every second of his time there. He didn’t want it to end. The tour guides were sweet and so informative. And the boat captain was very professional and knowledgeable. It was a 10/10 trip for sure!!! Go do the smaller companies like this one. Don’t waste your time on the big ones.
John_W, Mar 2026
If you’re thinking about doing a manatee tour, I highly recommend it—this was definitely one of the most memorable parts of our trip! Captain Ed and Aubrey were fantastic.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for the kind words! 🥰
We’re absolutely thrilled to hear this was one of the most memorable parts of your trip — that means everything to us! 💙✨
Aubrie will be so happy to hear your shoutout — they truly love creating special, unforgettable experiences for our guests. 🌊
Thank you for the recommendation and for choosing Salty Siren Tours — we hope to welcome you back again for another amazing adventure! 🫶✨
Lindsay_E, Mar 2026
Incredible experience with Salty Siren! The owners were incredibly sweet and the drone footage to share was a great touch. My kids felt safe and enjoyed engaging with the manatees. It was unforgettable. We plan to come back every year.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for this amazing review! 🥰
We’re absolutely thrilled to hear your family had such an incredible experience with us! 💙✨ It means so much that your kids felt safe and truly enjoyed engaging with the manatees — those are the moments that make it all so special.
We’re so glad you loved the drone footage too — such a fun way to relive those unforgettable memories! 📸🐾
Hearing that you plan to come back every year truly means the world to us. Thank you for trusting Salty Siren Tours with your family’s adventures — we can’t wait to welcome you back again and again! 🫶🌊✨
Connie_H, Mar 2026
Booked Salty Siren Tours without any reccomendations for our Crystal River adventure, and such a wonderful experience that we will only go back to Salty Siren Tours for our future manatee and spring adventures! We drove 2.5hrs from Tallahassee for this fantastic tour! Our guide knows and cares deeply about both the manatees and the environment! And, the pictures and videos we got from the tour are amazing! Dreams fulfilled!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for this incredibly kind review! 💙 It truly means the world to our whole Salty Siren family that you trusted us with your Crystal River adventure — especially making the 2.5 hour drive from Tallahassee just to spend the day with us! That kind of support is something we never take for granted. 🌊
Our team pours their hearts into what we do, because these gentle giants and the beautiful waters of King’s Bay mean so much to us. Hearing that you could feel that passion and care during your tour makes us smile from ear to ear. 💙 We’re also so happy you loved the photos and videos — those moments with the manatees are so special, and it’s wonderful knowing you’ll have those memories to look back on.
“Dreams fulfilled” is exactly what we hope every guest leaves with. Thank you again for choosing Salty Siren Tours and for taking the time to share your experience. We can’t wait to welcome you back for more manatee magic and spring adventures in the future! ✨🌿
#SaltySirenTours #CrystalRiver #SwimWithManatees #GentleGiants #EcoTourism #ManateeMagic #FloridaAdventures
Cheryl_S, Mar 2026
My sister and I just had a wonderful time with Aubrey and Randy from Salty Siren. From check-in to return, it was imformative and fun. We saw several manatee, fish, birds and turtles. Easy to do, plenty comfortable with wetsuits. No gators to be seen in the years our guide has been doing this, felt totally safe. Loved the Salty Siren (veteran owned) family! Very sweet and informative! We got some great underwater photos from our guide too! We LOVED every minute of it! So glad we did this instead of kayaking we saw so much more. 2nd year retirement Bucketlist ✅️. Do it!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Cheryl!! Thank you so much for the wonderful review! 💙🐋 We’re so happy you and your sister chose to spend part of your retirement bucket list adventure with us — what an honor! ✅✨
It sounds like you had an incredible day out on the water with Aubrie and Captain Randy! They both love sharing their knowledge of the bay and making sure everyone feels comfortable, safe, and has a fun experience while observing the manatees and all the other amazing wildlife that calls Crystal River home. 🐢🐟🦅🐄
We’re also thrilled you enjoyed the underwater photos and that the wetsuits kept you comfortable during the swim. And you’re absolutely right — sometimes being in the water with a guide helps you see so much more of the magic happening beneath the surface! 📸💦
Thank you as well for the kind words about our veteran-owned family business. That truly means a lot to us. 🇺🇸
We’re so grateful you spent your special bucket list moment with the Salty Siren family, and we hope we’ll get to welcome you back for another adventure with the gentle giants someday! 🧜♀️🌿
Julia_R, Feb 2026
Such an amazing experience! They knew everything about the manatees and the area and were able to get us right up close to the manatees while keeping the manatees safe
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your kind words! 💙🐢
We’re so glad you had such an amazing experience with us! Sharing our knowledge about the manatees and the Crystal River area is something we truly love — these gentle giants and these waters mean the world to us. 🌊✨
It’s especially meaningful to hear that you felt both close to the manatees and confident in their safety. Practicing respectful, passive observation while still creating those unforgettable up-close moments is exactly what we strive for on every tour. 💙
We’d love to welcome you back anytime for another magical morning in the springs! 🧜♀️
ED_B, Feb 2026
Tyler was a fantastic tour guide and lead on this adventure! Very calm and funny - ready to help with anything that is needed - would definitely do this again!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your kind words! 💙 We are thrilled to hear that Tyler helped make your adventure such a memorable one. His calm demeanor, sense of humor, and dedication to our guests truly make him an incredible in-water guide, and we’re so lucky to have him on the Salty Siren crew! 🌊🐮✨
Knowing you’d choose to join us again means the world to us — there is no greater compliment! We can’t wait to welcome you back for another magical day on the water with our gentle giants. 🧜♀️💫
Robin_B, Feb 2026
Must do when in Crystal River FL!!!
Kim, Aubrie, and Captain Ed made this a fun, educational and enriching experience. Seeing manatees up close for the first time was magical!!!!! Having a baby come up to give you kisses and trying to hug you was spiritual. Thank you Salty Siren for a wonderful time!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for this glowing review! 💙✨ “Must do” is exactly what we love to hear — and we are beyond thrilled that your time on the water was fun, educational, and enriching!
There is truly nothing like that first magical moment seeing a manatee up close… and a baby giving kisses?! 🥹🐋 Those sweet, curious encounters stay in your heart forever and remind us why these gentle giants are so special.
We’re incredibly proud to know we created an experience that felt both meaningful and unforgettable. Providing a safe space for moments that feel a little spiritual is something we never take for granted. 🌿🌊
Thank you for choosing Salty Siren and for trusting us with such a beautiful memory. We hope the manatees are already calling you back for another visit… we’ll have the boat warm and ready! ☀️🚤
Kevin_S, Feb 2026
Awesome, small group, never crowded. Gary the Captain very knowledgeable. Salty staff awesome. Great pics and videos
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review! 💙 We love hearing that you enjoyed the small-group experience — uncrowded tours are one of the best ways to create relaxed, meaningful encounters with our gentle manatees. 🐋✨
Captain Randy will be so happy to hear your kind words! His knowledge and passion for the water truly help make each trip special. And we couldn’t agree more — our crew works hard to deliver an awesome experience from start to finish, including photos and videos that let you relive the magic long after your tour. 📸🌊
Thank you for choosing Salty Siren! We hope to welcome you back again soon for another unforgettable adventure on the water. 😊
Connie_M, Jan 2026
Great experience! Crew were fantastic. 4 adults 1 10 yr old granddaughter. Our guide was fantastic especially with my granddaughter she made sure we had a wonderful experience. I highly recommend.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! 💙😊
We’re thrilled to hear your whole crew—especially your granddaughter—had such a wonderful time ✨ Our guides truly love making these adventures special for guests of all ages, and it means the world to know she felt comfortable, cared for, and had an unforgettable day 💕
Thank you for trusting us with your family memories and for the high recommendation! We hope to welcome you all back for another magical manatee encounter soon 🧜♀️🌊
amber_f, Jan 2026
If you are looking to go swimming with the manatees, do it! This tour was absolutely amazing and a once in a life time experience. There were so many manatees, fish, and even a blue crab. Captain Ed and my guide, Tyler, were amazing, extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and took some amazing photos and videos. I really appreciated the entire experience and will never forget it.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for this incredible review! 💙
We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that your manatee swim was a once-in-a-lifetime experience — those are the moments we live for! 🥹✨ From manatees and fish to spotting a blue crab, it sounds like nature truly put on a show for you. 🐟🦀🌊
Tyler will be so happy to hear your kind words! HIs knowledge, friendliness, and passion for capturing those unforgettable photos and videos make every tour extra special. 📸🤿
Thank you for trusting us with such a meaningful experience. We’re honored to be a part of a memory you’ll never forget and hope to welcome you back for another magical day in the springs someday! 💙😊
Tracy_C, Jan 2026
Exceptional experience!!! Highly recommend for a family - we all learned so much and had a great experience with the manatees!! Pictures were a nice bonus available for purchase at the end and very reasonable.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! 💙
We’re thrilled to hear your family had such an exceptional experience and that everyone enjoyed learning more about these gentle giants. Sharing meaningful, educational moments with families is one of our favorite parts of what we do! 😊🌿
We’re also glad you loved the photos — capturing those special memories so you can relive your time with the manatees is always a fun bonus. 📸✨ Thank you for the kind recommendation, and we hope to welcome your family back to the springs again someday! 💙🌊
Robert_M, Jan 2026
Top rate professionals, amazing experience, life long memories were made. This was a great experience for our kids and family, made possible by a family business. Highly recommend this to anyone considering a tour to swim with manatees in the Crystal River area.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for this incredibly kind review! 💙
We’re truly honored you chose our family-owned business to be part of such a meaningful experience for your kids and your family. Creating lifelong memories while sharing respectful, magical moments with these gentle giants is exactly why we do what we do.
Your recommendation means the world to us, and we’re so grateful you trusted us for your Crystal River manatee adventure. We hope to welcome your family back again someday for another unforgettable swim! 🌊✨
Kevin_K, Dec 2025
Such a great experience. Everyone should go. Captain Ed and Tyler were so knowledgeable and professional. Would definitely do again!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Kevin! Thank you so much for this amazing review! 💙 We’re so glad you had such a great experience — that means everything to us! We are happy to know our knowledge, professionalism, and care helped make your day special ✨🌿
Hearing that you’d “definitely do it again” absolutely makes our hearts smile 😊🙏 We’d love to welcome you back for more manatee magic anytime! 💦💙
Amy_R, Dec 2025
This was one of the best snorkeling experiences we ever had. Our boat captain, Randy, and our guide, Samantha, were both friendly and knowledgeable, and really went out of their way to make sure we had a great time and saw tons of manatees. It was truly an awe-inspiring swim! And the photos they took were amazing! I would highly recommend this company and this tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
hank you SO much for this incredible review! 🥹💙 We’re thrilled to hear your snorkel adventure was one of the best you’ve ever had! 🌊 Captain Randy and Samantha will be over the moon to know their friendliness, knowledge, and extra care helped make your day unforgettable. 🙌✨ We’re so glad you enjoyed the manatee encounters AND the photos too! 📸💦
We truly appreciate your recommendation and can’t wait to welcome you back for more magical moments on the water! 💙🌿🥰
Jenna_L, Nov 2025
The best experience we’ve ever done! Sam, Ed and Kim were amazing and we had the chance to spend time with beautiful manatees and a baby one! Would recommend them to everyone don’t hesitate just book with these guys!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
🥹💙 Wow — thank you so much for this incredible review! We’re over the moon that you had the best experience ever with us!! 🛥️🐋✨ Spending time with those gentle manatees (and a baby one too! 🥰) is truly unforgettable. Your recommendation means the world to us — thank you for trusting Salty Siren Tours to share the magic of Crystal River with you! 💦🌿 #ManateeMagic #SaltySirenTours #CrystalRiverFlorida
Tonja_S, Sep 2025
It was amazing and our captain and helper/photographer were great!! They made sure that we got to swim with a manatee and gave us plenty of time to do it. Highly Recommend!!!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for joining us! 💙 We’re thrilled you had an amazing time swimming with the manatees 🩵 Our captains and in-water guides/photographers love helping guests create unforgettable memories! 📸✨ We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again soon for another Salty Siren adventure! 🌊🪸
Jonah_V, Jul 2025
If you’re worried about sea sickness, don’t be. The boat ride was very smooth and easy to ride. Definitely a fun experience.
Angie_M, Jun 2025
We had a wonderful experience with Kim and the Salty Siren staff. Difficult day to find the manatees but they made sure we had an enjoyable experience once we located some mommas and babies. Kim is so knowledgeable and patiently guided us through the encounters with these gentle creatures. Thank you to Kim, Captain and Aubrey for our tour and the warm hospitality.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you so much for your kind words! 💙 Even on the trickier days, our team is committed to creating a memorable and meaningful experience — and we're so glad Kim, the Captain, and Aubrey made that happen for you! 🛥️🐾 Kim truly has a gift for sharing her knowledge and love of these gentle giants, and we're thrilled you got to witness some sweet moments with the manatee mommas and babies.
Michelle_H, Jun 2025
What an amazing experience!! Capt Ed and Robin were the perfect guides for our manatee swim in Kings Bay with a stop at sister springs for a swim in the clear waters. Capt Ed guided us through the bay to see several manatees. 2 sets of mammas with calves & the local favorite, Triangle the manatee snorkled with us for awhile. Robin was full of information on manatees and gave clear helpful instruction and guidance, as we never snorkeled before. We left with a set of incredible photos and video of our adventure!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Wow — thank you so much for this amazing review! 🥰 We’re thrilled you had such a memorable experience swimming with our gentle manatee friends in Kings Bay and soaking up the beauty of Three Sisters Springs! 💦🌿
Captain Ed and Robin will be so happy to hear your kind words — they truly love what they do, and it shows! 🛥️💙 Seeing mamas with calves AND Triangle?! What a treat!
We’re so glad we could help make your first snorkel adventure smooth, fun, and unforgettable — and those photos and videos are memories you’ll treasure forever! 📸✨
Come back and visit us anytime — the manatees (and our crew) will be waiting with open flippers! 🥽🫶
#ManateeMagic #SnorkelAdventure #SaltySirenTours #TriangleTheManatee 💙
Linda_H, Jun 2025
Wow! What a great experience! Robin was our guide for the day and was very knowledgeable and helpful. We had a smaller child in our tour group and robin took extra time to help her get comfortable with the manatee so that she had a great experience. Highly recommend this tour group!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! 💙 We're thrilled to hear you had such a great experience with Robin — she truly has a gift for making guests of all ages feel comfortable and confident in the water. 🥰 It’s so heartwarming to know that the little one in your group had a memorable encounter with our gentle manatee friends!
Rae_R, May 2025
Excellent, friendly, and informative tour. We loved the personal family ran business comfort they provided. My husband has mobility concerns with walking far distances and they were very accommodating and patient.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you so much for the kind words! 🥰 We're so happy you felt the comfort and care of our small family-run business 💙 It was truly our pleasure to accommodate your husband and ensure you both had a relaxing and memorable experience 🌿 We believe everyone should have the chance to connect with these gentle giants, no matter what! 🛶💦 Hope to see you again soon for another adventure!
Michelle_M, May 2025
Fantastic recommend Salty Siren 110% They are very knowledgeable & really care for Mantee conservation. Robin our guide was the best. We had the most amazing time lots of interactions with 5+ manatees and baby calves. Even got up close hugs from one🩵 great video & photos too!!!!
Response from Host, May 2025
🩵WOW—thank you for the fantastic review! 🩵 We’re over the moon that you had such an unforgettable adventure with Robin and got to experience those magical manatee moments—hugs from a manatee?! 🥹💙 It means the world to us that you felt the love we have for these gentle giants and their conservation. 🐋🌿 Thank you for recommending us 110%—we’d give YOU 110% back for being such amazing guests! Can’t wait to see you again! 📸💦✨
Yvonne_M, Apr 2025
Siren tour guides LOVE manatees - a truly authentic experience with knowledgeable and patient guides led to a magical - almost spiritual - experience with these gentle giants. We spent c. 50 mins with a nursing mama and her calf watching them eat, play. Nurse and sleep in quick succession…truly amazing experience!
Response from Host, May 2025
This gave us goosebumps! 🥹💙 Thank you for sharing such a heartfelt reflection — “magical” and “almost spiritual” is exactly how we feel every time we get to witness moments like that with manatees too 🐋✨
Our Salty Siren crew truly lives for these gentle encounters, and we’re so glad our love and respect for these amazing creatures came through. Watching a nursing mama and her calf just be in their natural rhythm — eating, playing, nursing, sleeping — is pure magic 🌿👶💕
We’re honored you joined us for such a special experience 🙏 #ManateeMagic #HeartfeltEncounters #SaltySirenLove
Michele_K, Apr 2025
We had the BEST experience swimming with Manatee! Everyone with Salty Siren was friendl and KNOWLEDGEABLE.
We saw plenty of Manatee and spent a lot of time with a mom and calf and another female in the spring area.
Response from Host, May 2025
YAY! 🥳 We’re so glad you had the BEST time swimming with our gentle giants! 💙 Spending quality time with a mom, calf, and another female in the spring? That’s a truly special encounter! ✨🌿
Our team is all smiles knowing you felt welcomed and well taken care of — we LOVE sharing our knowledge and the magic of manatees with awesome guests like you! 🙌 Thank you for choosing Salty Siren Tours! 💦 #ManateeMoments #SpringtimeMagic #SaltySirenExperience
Julia_D, Apr 2025
I was the only person who showed up for the first trip of the day at 8 am so private tour! Absolutely fabulous from start to finish. My guide Robin and boat captain were amazing. Saw manatees and visited the mouth of the Spring with crystal clear water. It was all a dream come true. Highly recommend this company for your tour.
Response from Host, May 2025
🌟Wow!! A private manatee tour to start the day?! What a dream! 🛶💙 We're so glad you had a fabulous time with Robin and your amazing captain — they loved showing you the magic of Crystal River! 🥰✨ Seeing manatees AND the crystal-clear spring? That’s the kind of morning we live for! 🐋💦 Thank you so much for your kind words and for recommending us — we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure! 🙌🌞 #ManateeMagic #SaltySirenLove
Robert_L, Apr 2025
Highly recommend Salty Sirens!!! Very knowledgeable, very sweet people! From the moment we walked in, they treated us like family. Great experience! We will return for sure. They even knicknamed our youngest daughter Penguin! Funny store but it was just awesome!
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you so much for your sweet words! 🥰 It truly means the world to us that you felt like family from the moment you arrived. That's exactly the vibe we aim for! 💛 We absolutely loved meeting your family — and "Penguin" has a special place in our hearts now! 🐧😂 We can't wait to welcome you all back for more fun, laughter, and memories! 🛥️🌞 Until next time, big hugs from the whole Salty Siren crew! 🌊💙
Rebecca_F, Apr 2025
Great people and great experience to keep forever with pictures wonderful with kids and the whole family
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you so much for the kind words! 🥰 We're so glad you had a great experience with us and made memories to last a lifetime 📸 It means the world to hear that the whole family—including the little ones—had a wonderful time 💙👨👩👧👦 We hope to "sea" you again soon! 🌊💫🩵 #ManateeMagic #FamilyAdventure
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Small Group Manatee Snorkel Tour with In-Water Guide and Photographer
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