Manatee Swim Tour
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Crystal River, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
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Overview
Finding manatees in the wild can be difficult if you don't know where to look. Go with an expert to explore Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge by boat and learn about these wild creatures as you glimpse them in the water. Your captain is trained in manatee behavior by the Manatee Eco Tourism Association, which raises your chances of seeing the majestic creatures. Don a wetsuit to snorkel in their habitat and even interact if the manatees decide to swim up close.
- Get up close to Kings Bay manatees without stressing the animals
- Led by a trained manatee expert with a focus on their welfare
- Enjoy a more intimate exploration on this small-group excursion
- Wetsuits and gear provided, plus heated changing rooms and showers
What's Included
- Coffee and/or Tea
- 5 MM Full Henderson Wetsuit
- Mask and Snorkel
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 525 NW 7th Ave, Crystal River, FL 34428, USA
You will find us on the water at Paddletail Waterfront Lodge in a 2 story white building. Your tour time is the meet time so no need to arrive early. Right on time is perfect.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Three Sisters Springs
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
I recently went on a manatee tour with my best friend, and despite an unexpected turn of events, it was a fantastic experience. While the opportunity to swim with manatees was incredible, the real highlight was the exceptionally kind and supportive staff.
As a first-time snorkeler, I unfortunately struggled quite a bit. I took on too much water and quickly realized that snorkeling might not be for me. I was embarrassed and a little panicked, but the crew was absolutely amazing. They were incredibly helpful, friendly, and understanding, making me feel comfortable and safe even after my near-death-by-snorkeling experience. Their professionalism and genuine concern turned what could have been a truly terrible memory into a funny story I'll tell for years. I may not be a snorkeler, but I would absolutely do this tour again. The scenery was beautiful, the process was easy, and the chance to see these gentle giants up close was a dream come true. A huge thank you to the staff for their consideration and for ensuring everyone, even a struggling beginner like me, has a wonderful time. I highly recommend this tour... just maybe practice your snorkeling first!
Reviews
5.0
based on 620 reviews
Review summary
Last 12 months
30 reviews
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Travelers consistently praise tour guides for their knowledgeable, attentive, and personalized approach, which makes activities like manatee swims both educational and memorable. Captains are also noted for their safety focus, attentiveness, and personable group management, contributing to a well-rounded and enjoyable experience.
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It was a great experience Celeste and her team really took their time to make sure each one of our family had the best experience possible i highly recommend it 10 out of 10
Be prepared to have a fun filled time and learn so much about the sea life you are swimming with our family had a blast !!!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thanks so much for sharing this! We’re really glad your family had such a fun time out on the water. We appreciate you joining us and hope to see you again for another adventure.
This was exceptional. We absolutely loved our tour guide Michelle and can't wait to go back in December!!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much! We’re really glad you loved your time with Michelle, we’re already looking forward to seeing you again in December!
— The PaddleTail Team
Even though we were out of season they found a mother and calf and a few others to swim with. Amazing trip, highly recommend. Family of 5 the springs were crystal clear.
Michele and Captain Steve were wonderful; very knowledgeable and personable. We swam with several moms and babies - what an experience!!
Prime time is Dec-Feb; We went end of March. The manatees had mostly left and the water was murky. However, our Captain Mark & Guide Ross were both great & we still got to see some manatees. Was a wonderful experience.
Entertaining. Found manatee. Great expierence. Great captain. Great guide. Kids enjoyed Great memory
Well, we went at the very end of manatee season, so we only found one to swim with, but it was still an amazing experience! Our guide, Ross and captain Aaron were great and we ended the adventure with a swim in one of the most pristine water springs you can imagine.
Sara was our guide and Mark was our captain. They were very attentive and ensured our safety at all times. They made sure that every single one of us were able to see a manatee up close. The excursion was amazing. We even were able to see two dolphins playing..
Amazing experience. When they say swim with manatees, they aren’t kidding. We were in the water well over an hour and swam alongside several manatees. Guide Sara was outstanding, making sure everyone got a 1:1 expedience with a manatee. Captain Mark made sure everyone was safe and kept the group together, serving as our manatee spotter. I couldn’t have asked for a better adventure.
We were a family of 4 and had a blast I would recommend this for family trip, hope I get to do it again one day. Sarah and Mark were awesome!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for joining us! We’re thrilled to hear your family had a blast and that Sarah and Mark helped make the experience memorable. We appreciate the recommendation and hope to see you all again one day.
Wow!!! What an amazing experience. Our guide John and Capt Aaron were amazing. Water clarity wasn't perfect but he definitely put us on the manatees. Even had on almost put me on its back. Such a great experience.
The facility is top notch. Great quality wetsuits and great boats. I wouldn't hesitate to go anywhere with them.
If you're thinking of doing this, just do it
Awesome experience! Sara’s a great alll-around guide for the swim with manatees. Many thanks to Sara and her skipper!
If you go in February, the water can still be a little chilly. The staff was wonderful, everyone from the cashier (gift shop), guides and captains.
Michele was a great guide! We chose the 7am tour and had no regrets. It’s fills up through out the day, so if you can make it early, it’s worth it. I brought my GoPro and got to capture nearly 10 unique manatees swimming underneath me.
When you arrive you’ll be taken into a room to watch a 7 minute info video, soon after you’re fitted into 5mm wetsuits to keep you warm and help you float better in the water. Next you’ll walk to your boat and head towards distinct springs as you peacefully search for the magical gentle giants. The whole thing took about 2.5 hours as we returned to the shop by 10:30, and I jumped into their hot shower to get cleaned up. They do have towels available. Note: I saw maybe 2-3 shower stalls, and it is first come for serve, so just a quick rinse to give others in the group a chance. The also have shampoo/conditioner/body wash dispensers.
100% worth the price. Magical and Professional.
Captain Glenn and tour guide Michelle were great. We weren’t able to get a room at the Paddle Tail lodge but if we come back I will make sure we do.
We had a great time and loved the company, tour operators, guides, boat drivers, etc. The manatees were amazing. My biggest issue was how overcrowded it was. I had peoples nasty feet in my face the entire time, people were kicking me, pushing me, swimming over me, shoving their giant professional underwater cameras in front of me, their go pros in my face. I saw more people and spent more time trying to dodge people than enjoying the manatees. And this is not THIS companies fault, it’s crystal river as a whole for being greedy and trying to get as many paying people out there as possible at a time. We want to swim with manatees again but probably somewhere else in hopes of it not being so insanely crowded.
Experience was amazing! The guide and boat captain were awesome and made the swim fun and educational. The guide and captain were very accommodating to our two year old getting him a wetsuit and goggles to fit him. They wanted to make sure our child was having a good time and included! Definitely a must do activity if you have time.
So much fun, relaxing and invigorating at the same time! Our guides, Danny and Captain Glenn were awesome!
Thick wetsuits, enclosed boat, knowledgeable guide, and hit chocolate and coffee when you get out make this a top notch experience.
Captain Glenn and Dani were fantastic! Saw so many manatees at Kings Island on our morning trip. Very knowledgeable and well work the visit!
This was a once in a lifetime experience! We were probably in a pod of at least 100 manatees - like wow! While the weather was on the colder side it was perfect! Staff were amazing and our guide Jacob was so informative and made sure we got our moneys worth. Will definitely do this again! Highly recommend. We loved it.
Ask for Steve and Michele. They did a great job! Steve was a good captain and Michele was a great in water guide.
Sarah and the Captain was really helpful. They know how to take care if the manitees and how to guide us properly. Will do this again
Such an amazing and fun experience! Our guides, Ross and Chad, were very knowledgeable and helped to make this experience unforgettable.
Awesome experience! Sarah was a great guide and Glenn was a great captain. The facility was nice, new, and clean. Saw a bunch of manatees and learned a lot.
We had a fantastic time, Dani and Steve were very knowledgeable. Love the hot showers and hot coco/ coffee! Would do again.
We had a wonderful trip! Captain Morgan was knowledgeable and made the experience great for our kids.
We had an amazing time with Morgan and Steve they were very knowledgeable about the manatees and made the experience very enjoyable we were so happy to get to see a group of 3 and appreciated the respect everyone showed for the creature would love to come swim with them again!
Ross and Captain Mark were amazing! Truly had such a great and memorable experience while feeling safe to free swim for the first time in open water! It was also for my partner’s birthday— he had an amazing time!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for such a heartfelt review! We're absolutely thrilled to hear that Ross and Captain Mark helped make your first open water swim feel safe and unforgettable. What a special way to celebrate your partner’s birthday—so glad he had an amazing time too! Moments like these are exactly why we do what we do, and we’d be honored to welcome you both back for another adventure soon.
Member Pricing
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$71.24
per personWas $74.99(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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