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Crystal River Tour: Discover Manatee Paradise
4.9
15 Ratings
Crystal River
Explore Crystal River’s wildlife haven on an eco boat tour. Spot manatees, diverse birds, and enjoy a guided adventure with a Master Captain.
Explore Crystal River’s wildlife haven on an eco boat tour. Spot manatees, diverse birds, and enjoy a guided adventure with a Master Captain.
Duration:
1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Pete’s Pier Marina - Visitors will meet their captain for the day and depart exactly at the designated tour time. It is advisable to arrive early to observe fishermen cleaning their daily catch and to buy preferred beverages from the bait shop. This is also the location where the tour will conclude.
- Crystal River Preserve State Park -…
- Pete’s Pier Marina - Visitors will meet their captain for the day and depart exactly at the designated tour time. It is advisable to arrive early to observe fishermen cleaning their daily catch and to buy preferred beverages from the bait shop. This is also the location where the tour will conclude.
- Crystal River Preserve State Park - Discover the sawgrass islands and backcountry of Crystal River. Delight in observing the shorelines and sky for birds of prey and witness schools of mullet jumping out of the water.
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Narrated Boat Tour
- Covered Boat
- Bottled water
- Narrated Boat Tour
- Covered Boat
What's Not Included
- Gratuity for Captain
- $5 Parking Fee
- Gratuity for Captain
- $5 Parking Fee
Additional Information
This eco boat tour is an essential experience for nature enthusiasts, wildlife admirers, and even locals eager to showcase the “Real Florida” to their families. Crystal River is a distinctive town that balances between a tranquil fishing village and a wildlife sanctuary. Our local refuge is home to a variety of bird species and a unique spring-fed…
This eco boat tour is an essential experience for nature enthusiasts, wildlife admirers, and even locals eager to showcase the “Real Florida” to their families. Crystal River is a distinctive town that balances between a tranquil fishing village and a wildlife sanctuary. Our local refuge is home to a variety of bird species and a unique spring-fed freshwater bay. The highlight is undoubtedly the manatees that reside in Crystal River!
While the number of manatees can vary daily, this tour is conducted by a USCG-certified Master Captain who is skilled in offering enjoyable and educational tours throughout the year.
Weather Advisory: Florida’s weather can be unpredictable, with storms that may develop rapidly. Although we prefer not to cancel tours, if adverse weather is expected to impact your experience, we reserve the right to cancel the tour and provide a refund.
Location
Pete's Pier Marina
Southwest 1st Place
Guests will have to pay a $5 parking fee to the marina, which is payable at the bait shop or at the kiosk by the boat ramp. Guests will walk a short distance down the dock to reach the shade of the bait shop and meet their Captain and prepare for their excursion.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(15 Ratings)
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Uggil2021
Jan 2, 2026
Great experience! - Very nice experience I can only recommend. Very nice guides. As described, the photos were for nothing. Unlike other groups, which stirred up a lot of mud with swimming fins and without swimming noodles, it was also very gentle. Hot cocoa was free. I did not have the impression that the Manatees felt disturbed, in some cases they even sought contact.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathig2026
Jan 2, 2026
Amazing affordable tour! - Super nice guides. Everything provided: wet suites, plenty of changing rooms, snorkel equipment, hot chocolate etc. We felt very safe and comfortable. We encountered many playful manatees and Hudson and Evan did an incredible job introducing us to these friendly and calm animals!! Go Pro Photos were included in the price which was amazing! Many interesting manatee facts included. ;) Definitely recommend! This tour made me live these gentle creatures even more!
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S3354qarebeccad
Dec 26, 2025
A great afternoon - Hudson and John were great! It was a nice experience and I highly recommend. We saw multiple manatees over the course of the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M4178whamyr
Dec 25, 2025
THE BEST! - Wow!! Nature’s Discovery was AMAZING!! If you want an experience with manatees this is your place. Captain Jake was great and knew where to take us to swim with the manatees. Steve was our water guide and was knowledgeable, relatable, kind and friendly! BEST TIME!! Thank you both so much!
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M9984bhtonv
Dec 24, 2025
Manattee toure - Neatly received hudson, after clearly trying on explanations and wetsuits, we were taken to the boat. That's what Captain Evan was waiting for. Diving mask blade and snorkels are provided on the boat. Hudson went into the water with me and clearly had a lot of experience and guides you right to the manattees. He gives clear instructions what to do and is also very good for the welfare of the animals. From the wat you are welcomed with hot chocolate, which is very nice because the water was a bit fresher. Afterwards a nice round sailed, the guides are both local and make sure you are comfortable, definitely recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kaedej2025
Dec 23, 2025
Great time - Hudson and Evan were great tour guides super funny. Manatees were very cute. This tour is way better than Disney or universal.
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O4971nhteenab
Nov 12, 2025
Truly magical close up manatee encounter - It was an unusually cold day for our tour and yet there were so many manattee in the spring we went to. Several adults and a few calves of various size. We witnessed a calf nursing and one particular baby came up to me and chewed on me for some time as he was teething. He even chewed my hair! This was such an amazing unexpected experience, something I could only dream of. Being this close to such a precious, trusting beautiful creature is a true gift and one I will never forget. Caleb and Evan's knowledge of the manattee was fantastic and they were so patient in answering all our questions. Despite the water being very cold Caleb never rushed us at all. I'm sure he must have been frozen to the bone! He made us feel very comfortable around these huge yet gentle creatures. We had the opportunity to go back in again after getting out but we were so cold we decided not to. We couldn't beat that experience we'd had. Despite the cold, the experience was just magical and we were buzzing for the rest of the day. It was just myself and 4 other members of my family snorkeling and no-one else so we were very lucky to have the manattee all to ourselves. We loved every minute of the tour and wouldn't hesitate to do it again! We booked in advance and felt the price definitely matched the whole experience and the time spent. Caleb and Evan were super friendly. A bucket list tour for sure. Caleb took fantastic photos and you can purchase them at the end. Fabulous and great value! Thank you so much Caleb and Evan!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kim
Nov 4, 2025
Great tour! - We were lucky enough to go on the tour on a beautiful day and see multiple manatees. However, John and Caleb made the tour extra enjoyable. They were knowledgeable about the area and the manatees, but more importantly friendly, fun and professional. It was also great to have someone taking pictures for us while we could just enjoy looking at the manatees. We had a great time and would highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Th3happytraveler
Nov 2, 2025
Captain Evan was top-notch! - We toured King’s Bay/Crystal River in late Oct. on this 90 min.eco cruise with Captain Evan of Nature’s Discovery. Found this cruise after another local company canceled our eco tour reservation (no reason; no apology). Evan salvaged our trip & was so knowledgable and patient (with our many questions). He located many manatees (including a mama/calf, sleeping group & tagged) plus turtles & local and migrating birds. Went above & beyond my expectations…boat was also very clean/well-maintained. I’d highly recommend using this company! Hope to sail with Nature’s Discovery again :)
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Debrasy6295bx
Sep 20, 2025
Choose this tour company! - Caleb and John did an outstanding job of making sure we saw multiple mamma and baby manatees. It was just our family on the tour so we had plenty of room in the water and got close enough to watch them eat. They also took us to swim in the clear spring afterwards, which was also an amazing experience. They couldn't have been more accommodating or kind. The pictures are included in the price! This tour company is a must do!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
