Where is the best place in Florida to see manatees?
As we mentioned, the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is the most popular spot to observe manatees in Florida. It offers visitors several access points along the river where they can safely view manatees in their natural habitat.
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Which months are best for seeing manatees? The peak season for observing manatees is November through April, and the local manatee population swells to its largest size between December and February. You can spot manatees in our waterways all year round, but the population is much smaller during the summer months.
Crystal River Florida is the only place in the United States where you can legally swim with these amazing and gentle creatures right in their own natural habitat.
Swimming with manatees is a great activity to do if you are visiting central Florida during the winter months and want to do something outside of the theme parks. You can swim near the animals and observe them while snorkeling in a wet suit.
Crystal River is the best place in the whole world to view the manatee in their natural habitat! World renowned Three Sisters Springs is right here in our backyard and plays home to hundreds of manatees in the winter. We welcome our thousands of visitors each year from around the world.
Tours average around $70 per person including the use of a wetsuit, snorkel. mask and a floating device. The West Indian manatee is an imperiled species and is protected by the laws of the state of Florida and US Fish and Wildlife.
Crystal River is the only place in Florida where it's legal to swim with manatees in their natural habitat. Located in Citrus County, the area gets busy and draws crowds because of the high number of manatees found in Kings Bay.
The manatee season at Crystal River NWR begins in mid-November and ends in late March. This is when the manatee sanctuaries go into effect. During the winter months, manatees come to the springs of Crystal River NWR to conserve the energy necessary to survive the cold Gulf waters.