Bucket List - Swimming with Manatees!
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About a year and a half ago, Jess told me he’s always wanted to swim with the manatees – this was news to me, as he’d never mentioned it before (he swears he did, but I’d definitely remember that, haha). This sounded super fun, so I got right on researching it. Here’s what you need to know!
Where Can You Swim with Manatees?
Crystal River, Florida is the only legal place you can swim with manatees – it’s about 90 minutes North of Tampa. They say December-February but February is prime time to do this as manatees need warm water and the water of this area stays 72 degrees year-round, so around 500+ manatees migrate there every February to escape the colder water of the Gulf of Mexico.
We were in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge in the section called King’s Bay. Three Sister’s Spring is a very popular place to swim with them, which is part of the bay also, just a different spot. Our guides said they prefer to stay away from there because it’s even more crowded than where we were but when we passed by on our boat, the water looked to be a little more clear than where we had gone, so it’s definitely worth doing your research to decide exactly where you’d like to swim and what tour group can take you there.
How Can You Swim with Manatees?
The best option is to book with a licensed tour operator. They are in the waters daily and know where to go to ensure you get to experience them, as well as teach you all you need to know. We had to watch a video prior to arriving so we knew what was allowed and what wasn’t – for instance, it’s illegal to touch a manatee. They also should provide everything you need so that you can just show up.
There are numerous options, but we booked with Fun2Dive and would definitely recommend them. It’s not their first rodeo and our guide and driver were awesome. We booked a private tour, so we had the boat and guide to ourselves. There were 5 of us and it was way more fun than going with some random strangers – unless you prefer that dynamic – we do not, so I’m really glad we went with that option.
We showed up at the Fun2Dive shop when they said to be there, and they provided our wet suits, snorkels and goggles. We brought our own beach towels. Our guide had a GoPro and took tons of pics and a couple of videos for us, so we could just enjoy the experience.
It cost extra to get the pics after but since it was our private tour, it was worth it to just buy the whole thing because it was just us. Then after the swim, they also had some hot chocolate waiting for us on the boat – that water is still cold, even in your wetsuit, so that was a nice touch!
What’s the Best Time to Swim with Manatees?
As with most wildlife, they’re most active in the morning. Our tour options were 7am, 10am and 1pm with the tour lasting 3 hours. We had about a 45-minute drive from our hotel that morning so we opted for 10am.
Obviously, most of the people chose 7am because when we got there, the water was packed. It was really murky too because so many people were stirring it up. But within about 30 minutes, it started to clear out a bit and the water clarity was much better.
What’s it Like to Swim with Manatees?
In a word? Incredible! These massive creatures weigh about 1,000 pounds – they are seriously as big as a couch. But they’re gentle giants who only eat aquatic grasses – and they’re super curious too. They basically lay at the bottom of the riverbed and then come up every 30 minutes for air. Our guide found one that had no one else around it and we were able to just chill with it and when it came up for air, we got these awesome pics. They snort in your face when they breathe, it’s hilarious.
It was actually crazy because since the water was murky, you’d be swimming or floating along and all of a sudden, there’s a manatee right next to you, or under you, or swimming by you. You can’t touch them, and I’m not the best swimmer, so it was a little nerve-wracking for me sometimes making sure I didn’t bump into them, or the current didn’t push me into them.
There is also a roped off section where humans can’t go so it’s nice because if they don’t want to be bothered, they can just hang out there and you can hang by the edge and watch them. And the riverbed floor isn’t very deep, some places had giant rocks you could stand on and be out of the water, so even when they’re hanging on the bottom, you’re near them. But to be able to just be in their presence is indescribable.
What’s the Best Way to Get to Crystal River?
Flying into Tampa is probably the easiest option for most people. We love a road trip around here, so Jess and I drove from Texas to Florida. We stayed in Navarre Beach on the way – it was about a 10-hour drive from our house, then went on to Panama City to meet up with one of his USMC brothers, Corey. We stayed there one night and then Corey joined us for the drive down to Crystal River the next day and we met up with another USMC friend, Francesca, and her family. They drove in from Orlando.
The drive was about 4.5 hours from Panama City. We stopped for the most amazing fish/shrimp/ribeye tacos on the way at Mr. G’s Food Truck in Port St. Joe – it’s a must-eat if you’re passing thru.
We stayed the night on a Saturday night in Crystal River, had dinner across the street from our hotel, and got up and went to the tour Sunday morning. After the tour, we were starving so went just North to Pete’s Pier and had a great seafood lunch at another food truck – we also got to watch the pelicans feast on the leftovers of the fishing boats that were coming back in. Then we drove back up to drop Corey off in Panama City and headed West.
On the way home, we stayed in Navarre Beach again – it is an absolutely stunning little stretch of beach. We stayed at the Springhill Suites both times – we had a room overlooking the beach and could leave the door open and see the ocean and listen to the waves - pure magic. February is pretty cool up in that part of Florida so it’s the off season. On our way there on Thursday night, it wasn’t busy at all. On our way home, on Sunday night, it was really busy. Either way, I’d stay there again in a heartbeat.
Is Swimming with Manatees Worth It?
Absolutely! The entire tour, I kept pinching myself. It was so hard to believe we were actually swimming with these amazing, giant creatures. Such a bucket list item. I encourage you to experience it for yourself! If you’re looking for other February destinations, Jackson, WY is beautiful in winter and February is the time to go and see the elk in the National Elk Refuge. Read all about our adventures in Jackson here!
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