Bucket List Check - I have loved Manatee’s since the age of 4 and have dreamt of a wild encounter with them since. Almost 40 years later my boyfriend wanted to make this dream come true and booked a private guided tour with Manatee Adventures. I had grown up in the Caribbean and was a Marine Park Ranger for years. I have swam with wild dolphins, sharks, whales, turtles you name it and I have swam with them. That didn’t prepare me for what was about to happen on this tour. I was hoping to see a manatee or two that would fulfill my bucket list dream but instead had the best wild swim of my life. The staff was amazing and extremely knowledgeable about the area and the manatee’s. They always answered all questions with a smile that let you know how much they really love what they do. From the moment we entered the water and saw these beautiful creatures I knew that this was going to be different. There were so many of them that everywhere you looked you saw two, three, four, five. These were the most curious and playful sea animals that I have ever been in the water with. The rule is that you do not touch them but you don’t have to. I was nudged to many times to count. The Babies would come over and suckle on my hand. I am even more in love with them than I ever was. This was absolute joy for us!! Honestly, I never wanted to get out of the water but it was cold and we had hot chocolate and coffee waiting for us on the boat when we got back on. I will recommend this company and this tour to everyone. We will definitely be back and ask for the same amazing team. When you book this tour, ask for Captain Cris and Guide Crystal. They made it amazing.

Best tour to swim with Manatees in Crystal River - Amazing experience to swim with manatees. Highly recommend. There are quite a few operators running the same tour. But I'm so glad we picked this one. We left earlier. That gave us almost 40 minutes in the water all alone with the manatees. Once it got busy, other groups stir up the bottom and reduce visibility. Also, 6 people is really much better than a bigger group. Al (the captain) and Crystal (the guide) are top notch professionals and know the best spots. Also, no extra fee for photos, that's nice!