Florida is the land of the manatees and the only State of the US that allows people to interact with them legally.
If you live in Florida or it is your next vacation destination, and you want to meet these beautiful and peaceful marine mammals in their natural habitat, here are some options.*
Manatee-world.com does not endorse or recommend any of these facilities or the practice to swim with any wild animal. We include this information for informational purposes because several visitors requested it.
Blue Spring State Park
Location:
2100 W. French Avenue, Orange City, FL 32763.
Audience:
Families, swimmers, and certified divers.
Attractions:
Caribbean manatees refuge, camping, boating, canoeing, kayaking, sustainable fishing, swimming, diving, snorkeling, hiking, picnicking.
Manatee Observation & Education Center
Location:
480 North Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34950
Audience:
Families, school groups
Attractions:
Boating and watching the marine fauna, butterflies, summer camps, boutique.
Manatee Lagoon – FPL Eco-Discovery Center
Location:
6000 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, FL
Audience:
Families, school groups
Attractions:
Manatee observations, educational talks, children’s dynamics, free yoga classes, reading rooms.
Aardvark’s Florida Kayak
Location:
Manatee Ecotours 707 N Citrus Avenue, Suite A, Crystal River, FL 34428
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Kayaking with manatees, swimming with manatees, family tours.
Manatee Guides’ Nature Kayak Tours
Location:
Manatee Ecotours Ft. Myers, FL
timinflorida@hotmail.com
www.manateeguides.com
Audience:
Couples, families
Attractions:
Kayak tours with manatees and view of natural landscapes
Three Sisters Springs
Location:
915 N. Suncoast Blvd Crystal River, FL34429
Audience:
Adults, couples.
Attractions:
Swim with manatees, kayaking, snorkeling, paddle surf, sightings of natural landscapes.
Tampa Electric Company Manatee Viewing Center
Location:
6990 Dickman Rd Apollo Beach, FL 33572
Audience:
Young people, adults.
Attractions:
Walks to watch Manatees, volunteering.
Manatee Park
Location:
10901 State Road 80 (Palm Beach Blvd.) Fort Myers, FL 33905
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Boating, kayaking, picnics, manatee watching, boutique, sustainable fishing, educational activities.
Koreshan State Historic Site
Location:
3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero, FL 33928
Audience:
Families, pet-friendly
Attractions:
Boating, kayaking or canoeing; manatee watching, music events, picnic area, historical tours, sustainable fishing, hiking, wedding planning.
Manatees In Paradise
Location:
1223 N. Circle Drive Crystal River, FL 34429
Email:
mssail5024@aol.com
Audience:
Adults, couples
Attractions:
Boating, manatee watching, educational talks, natural landscape sightings.
Adventure Diving
Location:
Within Crystal River Mall, 1801 N.W. HWY 19 Crystal River Fl. 34428, suite 455.
Audience:
Adventurers, youth, adults
Attractions:
Diving lessons, boat trips to watch manatees, swimming with manatees.
Nature Coast Navigator
Location:
Crystal River, FL. 1-352-445-2755
Audience:
Adventurers, groups of friends, families, couples
Attractions:
Watching and swimming with manatees, boating, diving, golf, cycling, snorkeling, hiking, sustainable fishing.
River Safaris & Gulf Charters
Location:
10823 Yulee Dr. Homosassa, FL 34448
Audience:
Families, groups of friends
Attractions:
Swim with manatees, boating, sustainable fishing, river safaris.
Crystal River Kayak Company & Dive Center
Location Kayak center:
1422 Building B, SE U.S. Hwy 19 Crystal River, FL 34429.
Location Dive center:
1685 SE U.S. Hwy 19 Crystal River, FL 34429
Audience:
Families, groups of friends
Attractions:
Swim with manatees, kayaking, diving training
Manatee Connection Captain Hank Sonnenreich
Location:
267 NW 3rd St. Crystal River, FL 34428
Audience:
Groups of friends, family
Attractions:
Tours and swimming with manatees, boating.
Art N Diving Manatee Tours
Location:
Crystal River, FL
phone: 352-503-6874
email: artndiving@aol.com
Audience:
Adventurers, youth, adults
Attractions:
Swim with manatees, snorkeling, boat ride.
Hook It Charter Bookers
Location:
91 Bay Bridge Suite A, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
Audience:
Adults
Attractions:
Manatee watching, sustainable fishing.
Double J Adventures
Location:
1 SW 1st Place Crystal River, FL 34429
Audience:
couples, groups of friends
Attractions:
Eco tours, swimming with manatees, snorkeling.
Bird’s Underwater
Location:
320 NW Hwy 19, Crystal River, FL 34428
Audience:
Adventurers, couples, families
Attractions:
Swim with manatees, kayaking, diving.
Hunter Springs Kayak Company
Location:
36 NE 4th Street, Crystal River FL 34429
Audience:
Families, groups of friends
Attractions:
Swim with manatees, kayaking, paddle surfing, sustainable fishing.
Manatee Tour and Dive
Location:
36 N.E. 4th Street, Crystal River Florida 34429
Audience:
Families, groups of friends
Attractions:
Kayaking and watching manatees.
Nature Coast Manatee Tours
Location:
5424 S Cherokee Way, Homosassa, FL 34448
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Swim and snorkeling with manatees, educational tours
SEA Education Adventures
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, meeting with dolphins, environmental programs.
Captain Mike’s Sunshine River Tours
Location:
1610 SE Paradise Cir. Crystal River, 34429
Audience:
Families, groups of friends
Attractions:
Swim with manatees, clams collection, boat rides.
Native Sun Tours
Location:
5300 S. Cherokee Way Homosassa, FL 34448
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Swim and snorkeling with manatees
Majestic Manatee Tours
Location:
565 NW 1st Avenue Crystal River Florida 34428
Audience:
Families, couples, pet-friendly
Attractions:
Swim and snorkeling with manatees, boating, kayaking, canoeing, eco tours, paddle surfing.
Family Adventures Charters
Location:
1 SW 1st Pl, Crystal River FL 34429
Audience:
couples, families, groups of friends
Attractions:
Swim and snorkeling with manatees, dolphin tours, sunset cruises, kayaking, hiking.
Blue Heaven River Tours
Location:
10386 W Halls River Road, Homosassa FL 34448
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, boating.
River Ventures Manatee Tour Center
Location:
498 S Kings Bay Dr, Crystal River, FL 34429
Audience:
Groups of friends, families, couples
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, airboat rides, canoeing, kayaking, inflatable skiing.
Fun 2 Dive
Location:
135 NE 3rd St Crystal River, FL 34429
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, kayaking.
Shallow Salt Charters
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Tours with manatees, snorkeling, cruises to see sunsets.
Crystal Lodge Dive Center
Location:
525 NW 7th Ave. Crystal River, FL 34228
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, scuba lessons, boat rentals.
Manatee Paddle
Location:
544 N Citrus Avenue, Crystal River FL 34428
Audience:
couples, families
Attractions:
Surfing rowing and snorkeling in lakes with manatees.
Florida Manatee Adventures
Location:
2880 N Seabreeze Point, Crystal River, Florida 34429
Audience:
Families, groups of friends
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, dolphin tours, clam gathering.
Snorkel With Manatees
Location:
10460 West New York Street, Homosassa FL, 34448
Audience:
Adventurers, families
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, dolphin tours.
Air Tank Divers
Location:
9027 S Suncoast Blvd, Homosassa, FL 34446
Audience:
couples, families
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, scuba lessons, clam gathering.
Riversport Kayaks
Location:
5297 South Cherokee Way, Homosassa, FL 34448
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Swim with manatees, kayaking, sustainable fishing
Homosassa Fishing & Manatee Charters
Location:
5590 S Boulevard Drive, Homosassa FL 34448
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees.
Ozello Boats
Location:
2355 S Ripple Path, Crystal River, Florida 3429
Audience:
Families, groups of friends
Attractions:
Observation of manatees, boat tours, sunset cruises, dolphin tour
Action Manatee Tours
Location:
Crystal River, FL.
(352) 228-1850
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, natural landscapes.
American Pro Diving Center
Location:
821 SE US Hwy 19, Crystal River, FL 34429
Audience:
couples, families
Attractions:
Swim with manatees, snorkeling, scuba diving classes, boating, children’s education programs.
Crystal River Watersports
Location:
2380 US-19 Crystal River, FL 34428
Audience:
Families
Attractions:
Diving, snorkeling with manatees, kayaking, swimming courses for children.
Mellow Mangrove Charters
Location:
5380 S Boulevard, Homosassa FL 34448
Audience:
couples, families
Attractions:
Kayaking with manatees, boat trips.
Plantation Adventure Center & Dive Shop
Location:
9301 W Fort Island Trail, Crystal River FL 34429
Audience:
Adventurers, couples, families
Attractions:
Snorkeling with manatees, guided tours, private tours
MANATEES IN CAPTIVITY
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Location:
4150 S. Suncoast Blvd. (US 19), Homosassa, FL 34446
Audience:
Families, Pet-friendly
Attractions:
Guided hike or boat tours, manatee watching, other animals watching, trekking, wedding planning.
Lowry Park Zoo
Location:
1101 W. Sligh Avenue, Tampa, FL 33604
Audience:
Families, children
Attractions:
Manatee Watching and other protected animals.
Parker Manatee Aquarium South Florida Museum
Location:
201 10th Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205
Audience:
Families, children
Attractions:
Aquarium, manatee rehabilitation, planetarium, museum, educational programs, volunteering
SeaWorld Orlando
Location:
7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando, FL 32821
Audience:
Families, children
Attractions:
Mechanical games, shows, animal experiences, educational talks, water park
The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot / Walt Disney World
Location:
200 Epcot Center Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL
Audience:
The whole family
Attractions:
Water parks, lakes with manatees.
Miami Seaquarium
Location:
4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne, FL 33149
Audience:
The whole family
Attractions:
Marine animals, animal shows, educational talks.
References
www.savethemanatee.org/places.htm
www.discovercrystalriverfl.com/play/meet-a-manatee/
