Best Places To Swim With Manatees In Florida

Manatees, the teddy bears of the sea, and are some of the most intriguing animals on earth. Adult manatees weigh over 1,000 lbs, but they are not to fear, as they solely eat plant greenery below the ocean surface. Luckily, Florida has some of the most concentrated manatee populations in the world, particularly in the Crystal River, in West Central Gulf Coast Florida. A word of caution before reading this article is that manatees are endangered species that should never be touched in their natural habitat. A small disturbance by a human can cause manatees to alter much of their behavior, so please, swim with, but do not touch the manatees if you want them to exist for future generations! 

Hunter Springs Park manatees

Hunter Springs Park is a public Florida state park, which means that experiences here are free to the public! Hunter Springs is a beautiful coastal park with a small beach, swimming areas, and kayak launches. Because the Crystal River (the biggest manatee hotspot in the world!) runs through this area, manatees can often be seen in the water at Hunter Springs, especially in the colder months.

see other Wildlife

For an expansive experience, check out this 3-hour snorkeling tour with the objective of swimming with manatees. This tour begins with a boat ride down the Indian River to the Crystal River where you can snorkel and observe manatees. Additionally, on this boat ride down the river, you are likely to see many other types of wildlife such as dolphins and eagles. 

• Take a Boat Ride Near the Manatees

  

  • • • Finally, if you would prefer not to swim in the water with the manatees, but rather allow them their own space, then a boat tour with Manatee and Eco River Tours Orange River may be the best option for you. This tour is 2.5 hours and runs most frequently in the colder months when manatees are in Florida. The boat this tour takes place on is fitted with propeller guards so as to not disturb the manatees in their natural habitat.

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