This company took very good care of us and made sure we had the best experience. Juan and Ralph are…read moreknowledgeable about the manatee and wildlife in the area It was a very chilly morning but they made sure we were comfortable with blankets and hot chocolate! They take care of the photos which means we were just able to take in and enjoy our time with the manatees.

Great experience and knowledgable friendly staff. Gorgeous day and boat was clean and safe.read more

Garrett was a blast! We are just coming into the warm season and most manatees are back in the…read moregulf, he still got us to 7 manatees, 2 gators, and we caught a dolphin in kings bay towards the end. He gave us plenty of time to look for things to come up out of the water which was great for my 2 year old. Boat was shaded and was enjoyable even with a small child. Other tours wouldn't let me book because she was under 3- we brought our own lifevest but they did also have some on board that were her size.

Thank you Piper and Wade (best guide and captain combo ever!) for an experience my wife and I will…read morenever forget! Amazing! We learned so much and got to go face to face with a big old male. Piper's encouragement and direction kept us calm when things got exciting! Would recommend to everyone who loves nature. Also the office staff were gracious and made great recommendation for lunch at a local deli. 100% glad we chose these guys.

LOVE THIS PARK! it offers easy drop in access for your paddlecraft and has a beachy swimming area…read moreto enjoy for when you're done. Parking is limited but there are many other places to park nearby.

Florida has some amazing parks. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful area…read more The beach here is gorgeous and there are chance encounters with the manatee, but no touchie!

Well our captain John surely gave us an educational tour on the freshwater marina hoping to see…read moremanatees... We had the chance to glance a couple of them ! But only one barely surfaced while its mouth was munching on the grass above the water!! Manatee Season is actually in November thru March... have to come back to experience such encounter!!

It was amazing. You actually swim with the Manatee. I took my husband for his birthday. It was on…read morehis bucket list. He said "It was exactly how he imagined it."

Did the tour over Christmas holiday to Florida. Plan ahead early, they fill up fast! Great tour,…read morevery efficient. Captian and dive instructor did a great job. Nice warm jackets provided between dives which is a great help...gets chilly between dives. Took us to three dive spots and we were not disappointed, manatees everywhere! Big sweet docile creatures, very nice. Water is warm coming out of springs, and very clear in the early morning hour we were there. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who love animals and see in their habitat.

Capt Greg was very informative about the area and the manatees. Our guide in the water, Leah,…read moreseemed to be the manatee whisperer and she attracted a few to her. It was on my bucket list to swim with these wonderful, gentle creatures and I am more than satisfied with our experience. I think we were a little late in the season because they are moving out of the very clear water toward the warming ocean. If I do it again, I would chose December or January to see hundreds of them in the river. Very positive experience with this company because they truly love and want to protect the manatees.

Manatee Paddle truly went above and beyond to make our experience positive, exciting, and…read moreeducational. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with genuine smiles, warmth, and encouragement. I was personally a bit nervous since I hadn't paddle boarded much before, but every step of the way we felt supported and truly cared for. Hearing about the family's passion for protecting the ecosystem and the manatees, along with all the helpful tips they shared to optimize our experience, was absolutely incredible. When we got to the dock, we were guided so kindly - Mike even held our shoes in his truck for us! When he noticed me struggling a bit, he took the time to give me multiple tips on how to better move in the water and maneuver the board, which made such a difference. We saw so many manatees, including mama and baby pairs, which was unforgettable. When we returned to the dock and shared how excited we were, Mike went above and beyond once again by recommending another nearby location we could walk to where we ended up seeing even more manatees up close and personal. I would 10/10 recommend Manatee Paddle to anyone looking for an incredible manatee experience. I am so grateful to Mike and his family for making our day so special. THANK YOU!!

If I could give this place 10 stars, I would. Paddle boarding with this crew in Crystal River was…read morehands down one of the best experiences I've had in Florida, and it's because of the people behind the business--Aidan, Mike, and Mandy. From the moment we showed up, they made us feel like family. Aidan was the first one to greet us, and right away you could tell how passionate he is about the river, the wildlife, and making sure every single guest feels confident before heading out on the boards. He has this calm, encouraging way about him that instantly puts you at ease--even if you've never stepped foot on a paddleboard before. He gave us tips, shared fun facts about the area, and somehow managed to keep the whole group laughing the entire time. Mike is the backbone of the operation--the guy making sure all the boards, paddles, and gear are in perfect condition, the one double-checking that everything runs smoothly so you don't have to worry about a thing. It's obvious how much pride he takes in the business, because everything is organized, well-maintained, and set up to give you the best possible experience. He's also just genuinely fun to chat with before and after you head out--one of those people who makes you feel like an old friend after five minutes. And then there's Mandy, who is truly the heart of the operation. She's warm, welcoming, and on top of everything. From making the booking process super smooth to making sure we had everything we needed for the day, she's the reason the whole experience felt so seamless. She checked in with us multiple times, gave us great local recommendations for after our paddle, and just made the whole day feel special. What really stood out to me was how much this team cares--not just about giving people a fun day on the water, but about the environment, the river, and the wildlife that call it home. They take time to educate guests about respecting the ecosystem, and you leave not only having had an amazing adventure, but also feeling like you've learned something important. I've been on plenty of tours and excursions, but very few have left me with such a lasting impression. These guys aren't just running a business--they're building memories for people, and they clearly love doing it. If you're anywhere near Crystal River, don't waste your time looking at other paddle board companies. This is the one. Between Aidan's energy, Mike's behind-the-scenes dedication, and Mandy's incredible hospitality, you won't find a better team anywhere. Do yourself a favor and book with them--you'll thank me later.

Dunnellon was once a great place to live but all good things come to an end…read more The push for over development. The faulty electrical grids. The push for water restrictions while still adding unlimited new houses by developers... The growing abundance of traffic and overcrowded roads. The Rainbow Springs park suffocating under overcrowding, rude people, trash and an overworked aquafilter from suntan oils alcohol and diapers. The lack of retail stores for these new people to shop.. All the above have basically begun the strangulation of a once great community. But the same greed that is driving voted in politicians in the Marion County Government is affecting all the smaller communities also.

If you've ever driven down a crappy old lime rock back road in The Sunshine State, you can show of…read moreyour appreciation or irritation to Dunnellon. Lime rock is a waste product of phosphate mining, and phosphate mining is the third largest industry in Florida and until recently Dunnellon was the self-proclaimed "Phosphate Center of the World" the industry makes money by having its waste mixed into asphalt as a paving material and used in many parts of Florida still today. It's principal used was as a fertilizer, the crown of the phosphate industry now resides in Mulberry a few hours south, driving through town it seems it's lost much more than its crown. I can't speak much of Dunnellon since my time here was brief, it lies west of Ocala and north of Homosassa. This town is located on the Rainbow and Withlacoochee rivers hence the reason I am here and probably the reason many of the town's visitors flock here, camping, kayaking and tubing on these beautiful rivers seem to be the draw.

Captain Steve was great, very informative, very upbeat. Glad we took the tour as we had a great…read moreview of Crystal River, even though what we saw of a manatee could have easily been a shark. Just saw a dark body underwater and knew it was a manatee because of the antenna attached.

From the moment we arrived, we knew this was going to be a good day. We were greeted warmly and…read morefitted with our wetsuits and snorkels right away. After a safety briefing, we headed out to the boat where our Captain and first mate, Tori educated us about manatee while scouting for them. The water is 72* year-round. Beautiful sunny day and cool water. Nice!! We saw many manatee. They are huge! I mean HUGE!! We saw mamas and babies, pregnant mamas, and, cows and bulls doing what looked like WWE wrestling. How you say? Sexy time! 10/10 recommend! No pictures. Unlike most touristy places, they don't take photos. ‍

We've attended the Manatee Festival in Crystal River for probably 15 years, and it's always been…read moresomething we genuinely look forward to. Overall, it's still a fun festival, and the opportunity to view the manatees is always beautiful. The educational aspect is especially important and well done--it helps the public appreciate and respect these animals without harming them. That said, the festival has changed in ways that are disappointing. Charging $10 per person just to enter feels excessive, especially considering the lack of basic accommodations for attendees. The food vendor setup is poorly designed. Some vendors are placed in areas you don't even see until after you've already eaten, which hurts both the vendors and the guests. With such a large festival, having two food sections is fine--but one of them, despite drawing thousands of people, had only one picnic table. There were virtually no places to sit and eat, leaving people standing awkwardly while trying to eat messy festival food. The porta-john situation was also inadequate for the crowd size. There simply weren't enough to accommodate the number of people attending. It feels like the festival has been redesigned in a way that doesn't make much sense logistically, and there's a growing sense of greed without a corresponding improvement in services for patrons. We still enjoy the festival and will always appreciate the manatee experience, but the organizers really need to refocus on crowd flow, seating, restroom availability, and overall attendee comfort--especially if they're going to continue charging admission.

I checked out the Florida Manatee Festival for the first time in 2023. The festival helps bring…read moreawareness to the gentle giant, the manatee. As well as help support local and regional businesses. The festival was much larger than I imagined. Blocks and blocks of vendor tents. Even on the side streets. Tons of food, arts and crafts, t-shirts, hats and even alcohol. It was dog friendly and the cost to enter was $5, children under 12 were free. I never realized how much I loved manatees until experiencing them in person. There were several natural springs in Crystal River that attracts the manatees when the Gulf of Mexico water gets cold. The natural springs have a constant water temperature of 72 degrees. I found a manatee t-shirt from an artist who shot the picture on the shirts. Amazing! I also purchased a Crystal River ball cap from one of the local stores as their prices were cheaper than the festival prices. I also enjoyed a delicious gator poboy sandwich. Yummy! I would absolutely recommend the festival! But don't forget to check out the manatees in the springs while you're there.