While in Crystal River, we took 2 boat trips: a private sunset tour with Manatees in Paradise, and a private swim tour with a different company the next day. Both of the companies we used are Save the Manatee Club Guardian Guides, which was important to us. Our sunset tour with Manatees in Paradise was infinitely better than our experience with the other company, for a few reasons. First of all, Captain Jake is awesome -- super knowledgeable, personable, laid back and obviously respects the area and the wildlife. The boat was extremely clean, organized and comfortable. Plus, their boats have a cage around the propeller, which further protects manatees (most other companies do not have this, including the other Guardian Guide company we used). We also loved that Captain Jake was flexible and tailored the trip to our interests. The entire experience was what we expected from a private tour and seems to be the highest quality option available in the area, yet the prices are exceedingly reasonable. This was our first time visiting Crystal River, but we will absolutely come back soon for a manatee swim tour with Manatees in Paradise. I wish we had booked both of our boat tours with them in the first place! read more

My girlfriend and I came to the port not knowing what to expect, being from Chicago. We met Sandy on the pier and found her to be both knowledgeable and extremely personable. Once on board, Captain Jake led us to all the popular hang-outs to see Manatees up close and personable. In a nutshell, the three hours we spent with Jake and Sandy was truly an enjoyable experience. If you want a personal tour and not the big business rush job, book these people!! read more

Awesome time Casey and Jake went above and beyond to ensure we all experienced the manatees They also gave us the history of Kings Bay and explained the conservation efforts taking place Highly recommend read more

Manatees In Paradise - Great time swimming with Manatees - Boat Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

We went on a private afternoon manatee swim with Celeste and Jake on 2 - 11 - 26 & had a blast. Both were easy to get along with and knowledgeable of the area / manatees. All the equipment was provide: wetsuits, snorkel, goggles, pool noodle (to float on), and even anti - fog spray for inside the goggles. Highly recommended Manatees in Paradise and would use them again. read more

JUST BOOK IT!!! 10 outta 10! I spent days researching companies. We couldn't have been more thrilled with the owners and guides, Jake and Casey. They have the nicest boat we saw on the water, the guides are super knowledgeable and small group size. Swimming with the manatees with this company was all we dreamed of and more! While other companies had large groups in a circle around one manatee, we were actually swimming around with them. Epic beyond belief! read more

We had a fantastic day out in the springs. Our guides/captain did a great job getting us up close and personal with the manatees. We learned interesting facts about the surrounding and the wildlife. Definitely recommend! read more

Manatees In Paradise - Boat Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

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Had a wonderful time with friends snorkeling with the manatees! Our guides were very knowledgeable and had great recommendations for our tour. It was amazing to see manatees up close. This tour was definitely smaller and more personal than any others we saw while we were out. Absolutely recommend! read more

We booked a trip with this Fine outfit, and had to reschedule twice, which they handled effortlessly and with grace! We took out 11 year old Grandson, as he has been studying manatees for 4 years now, and this was his dream trip! Jacob and Shawn were amazing guides! We saw 14 manatees, up close and personal, including new born calf! We swam with them, and got to see one group of three twice! Our crew was very informative, and very respectful of not just the manatees, but all of the local wildlife! I highly recommend that you choose these fine fellows. You won't be sorry!! read more

Drove up to Crystal River while visiting family in Tampa for a manatee tour with Manatees in Paradise, and cannot recommend this tour company enough! Derek and crew were super communicative when I booked so my dad and I were able to participate (I have chronic illness and needed to plan logistics ahead). They clearly care a lot about the manatees and their Crystal River habitat. They knew where to go to spot some manatees, and how to put the manatees first while having a wonderful experience; a manatee swam right up to me while I observed (I stayed still and enjoyed an amazing passing view)!! Truly a special experience enjoying the clear water and magnificent creatures. Seeing manatees from the boat deck was exciting too. I would highly recommend Manatees in Paradise and hope to return myself! Underwater GoPro pics were a surprise bonus, love sharing the memory!! Super happy to find a responsible tour company committed to conservation and animal welfare! read more

Manatees In Paradise - Boat Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

What an amazing experience!! Casey and Jake were the best tour guides that went above and beyond to ensure we had an experience to remember. Definitely a bucket list item!!! I would definitely go again!! read more

Captains worked very hard to make sure our experience was perfect. It was a small group and a very enjoyable day. We saw so many manatee's

My daughter and I took a trip to FL specifically to swim with the manatees. Prior to our trip, I researched eco tours as it is important to us to make the least impact on the natural environment. Manatees in Paradise is one of only two Save the Manatee certified tour providers in the Crystal River area. Derek and Jake were absolutely wonderful! We had a scheduling issue that required shifting our tour date and Derek was accommodating to our request. They only take 6 customers per tour so the experience was intimate and personalized. Both Derek and Jake were well versed on the local ecosystem and were eager to share their knowledge with us and the other guests. All of the equipment we needed was provided. We will absolutely book with Manatees in Paradise next time we return read more

Jacob and Casey led us on a beautiful tour of the waters of Crystal River and a very pleasant swim with some gentle manatees. They made the tour very fun - full of laughs. They are also extremely respectable of the manatees and we appreciate their love and care of these creatures made by our Creator. Thank you so much! read more

My husband and I were going to Clearwater for a little minimoon after our wedding. My husband, knowing my love of manatees since I was a kid, mentioned Clearwater wasn't too far from Crystal River where manatees go during the winter. I was so excited! I found Manatees in Paradise after doing some research on the best tours and also saw them recommended on savethemanatee.org. We definitely wanted a responsible tour company while also giving us a once in a lifetime experience. Capt's Stacy and Mike were just that! It was the first day of "manatee season" in November and happened to be a particularly chilly morning. That was in our favor! There were not a lot of people out on the water and even less in the water. There were only two others on the tour with us, but they didn't even go in the water because of the cold. Shortly after leaving the dock, Stacy had us put on our floaty wetsuits and we went in. She lead us to a mother and baby in a little inlet. I almost died I was so happy! We were able to just float and watch them interact uninterrupted for as long as we wanted. It was so amazing! At one point, the mother came very close to me to check me out. My heart almost stopped. They were adorable! We saw several other manatees in another location as well as they passed by munching on the grass. Truly gentle giants. The experience was more than I could have hoped for, and we were never rushed. Capt's Stacy and Mike's expert eyes and love for the wellbeing of the manatees is what made it such a memorable experience. We both hope to make it back for another tour one day. I highly recommend Manatees in Paradise to anyone that has a love and appreciation for manatees. Capt's Stacy and Mike are fantastics and true experts! read more

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Wonderful experience! Tour guides Jacob and Casey were awesome - nice and laid back but very knowledgeable about the manatees and the area. We had a great time and can't wait to go back! read more

I was out observing from a kayak about a week ago and this past weekend. And yes I'm aware of all the good you guys do, but if I could just point out how unbelievably rude I found you guys being to tourists. I have been a frequent visitor of kings bay for years and I'm no stranger to manatee conservation. However yes the crowds of tourist have became over whelming. But it's our job to educate the new comes on manatee manners as you call it. But there is a much politer way to do this. read more

BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!!!! Stacy and Derek thank you for the best day of my life!!!!!!!!! I want to come back and swim again!!!!! I was with Marsha and the gang on Thursday November 4th!!!! I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THE PICTURES!!!!! read more

Spent Valentine's Day with Manatee's in Paradise and had an amazing time! Captain Derek and Jacob made sure that our experience was special from start to finish. We were very fortunate to see and swim with so many manatees. MiP is extremely careful to treat the animals with respect, making sure that any interactions are on the manatees terms. Derek is also environmentally conscious and is involved in making sure that the community does everything possible to see that the manatees are protected and can thrive in the Crystal River and Kings Bay area. This was our second outing with MiP and we would definitely return again if we had the opportunity. read more

I've been forever wanting to swim with manatees (it was even an item on our bucket list), so when we had a wedding in Florida in January, we decided it was time to finally take the plunge!! We deliberately choose Manatees in Paradise based on their eco-friendly and manatee-friendly way of running their business. You first meet up at the gift shop of the club where you watch a video prior to swimming on manatee conservation and how to interact with them when in the water. Then you get your wetsuit on and you're off in the boat!! First area we went to was far too crowded with other companies/people there so we moved on to another area where it was only our 2 boats. This was much calmer and there were a handful of manatees (some mating--we were told to stay away from those ones as they can move a lot and be a bit dangerous if they accidentally hit you as well as a couple of others and a mother and calf). It was so fun to be with them in the water. I never realized how big they truly were until then!! After swimming around there for a bit we moved on to the springs area, where it was very warm and as long as we stayed still they enjoyed being around us and came out from their protected/roped off area! It was so fun to be around them and they would sometimes bump into Stacy because they recognize her and wanted to play a bit. One thing about Manatees in Paradise is they ask you not to touch the manatees, which while I wanted to do this so badly, is respectful of the manatees. We are in their area, where they like to relax and feel safe. This is where they retire for the colder months. How would you like someone touching you when you are trying to relax in a spa?? So with that mentality, while other tour companies allow their clients to touch the manatees here they ask you not to. If I'm ever in the area, I'd definitely go back!! I'd very highly recommend Manatees in Paradise when looking for a company to swim with manatees!! read more

These guys are the greatest. Not only are they there to protect the species but the time we had was fabulous! My wife and I had one of the greatest times snorkling around and we saw Manatees, lots of them. We were told that there wold be very few because of the warm weather but we found them and swam with them. Highly recommending these folks. read more

Visited Mike and Stacy and a bunch of manatees with a very short notice. Stacy replied to my email inquiries within the same day, a day before the tour took place. Mike then took us on a manatee tour which was very well organized. No downtime waiting, everything was ready to go within schedule. Mike knew the area like the back of his hand, showing us the best manatee spots and underwater springs which made to water crystal clear. He also shared a lot of knowledge about manatees and the programs to protect them. During the 3+ hour tour we got to see more then enough of manatees, schools of fish at the underwater springs, turtles and of course the beautiful surroundings of the area. Overall a great experience, good times and long lasting memories =) read more

We contacted Capt. Stacy via their email on their website on a Wednesday before our Saturday morning trip and by Thursday we had all the details taken care of. I was already impressed with her communication and attention to detail from the emails in regards to the plans of our trip. We left Clearwater, FL at 8:30 AM and arrived in Crystal River at 10:00 AM with enough time to get our swimsuits and snorkel gear ready for the 10:30 AM, which launches near the motel and their slips. When we arrived Capt. Stacy was full of smiles and delight to take my husband and I on private tour of the Crystal River and the manatees for 3 hours. We watched a short video on the interacting with the manatees. It only took us about 20 minutes to find our first pod of manatees. We soon were in the water and swimming with our first manatee. The large adult manatees were impressive, but were not as curious as the baby manatee. The manatee calf was very curious and for an hour we were able to take pictures of the calf interacting with us and the boat. Capt. Stacy guided us to the manatees and around the manatees while we were in the water. This greatly helped us in our experience in interacting and taking pictures with the manatees. Plus, Capt Stacy took pictures of us the entire time with her own camera, which she later emailed to us the same day. For the remainder of the trip, we cruised the bay/river learning about the manatees, their protection and Capt. Stacy's experience in saving the manatees. Having been on several marine mammal trips, this was by far the best, since Capt. Stacy didn't view our 2 person trip as business, but rather a classroom on a boat. Please go to Capt. Stacy for your manatee tour. Your family and friends won't be disappointed! read more

We were with a different group and they barged in on our group and talked loudly behind our back about how we were "in their face" when we were floating 5+ feet away. Staff was rude, immature, and invasive. read more

There are lots of swimming with Manatee outfits in Crystal River and they all pretty much hang out at the same place so it may be hard to choose one. I deliberately choose Manatees in Paradise for their ecoadventure approach to the conservation of these gentile creatures. Mike and Stacy are two of the Manatee's biggest advocates in Crystal River. They are responsible for much of the measures Florida has taken to protect this endangered species. The participate in dozens of rescue missions, help with annual tagging and tracking and Mike was lecturing another outfit at the protected springs who had clients who were violating the rules set up to protect the Manatee populations. As much as I LOVE animal interactions, it's a must for me to do so in a way that protects those animals. Manatees in Paradise was a good fit for me on that front. Although it is illegal to touch Manatees in Florida now, I still ran across other operations that allowed it opening up their guests for huge fines and changing some of the behaviors of the manatees. Mike enforced passive observation on his tour and he was policing other groups that were out at the same time as we were. He also helped another lady from a different tour that was getting frightened by the Manatees to calm her down so she could enjoy herself and she wouldn't have accidentally freaked out and hurt a Manatee. By doing that it also allowed a better experience for my boat and everyone else that was hoping to swim with the Manatees in that area. Most captains were on their boat and no one else would have stepped up and made sure the situation was controlled like he did. As for the experience, we went just before Thanksgiving in late November. We were told we saw the first day of a large population of Manatees because it had just gotten cold enough in the Gulf for the Manatees to come in to the river. I can't tell you how many we saw, but there were dozens. Several were up to actively swimming around us and there was even more of them visible in the protected section of the springs. We made 3 stops and have interactions at all stops. 2 had clearer water which was a better experience all around. At one of the springs we encountered a Manatee teenager that was a bit of a molester. Remember it's unacceptable to harass and touch a Manatee but it's open season for a Manatee to harass and touch a person. The manatee molester grabbed my arm and hugged it for a bit and rubbed his snout on me. He went on with his business and he either came back or it was another one that eventually grabbed my leg and was resting his head on my back for what seemed like minutes while he nuzzled me. I was getting a bit concerned when he started to pull us into the protected areas of the springs but I couldn't struggle and risk hurting him either. Eventually he let go and was giving arm hugs and grabbing legs of others (and no I never felt in danger... he was being affectionate and playing). It was hilarious to watch, a bit concerning when it happens to you but it's a wonderful memory of the day. Most of the manatees ignored us and went about their usual business - which is the expectation I'd have going into it but the captains of all the different boats just laughed knowingly when we started to announce someone was grabbing bums in the water and getting a bit fresh. This outfit was a bit more expensive than some others. It cost $124 all included for both of us (it would be cheaper for groups as some of the fees like parking are one time only). They do not take credit cards. They included pictures taken by mike which turned out well (he got into the water with us) and our wet suits. We might have been able to go for 2/3s of that and maybe seen the same animals, but it was nice to be in a group of 5 (6 is max) and I liked supporting someone so active in the conservation and protection of these creatures that have left me with such wonderful memories. Overall I thought the price was still very reasonable for the experience I received and I would highly recommend them and might just revisit the manatees another time with this outfit again! read more

Was not on her tour but ran into her on our tour,and she was very rude. She loudly talked about us, even though we were being respectful, and acted immature. Despite our short encounter she made an impression our experience. read more

We ran into these people when we weren't even with their tour or any tour at all for that matter..we were just kayaking out to check out the manatees, which we do every single year. I was in the water when a manatee just kept coming up to me wanting to check me out. Meanwhile, I hear this man and his wife yelling loudly with all families to hear that " that girl over there is touching the manatee"! Also, "learn some manatee rules and manners". First off, I don't hover, chase, pursue, hug, or bother the manatees. However, if one comes to me and wants to play, I will lightly touch them with "1" hand on the back. I read the rules and I knew a lot about the manatees before I even started coming out years ago. I don't need these rude people yelling and making a scene. If there is a problem, there is a decent way to say something. Don't be a jackass! You completely ruined our trip out there that day and your wife was an even bigger ass! Do yourselves a favor and DO NOT take a tour with these people. read more

The best manatee tour ever! Mike and Stacy know everything there is to know about Manatees. They also really look after the wildlife population, which means you are strictly not allowed to touch them. Which in turn leads to a much greater experience because the animals feel comfortable around you. We spend a long time with them in the very clear water (May) and had a great opportunity to observe them closely. Very relaxing and inspiring experience. This was our second time with Mike and Stacy and we will surely come again. As a bonus Mike & Stacy take pictures and film you so you can concentrate on these lovely creatures. Experience of a lifetime, don't go anywhere else if you care about these animals! read more

Captain Stacy and Captain Mike are not your average tour boat operators....they actively participate in manatee rescues and manatee health assessments with the local agencies in their community. If anyone knows where the manatees are hanging out, it's Mike & Stacy! All the equipment and wetsuits are provided or you can bring your own. You will also get underwater photos and video clips of your swim. This is my second year swimming with the manatees....so much fun and so amazing to swim next to these gentle giants. I'll be back next year. read more

I can't believe it's taken me 2 1/2 years to write this review. I cannot say enough about my experience with Manatees in Paradise. From the very first email, Mike and Stacy were friendly, prompt and enjoyable to work with. My husband and I booked a private tour in February of 2015 and Stacy was our captain. We loved how much she knew about the manatees and how much she cared about them. This clearly isn't just a business for them; they clearly genuinely want to help manatees. Stacy was patient with us when we didn't know how to snorkel and really made us feel comfortable in the water. I'd been so excited to do this and she did not disappoint. We didn't feel rushed in any way by her even though I'm sure she had more tours later in the day. We were able to get extremely close to many manatees by being passive and still in the water. A baby got very close to my face and I had to (slowly) grab my hair so he wouldn't try to munch on it, when a client from another tour came swimming in to poke and touch the poor baby so he left. As much as I enjoyed the experience, it made me sad to see the manatees treated poorly by other tour companies and their clients. I emailed Stacy the week after our tour to see if we could schedule another tour while we were still in the area. Instead of booking the tour and accepting our $400, Stacy was so kind to tell me that many manatees had moved out of the area and it wasn't as "good". It takes a special kind of person - especially a business owner - to be honest and lose some income like that. I was very impressed. The other tours in the area don't seem to care nearly as much about these animals as Mike and Stacy and that is enough for me. Their knowledge, love and work for the manatees sets them apart from everyone else and I truly enjoyed this experience and won't forget it. Thank you, Stacy for making these memories that will last my lifetime so perfect. read more