Clearly I'm in the minority, but I feel like the trip was too pricey for the experience especially because that does not include tips for 3 people or the $35 photos. I've gone with a River Ventures twice. The first time was fantastic. Our captain was Glenn, and it was summer. We weren't sure if we would see many manatees, but the guide went all over the bay to find some to swim with. That was invaluable. This time we were in the water for 5 minutes tops before we were off the boat in the water with many manatees. If we had a few more days in the area, I would buy or rent a snorkel and go into the water from Hunter Springs Park and swim with manatees without a company. read more

A truly amazing experience, one of the best I have ever had. Jumped off the boat and there was a gigantic manatee swimming underneath me not even a couple minutes later. Irish Dave and Matt were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. If you live or are visiting anywhere near here, you need to do this at least once! Also, Brave Wilderness filmed their manatee YouTube episode with them, so you know they're legit. read more

My family recently had a family reunion in Fl, so we wanted to do something all together. We found River Ventures. The whole process was a great experience. I have great pictures of the manatees. Our guides had a great sense of humor and made the trip so pleasurable. This was a trip of a lifetime and I'm glad that River Ventures was part of it. read more

We had an excellent manatee experience with River Ventures. Our guides, Emerson (and I'm sorry I don't remember the other guide's name) were great. They made sure we found many manatees in multiple locations. Even when it was getting time to turn back, they kept at it, spotting more animals for us to swim with. They seemed to keep the group sizes small and were very respectful of other tour operators. By contrast, there was another company who packed 15-20 people on their boat and were very loud and obnoxious, yelling to each other when they spotted animals, swimming with flippers on and moving through our groups. Essentially, relying on our guides to find animals it appeared. I would highly recommend this excursion if you're anywhere in the area. It was an hour and 45 minutes from Orlando but well worth the trip because it ended up being a highlight for us. It was recommended to us to go in the morning, which is a more optimal time to see the animals. Worked out for us! read more

WOW- Is the only way to describe River Ventures and the experience we had with Dave and Emerson as our guide/captains/photographers. Swimming with manatees have been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember and we decided to visit the south west coast this year in lieu of an international trip we originally planned, which I am thrilled we did. We stayed in St. Petersburg and drove up to Crystal River (not too bad, but would potentially be better to stay in Orlando, Tampa, or somewhere a bit closer if possible). The Office was easy to find, with lots or parking and a fun gift shop to look over before/after your venture with the manatees. I truly appreciate the love and dedication that we were shown the entire time though- first with the educational video and information about the refuge and conservation efforts being made for and to the area and manatees, the info about snorkeling and best manatee viewing practices, as well as the time taken to ensure that everyone on our tour was comfortable and had a fantastic time. The tour we booked was for 7:15, but you should plan to get there 15 minutes ahead of your reservation time to watch the video/change/load into the van. The tour included myself and my dad, and two separate families of four (10 people total), but at no point did it feel crowded or uncomfortable (social distancing in mind) and everyone was mindful of one another and CDC guidelines/recommendations for health and safety. We were able to purchase all the photos when we got back to the office, and it was WELL worth it to purchase the entire trips worth of photos to save and share with friends and family. We had a chance to see and swim with multiple manatees, including two moms/babies in super shallow and crystal clear water. We will certainly be back to visit again and again and will continue to choose River Ventures in the future. Could not recommend more!! read more

I could not have asked for a better experience! Mike and Wade were so knowledgeable and funny! There were only 9 of us on a boat, and it felt like such a personable experience. It didn't feel like we were just "another group of the day." A cold front had just come in the night before so there was a transition period going on. It did take good bit before we found any manatees, but BOY once we did! What a surreal experience. We were catching most of them while they were feeding so we got to see them chomping away. In the gift shop they sell disposable cameras and those phone zip loc bags, which we decided not to buy; however, Mike took great pictures the whole time in the water and we bought those. read more

I was in the process of booking a scallop tour in July for 3 people and I called River Ventures. While I was booking, the person helping me was very honest about the depressed scalloping harvest this year. She actually was willing to lose business to keep her customers happy! I ended up booking a manatee tour instead, she said they were seeing manatees with babies! I've been on a tour with them before and they are very customer oriented and go out of their way to be sure you have the best experience. These guys will always be my go to for water adventures here in Florida. read more

I don't even know where to start, this company/tour is so amazing! I was visiting Florida with some friends for a few days a week ago and was trying to squeeze several fun things in including this manatee swim and airboat tour on the last day before flying home. This ended up being the absolute best thing we did the entire trip! When we walked in, we were greeted by Jen who was very nice and helpful about all of our questions we had since we arrived about an hour early, she made us feel very welcome and glad we chose that tour. The shop there has lots of nice manatee souvenirs too! We went on the tour with Captain/Guides Trish and Wade which were so awesome! They were super friendly and you could tell they fully enjoyed taking people out to see the manatees and shared much knowledge with us about their behaviors and what to do and what not to do. They found a couple manatees that were alreadt surrounded by people so instead of just being a typical tour operator, they went above and beyond to spend more time to find other manatees that were in a more relaxed state where the water hadn't been churned up by crowds and sure enough a few minutes later there were 4+ manatees! They helped us get in the water and made it very easy since Trish knew the spot to be the whole time, you just go where she's at. Since I was a little kid, manatees have been my favorite animal but I've never seen one until I did this tour. We drove a few hours across Florida just to do this and it was well worth it! To make the trip even better, Trish took photos the whole time while in the water and had them available to see/purchase at the end and I felt like that's such a great option to know that you can just enjoy being in the water with the manatees while you let her take the photos. My friends and I are already planning another trip back to Florida but with this being the main attraction. We also booked the combo with an airboat tour through River Ventures which was just up the road and let me tell you that was the cherry on top! If you have the time, book the manatee swim and the airboat tour because they're both so amazing! Thanks Jen, Trish, and Wade! read more

What an amazing experience for the whole family. Booked the manatee tour with my 10, 8 and 6 y-old. Very safe, good social distancing. Make sure you plan ahead as they are busy. Returning next week for scalloping season. Captain Mike and Ross were amazing! read more

I highly recommend the scalloping excursion I took yesterday. The small group size and knowledgeable captain combined with gorgeous weather created a PERFECT excursion. Note for the business: I do agree with a previous review about no one wearing masks indoors. (I wore mine.) I strongly suggest River Adventures implement a mandatory indoor mask policy to help combat the spread of COVID-19. read more

I'm not sure what to make of this place. We watched a video that showed us stellar pictures of people touching manatees, a voice that then told us not to touch anything, and then when we got on the boat we were told to toss all that into the river. Back to the facility, 8 changing rooms, 3 bathrooms, open cubbies to store things you don't want to take on the boat, and plenty of clean and dry wet suits to suit up for 60F air temperature and 72F water temperature. No fins allowed, they prefer you to use their snorkels and masks for easy recognition, but you're welcome to use your own. We were a large group so crowding was an issue when it came to seeing manatees, if you go, go with a small group. I'm amazed our guide was able to guide us, keep us out of the territory, AND take pictures and video of us and the manatees. You swim with a noodle, no kicking, only a rolling with the hands to propel yourself forward. It was super super low tide so kicking up sand and visibility was an issue, but nonetheless we all got to see manatees weave in and out of the lines teasing us. I felt like the guide spent most of his time yelling at us to stay away from the border and talking about miscellaneous stuff because I could always hear him even with my head under the water. The captain and guide were funny and personable. It was a fun experience but I think if I did want to swim with manatees I would do it in the Caribbean and not in Florida for the wide expanse of ocean and visibility. If you're going to do this tour get the earliest slot, go with a small group, and hope for warm air temperature. read more

Swam with the manatees!! What a great experience. I particularly liked the small groups that this business prefers. Four of us on the boat and in the water seemed to work better for the manatee. They were curious and continued to come up to us. Another tour agency's boat of about a dozen people pulled up to our peaceful site and, well, we moved on to three sister spring. Which was pretty awesome too. Highly recommend River Ventures. read more

Had a great time today! Professional crew and very safe. Saw more manatees than I needed to lol

I'm a native Floridian so, needless to say, getting up at 5 am on a day off, to go eyeball giant sea cows in sub-arctic temps is not on my bucket list. HOWEVER I do have, like, two friends on this earth, and one of them is visiting from New Zealand and just dead keen on manatees. My friend and I took the 6:45 am tour and it was goddamn freezing. This place was nice and warm inside and we were greeted by a very cheerful receptionist who walked us through the manatee video with great humor and charm. Then she made the somewhat awkward process of suiting up in wet suits very easy and comfortable. My kiwi bud put hers on backwards so that was a real highlight. We had John Stark as our guide and he was just wonderful. I got in and bobbed around and stared at the first manatee but after that I was content to stay in the boat, drinking coffee and chatting w the captain. We shared a laugh about the resident gators that are never mentioned and he told me some really great stories about memorable tours. It would've been a pretty shit day if John hadn't been really personable and kind. He even went so far as to lend me a flannel shirt and multiple towels. I'm definitely indifferent on manatees but I really appreciate how far he went out of his way to make sure I was comfortable and had fun, even though I mostly stayed out of the freezing water. It may be 72 degrees but, I'm really at my best in a hot tub. read more

We had a great experience swimming with the manatees aboard Heidi and Mike's boat on 7/3/2020! They are taking out smaller group so that social distancing can be maintained. Mike and Heidi worked hard to find some manatees for us to interact with- it's summer so seeing manatees is never a guarantee. Our boat saw 6 and were able to observe them for a large portion of the tour, they are also very knowledgeable and make sure manatees are not being touched during the tour. I highly recommend you give them a visit- if the manatees are in the spring, they will find them for you to observe and it's the coolest thing! read more

River Ventures - A baby manatee- roughly 8-9 months old! - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

This is a well run operation. We had a great time and saw several manatee. Captain Rick was very knowledgeable and was Please listen to everything the captain and crew say, I want to be able to come back. read more

A great organization, well run and more efficient than I expected. We got there in time and then rushed to watch the video, put on wet suits and get out the door. I totally appreciate the rush and getting on the water early is definitely the way to go to avoid the crowds. One way to make it feel a little less hectic might be to have everyone sizes up for their wet suits beforehand as finding the right size is pretty important to staying warm. Wade and Trish were great guides and made everyone feel at home and helped out when one of the kids got cold or sick. Amazing experience seeing those rolly-polly beasts cruising in crystal clear water! read more

Was on the manatee tour with Mike, JJ and Liz. They were all fantastic ! even the people in the office. Everyone was helpful, informative and friendly and professional. We all had a great time and can't wait to go back !!! read more

Shelly and Faith did a great job for me and my wife , cant wait to get back there and do it again , hanging with the Manatees was very cool

Cannot say enough good things about this experience. When you come to Crystal River, swimming with the manatees is a must-do. Of the many options you will see, pick this one. They really are the best. We passed the others out on the excursion and the boats were not as good quality and most of them were asking our captain where we had spotted the manatees. In Captain Ron you get an experienced boat captain (retired Coast Guard), expert marine biologist and comedian. It was around $55 per person for a group tour. Ours had a total of 9 people including us and took about 3 hours. We were manatee virgins prior to this trip and if you're like us and don't know anything... Then read on! There are more manatees during the winter months though there were a few hanging out in the summer. Our captain said in the year and a half he has been doing tours (2-3 times per day) there has only been one instance of seeing no manatees whatsoever. Ironically it was during the winter. It's probably better to plan ahead and book a tour in advance but again, being new to this, we just walked in at around 9:00 am and thankfully they were able to put us on a 10:15 tour. I would imagine during high season they would be all booked up. You watch a brief video on the do's and dont's of interacting with the manatees which are highly protected in Florida. I think they said during the tour that this is the only place in the world where it is legal to swim with manatees and they take the safety of these wild animals very seriously. They are docile gentle giants and while you won't encounter an attack if you don't follow the rules, it is important not to stress the animals. After the video you get fitted for wetsuits. They have a huge range of sizes! You can leave your stuff in your car and they hold onto the keys for you at the front desk. The captain has a camera and you can purchase the CD from your experience at the end for $25. We didn't bring our phones or anything except towels. From there you go on a short van ride to the dock where the captain greets you and gives the overview. Most of the people knew how to use a snorkel so we didn't cover that too much but everything else was explained in detail. We saw three manatees in total. Once the captain spots one, he throws down the anchor and you gear up. Thank goodness for the wetsuit because the water is COLD. We hadn't realized it was all going to be fresh water due to the proximity to the ocean. We saw one on its own and then separately a mother and baby. It was spectacular. You get to spend quite a bit of time with them. You also get a pool noodle which makes it very easy to float. You cannot dive in or stand. One of the passengers was an 8 year old well behaved girl and the captain was so sweet making sure she had seen everything, helped "tow" her in and even let her drive the boat. You'll also cruise around the bay looking for manatees and other wildlife. We saw quite a few turtles and a few species of local birds. We will definitely return, perhaps during the winter months! The only small complaint was the way we were greeted upon arrival. The girl at the desk didn't really explain anything and told us the only option was a semi-private tour for something like $85 per person for 4 hours. Another lady handled the actual booking and she was much more helpful and knowledgable (even making a kayak rental recommendation). She rechecked the schedule and saw that all the semi private tours were booked so obviously the other girl read the schedule wrong or something. Miraculously a group tour availability opened up. It made us wonder if they were trying to upsell us or what. Either way it worked out for the best because the group tour is cheaper and just the right amount of time. So I would still rate this a 5 star experience. But like I said take your time, do the homework and plan ahead so you don't end up like us, at the mercy of whatever they have available. The facility was also very clean and well kept. There is a little gift shop too. read more

We had a great time and our guide, Greg, was equally attentive to us as he was with the manatees. He also took tons of photos which were available on CD for an extra $15. I bought the disk and luckily he's a decent photographer too. They offer a military discount and even though a couple of us weren't active duty, we all got to save $5 apiece. Though it's best for them if you ask for your discount when you book. read more

We had an awesome time out in King's Bay! My wife booked the trip so I wasn't really sure what to expect. Honestly, we thought she was crazy because she booked us on a cold day for a 6:15 trip. Turns out she's really smart - cold days and early mornings make for the best manatee experiences. River Ventures has free parking at their shop. You sit and watch a short video on proper behavior around manatees (essentially, the quieter and more still you are, the more likely a manatee is to approach you). Wetsuits are provided and we all found ones that fit us. They then drive you in a bus over to the dock. Our boat captain was Tanner and our manatee guide was JJ. They went over proper behavior again and gave us our snorkels, goggles, and pool noodles (for extra help floating!) The water was actually super warm - much warmer than the air. My mother and I both can't swim. We let them know and they worked with us to make sure we still had a good experience. They were patient and tried to help my mom snorkel, but she just didn't like putting her face in the water. In the end, she stayed on the boat and they pointed out manatees around the boat for her. I was also pretty nervous, but the guide helped me in the water and I ended up having a great experience. Got to touch and see a lot of manatees! The best experiences by far go to my mother-in-law and wife, though. A baby attempted to nurse on my wife and both of them were getting manatee kisses and hugs. Amazing! We ended up buying the photos because it was such a once in a lifetime experience. Overall, if you're in Florida during the winter, definitely go for a manatee experience in Crystal River! read more

River Ventures was an incredible everlasting experience! If you're considering going... DO IT! The manatees are endangered so it's definitely something to do before it's too late. The staff was absolutely AMAZING! They made the experience the best! They are happy from the second you step foot in the building. It was really a special visit because it was my moms birthday and they really made sure to make her feel special. Mike did an amazing job capturing photos and videos of my mom & I interacting with the manatees. I suffer from severe anxiety and this was the most calming experience. Nothing to be scared or nervous about. I highly recommend if you're in the Tampa area to go! You won't be disappointed. Thank you River Ventures for creating memories that will last a lifetime :) read more

Sorry this is so long, but it was a full day of fun. We were going to be visiting cousins in Siesta Key, FL and I had heard about swimming with the manatees up in Crystal River, an almost three-hour drive. I looked online and found River Ventures. They had a variety of tours to choose from, and I decided on the Diamond Duo - Semi-Private VIP Manatee Snorkel Tour with a Gulf and Dolphin Quest Air Boat Adventure for $129/person. The description of this tour said, "Enjoy the unique privilege that is exclusively ours here in Citrus County Florida by swimming with the manatees in the spring-fed King's Bay Wildlife Refuge!" Overall, this was a great tour and I'm really glad that we did it, and I would definitely do it again. The tour starts with a presentation and video about the manatees and how to treat and protect the manatees. People are not supposed to touch them while they are sleeping or eating. If they want to engage with you, then it's OK to gently touch them. They are very interesting creatures. Their closest living relatives are elephants. They have large, solid bones, not hollow like ours. They sleep on the river bottom and then come up for air while still asleep, and then go back to the bottom for more snoozing. After the presentation, we were outfitted with wetsuits that were in very good condition, and were dry, even though we were on a late-morning tour. Then, we boarded a van and were taken to the dock where we boarded a pontoon boat. Our tour consisted of only five people, including us, which was really nice. Everyone was familiar with snorkeling, which also was nice. No one would be flailing around. Our guide, Jose, and driver, Tanner, were both very nice and knowledgeable about manatees. It seemed like they both wanted us to see the manatees and have a great time. We headed out to the river. We were then outfitted with masks and snorkels that were in very good condition and clean and actually fit everyone really well. I have a hard-to-fit face, and mine was great. We made our way through the canals to where the manatees were. This was in a very urban area, with houses lining both sides of the river. There were a lot of other tour boats, kayakers, stand-up paddle boarders, and people floating on inner tubes there, as well as people from a park just walking in the water with their kids to see the manatees. My only real issue with this whole tour was that from the description of the tour where it said, "unique privilege that is exclusively ours" and "Wildlife Refuge." I kind of didn't expect this to be in an urban environment with many, many other people there as well. I don't see how this area is "exclusively" for River Ventures. I get that this is a wildlife refuge in an urban area, that makes sense, but it was still kind of surprising to me. I think that I would have rather been in a more natural area with way less people there. This is really my only complaint. It seemed like the description was a little deceptive. We got in the water, and yep, we got to see the manatees! The ones we saw were sleeping on the bottom. Very cool and exciting for first time manatee viewing. Even when sleeping, they're pretty neat. Then we headed farther up the river to another spot. This one was jam-packed with even more boats, kayakers, etc. It was kind of difficult to maneuver around both in the water and with the boat. We got to see more manatees there, most of them sleeping or thinking about swimming to cooler water or away from all those people. Back on the boat, we were offered coffee, cocoa, beer, and wine coolers. We all had hot cocoa because it was a little chilly in the water. Then we returned to the dock and then took the van back. We viewed the photos that Jose had taken and of course, purchased them for about $32. The water wasn't super clear probably because it was later in the morning and there were so many people in the water. I didn't get the quintessential manatee shot, with a manatee interacting with me, but that's OK. The manatees that we saw were mostly sleeping, with a few swimming away. I did buy some postcards because they had great manatee photos on them. Then it was time for the airboat tour. The description of this tour mentioned things like: "feel the speed explode beneath you," "adrenaline rush," "hold on to your hat," "for families and thrill-seekers," and "take your breath away." We drove about 15 minutes to the Homosassa River where the airboat tour started. The rep got our information and then said that we were there for the sunset tour and I agreed. Afterward, I remembered that we were there for the "Dolphin Quest." That probably would have been nice, seeing some dolphins. While waiting for our tour to start, we were told that they were going to feed the alligator. OK. That should be good. There was a fenced area about 20' by 20' with a small pool and an alligator on the adjacent lawn. Eventually, a guy came out with a metal stick and poked the alligator in the hin read more

They have good and friendly service in FL. I had wonderful experience with Manatee here! No hidden charge. Warm shop, warm hot chocolate and cookies. Well worth visiting them and swimming with Manatees read more

Capt Steve was the best!! Worked hard to find manatees we could be near. He got in the water with us to show how to behave around them, and talked us through where to swim and be still. The picture cd is worth it! Steve took photos in the water and out and did a great job. He was super nice and very informative about the area, the manatees, and conservation. It was an amazing experience!! We will be back. Highly recommend this company. The gift shop had great shirts and souvenirs. Staff was friendly. read more

My family and I went swimming with the manatees. Great tour! Expert in-water guide Anthony and Captain Wade took us right to the gentle giants. When the mother and calf left the area, so did we to find another friendly sea cow. They didn't leave the water until everyone had a chance to respectfully interact with the manatees. River Ventures staff were also all very respectful of the wildlife and ecosystem, not allowing patrons to harass the sea creatures in any way. Our fun was not at the compromise of the safety and well-being of the animals. . . and we had plenty of fun! I grew up in Florida. I would do this again in a heartbeat. read more

Mike and JJ are awesome! All the staff were very friendly and helpful. They made for an all around fun time. The manatee experience was amazing. read more

A couple weeks ago I took my girlfriend here so we could swim with manatees for her birthday. I heard around this time there's a chance you won't see many because it's getting warmer so I didn't have high hopes but to my surprise we had an incredible trip. There was at least 15-20 manatees and we were able to get up close and personal with the manatees to the point where they would bump us. Definitely an experience I will never forget. Thank you to Captain Rob and Captain Jamie for an amazing tour! read more

River Ventures - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

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I've been on several manatee tours, so unlike most reviewers taken in by the magic of manatees, I can be a bit more objective. The entire tour time was REALLY short - it was one hour and 45 minutes from the time our boat left the dock and returned to the dock. Now add in the time to get where we needed to go, and you're down to very little time with the manatees. My last tour with another operator was easily four hours! And the reason why that other tour was four hours with another company was because they used much smaller boats which could go under bridges... and that's important, because River Ventures literally takes you what is at most a five minute ride from the dock. You can literally see the docks while you are snorkeling. What exactly did I pay for? So great, you're surrounded by a ton of boat traffic in a busy marina. You know what manatees avoid? Boat traffic. So we spent easily an hour looking for a manatee. We finally found a couple, and swam with them for about 15 minutes. When I went with other operators, they took me on a 30 minute ride way into the springs. No boat traffic, lots of manatees, over an hour of swimming with them. Sadly, I don't remember the name of the other operators (pre my Yelping days), but make sure to ask if the boats go up to the springs, and can go under the bridges. If they don't, find another company. The only reason this isn't 1-star is because the equipment (wetsuits, snorkels, boats) were in good shape. read more

I've been one time. I would to go again but don't think I'll have another opportunity. Ask for cap'n SEAN. He was a fantastic tour guide and a damn funny dude. My gf and I had a blast. River ventures puts out a great vibe all the companies help out each other so I can't stack them above the rest and I can't say I doubt you'll have a bad experience but If you actually get a chance to touch one of the manatees like I did it will be something you will never forget. A+ Five star rating A ten a f*****g 10 What else you want? If you don't have fun- slap yourself- you're just not a fun person. read more

We had a fantastic day with River Ventures, everyone was very friendly, polite and helpful. Captain Troy and Dave were fabulous, they gave us good education about how to behave in the water around the manatees, and they spotted manatees quickly in the water. We swam with the manatees for about 1 1/2- 2 hours and saw a mother and her calf. Wonderful experience that I would highly recommend! read more

Fantastic once-in-a-lifetime experience. Great friendly staff who really care if you see manatees. We floated around the river in murky water for a bit - but still could see the manatees - then swam in a spring with crystal clear water. I bought the online web package for photos, as there were excellent candid photos taken by the staff during the trip, plus videos of the manatees. Highly recommended! read more

When going to Florida with my boyfriend, the one thing he wanted to do was swim with manatees. We were going to Orlando, and I read reviews about swimming with manatees in Crystal River, which was about 1 hour and 45 minutes away. We did our research, and learned the best time to go is early in the morning when the water is still cold. Our trip was in mid-March, so the water was still decently cold. Now, I have been to the Caribbean many times and went snorkeling there. This experience was VERY different. Not necessarily a "good" or "bad" different, but just different than what I was expecting. In the Caribbean, you usually take a catamaran into the crystal blue water where you can look down to the bottom of the ocean and see fish and the ocean floor. Don't expect that here. My boyfriend and I booked our trip a few weeks in advance. We noticed the day and time we wanted to go started filling up, so we went online and booked. There was a $5.00 off coupon on visitcitrus.com, so I did two separate bookings, for a total of $10.00 off our trip. On the day of the tour, we woke up around 4 am and started driving to Crystal River for our 6:15 a.m. tour. It is an easy drive from Orlando, so don't let the distance scare you. We weren't sure what restaurants/establishments would be out that way, so we packed lunches. However, there were plenty of places to eat and stores to visit, so packing food is not necessary. When you get to River Ventures, you check-in and then sit in a small room and watch a video about how to interact with the manatees. They do provide hot chocolate and coffee. You will then get on your wetsuits. I would suggest wearing a bathing suit under your clothes that day so it will be easier to change. They do have changing rooms but depending on how many people are going on the tour, it could take a while for everyone to change. They also have bathrooms in case you need to use one before leaving. You will take a large conversion van out to the boat, and then board the boat and be taken to the refuge where you can snorkel. Bring towels and warm clothing for after. You can throw on a sweatshirt on the boat, and change once you get back to the building. During the boat ride, you will be given snorkels. There were just enough, but I was given a child's snorkel and it fit me fine. My boyfriend was also given a child's snorkel which he thought would be fine, but at the end of the tour he admitted it kept filling with water because it did not fit his face. So, before going out, make sure your snorkel fits well to get the best experience! I guess with the reviews and my past experiences with snorkeling, I was expecting there to be only a few boats in the area with fellow snorkelers. I was wrong. There were at least a half dozen boats full of people who were on tours with other companies as well. This was a bit frustrating because it made the area very crowded. I expected the water to be very cold, but it wasn't. In fact, the air was actually colder and I preferred to be in the water. I believe our guide said the water was 72 degrees at the time. Again, I expected the water to be pretty clear, but it wasn't. When you put on your snorkel and look down, you see nothing essentially. You seek some murky water and that's about it. I believe the water is actually pretty shallow, but you are given a swimming noodle and told to stay horizontal. Standing up and brushing your feet along the sand will scare the manatees and cause them to flee. The tour guide (Donna) did a really good job of trying to get our group to see manatees. She would say calmly, "those with Donna, follow me." But you had to really listen for her voice or else you'd be left behind. I strayed off from the group a bit and found myself fairly alone, when a manatee came up to me and brushed against my belly. I was terrified because I wasn't expecting it, but it was so cool! Manatees come up for air every 20 to 30 minutes, so you will see (or feel!) them coming up randomly, and then going right back down to the floor. At times, several people (easily about 30 people) would be crowding an area to find a manatee, which became frustrating. Sometimes, you would find a manatee and the tour guide would calmly call people over, but then there's a rush of people, and the manatee leaves. During the tour, I think I saw about four or five manatees total, for a few seconds at a time. You aren't supposed to touch the manatees, but you can let them interact with you if they so choose (for example, if they come up and brush against you). Overall, it was a good experience and I would recommend it. I'm glad I did it, but I personally probably wouldn't do it again. River Ventures was top notch though. The staff and guide were great. read more

River Ventures - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

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What a great experience we had with river ventures!!! While visiting my parents in The Villages, my boyfriend and I decided to head over to crystal river and see some manatees. We signed up for the 9am tour. When we got out on the river the water was pretty cloudy in general and the manatees were few and far between but our amazing tour guides found some for us and we always got close enough to get a good look and touch. Our guides extended our tour by almost an hour just to make sure we had the manatee experience we were looking for. read more

Kristy and I, along with my two boys, did the swim with the manatee tour. We went around Labor Day which is the "off season". You will not get the experience you see in some of the pictures associated with manatee tours. We had some difficulty finding these animals and were a little nervous that we wouldn't get to see them at all, let alone swim with them. Ultimately, we were able to find some calves hanging out in a cove area in very shallow water. However, it was impossible to see them underwater. We waded into waist deep water and the manatees would swim by and rub up against us. They would pop their heads out of the water, too. It was one of the highlights of our trip. Donovan was our tour guide and he was fantastic. read more

Holy sea cow!! * Only $45 and 2 hours from Orlando (You can't do this anywhere else!!) * Floating & snorkling with them rather than swimming * included comp. simple donuts, coffee, wetsuits, and snorkel masks & floations * You don't have to know how to swim to go in the water * Winter is the best time to go! * water is 70ish degees, although you will be freezing once you're back on board. * Captain Mike was wonderful, he was humorous and not only a great guide but truly cared about the manatees and their well being, as well as watched out for each member in our group. I had trouble snorkling and Captain Mike would help me with my mask and even towed me (via his foot) to the manatees and to the Springs.. super nice and super patient with all my struggles haha. He really made sure each person got to interact with the manatees and I really appreciated that. * For animal lovers worried about the well being of the manatees- the captain makes sure guests interact properly with the manatees such as only touching them with one hand, etc and he really ensures that we weren't going into the designated rest area for manatees who wanted to just be alone. What I saw during my trip: * bulls (male sea cows) thrashing in the water to mate * mama & baby nursing * lots of manatees What's it like? You basically float (dead mans float) trying to make as little/no noise as possible. The manatees tend to be naturally curious and before you know it, it may be right under you and they are hugeeee but so gentle and sweet. Some even give you kisses. Truly amazing :) and get the CD! The pics are great! read more

Can't wait to go again! Captain John was our driver and he was so much fun and helpful finding the manatees. Bf and I booked the 6 people VIP experience. It is well worth the price. The captain brought along beer, wine, and water. But if you want snacks make sure to bring your own! All the staff are very friendly and you can tell they love their jobs. It was interesting watching the other manatee tour drivers interact with each other. They know all the good spots and communicate with each other where to go, which is nice! The boat for the VIP tour is SO NICE. The seats are so comfortable and you can tell its brand new. Made everything so much better. We saw a few in our first hour or so and then captain John took us to the springs which is beautiful water! It's kinda crowded there with all the kayakers and other tour boats but it's a really nice place to stop and relax and swim around. The best for us, when we were heading back we stopped at one more place that was completely empty of other boats, only 100 yards from the dock... And we saw a whole herd of manatees. They were swimming up to us and bumping into us. At one point my bf was a manatee sandwich!! Overall it was great, but I can't wait for winter when there's even more manatees! read more

Returning from our extra long weekend in Cedar Key, we wanted more. No one was ready for reality yet. A diversion! Yes, go swimming with the manatees. I have had the ease of doing this before, but no one else in our party had ever had the opportunity & were chomping at the bit. What a great time. These magnificent mammals and us, what a site. They are so beautiful and majestic, I love them. A great time was had by all. New adventures, new experiences and memories with friends, pricelss! Now it truly was time to head back to reality, what a bummer. What's a girl to do? Enjoy every moment and try new experiences. read more

Took at 9am three hour manatee tour. Wetsuits and gear was all provided. We swam 'floated' alongside a large sleeping male, then a mom and her baby and lastly a juvenile. A wonderful experience. read more