Captain Bob is very knowledgeable about the animals and rivers and land in the area. He's also a…read moregreat air boat pilot. I've ridden other airboats. His ride was really exciting and informative

Airboat ride was awesome!!! Capt. Bob was great, gave us some very good insight about the ecology…read moreof the area, some of the changes that have occurred in the recent years and by of course the gators!!!

10/10 captain frank absolutely killed it gave us a little history lesson and a bit of a comedy show.read more

Angel at the front desk is just that an angel!! She was great over the phone & even better in…read moreperson such a sweet woman!!! She had patience with me as I was nervous about to grab her baby alligator in my hands she reassured me and made me feel comfortable. Had some great conversations about her & her grandkids made me feel right at home miles away from home that is lol. She informed us Bubba world's biggest alligator they had was right before our very eyes about to eat a whole chicken since he just came out of hibernation!! Airboat ride was cool, fast, fun & learned a couple things out on the water!! Got my 1st photo holding onto a baby alligator!! Ty again angel & your husband and boat/tour guide for a memorable learning experience never to be forgotten!!

Fantastic trip with a very knowledgeable and professional crew. From check in to the boat ride it…read morewas safe and fun. We saw plenty of gators and learned a lot about them and the surrounding area. You can tell they love the lake and the animals. It is definitely worth the trip, we will be back.

Awesome experience.. everyone was super friendly.. awesome tour.. randy is an awesome guide and we…read morewere able to pet Luke their alligator..

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.

Good morning, Yesterday, my son Lee, his fiancé Ashley and…read moremyself Theresa went on the boat tour through Kings Bay to see the manatees. Captain Marty, our guide, provided a beautiful history about how the manatees group together in the warm water at winter time. We also had the wonderful opportunity to see the manatees and a garr fish.. We all agree it was one of the highlights of our day.. Many thanks to Captain Marty for showing all of us a great time... Theresa from Vero Beach

I think it's important to note that there's a good change you will only see one or potentially none…read moreat all. The crew was extremely nice, but for the money, I would have done something else. We went into the cove area and there was 1 manatee that other boats were waiting to see. After one group left, we swam up, saw it for about 5 min before it swam off. That was basically the extent of it. I swam to see one of the springs. But for $500 for a family of 5; I wish there we could have seen others or at least tried to go and see other ones. It also would have been helpful if we could have had an option to cancel if they had tours that didn't see any or really low exposure that day (or been able to reschedule for a colder day).

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.

Friendly staff. The boat captain was knowledgeable. Loved that he plucked plastic bags out of the…read morewater. It was a beautiful, relaxing trip. Saw many manatees!

Oh Lordy, where do I start? I was raised in the area and…read moremoved away 40 years ago. My bff and I were on a road trip tour of my favorite places. Crystal River was always one of my favorite places to play in the water. So during our "drive by" selected to do Captain Wayne's 2 hour manatee tour. I knew it was a shot in the dark because,well June, they are rare in the rivers this time of year. My BFF was hoping to see dolphins (also rare in the rivers I know). When we boarded first thing he asked was what we wanted out of this journey, we told him our hopes. We set sail in his wonderful pontoon boat completely shaded in the hot Florida sun. He told stories and provided information and answered all our silly questions with such importance we felt valued for our interests and not silly for asking such question. We happened upon ( I'm sure he did the searching but we never saw) our first pod of manatees coming up and diving so wonderful we were thrilled. After a little bit we came up on yet another pod of manatees. The respect and distance he gave them while insuring our amazing views was the marks of a caring and mindful captain. We were heading back in and time was short. But then Captain Wayne's spotted some dolphins getting ready to feed. He explained the process and what we could expect and it was AMAZING! Watching them circle the school of fish and watching them catch in midair was just a once in a lifetime experience. We stayed and watched the whole thing, running our time over by almost 30 minutes. He never rushed or even noticed that I could see. I have seen many places touristy (cattle feeds I call them) rushing in and never connecting. I can promise you this is not that. If you have time and are in Crystal River - Take this cruise with Captain Wayne, I believe you will not regret this decision! Captain Wayne's, if you're reading this - thank you thank you thank you for everything, you made it so special. A day we will not forget.

From Tampa, it took an hour and 30 minutes to get to the river. We first wanted to take a swim in…read morethe swimming area so we went there first before it got really crazy. The area is a bit small and there isn't really a lot of sun spots for you to chill at. It is cool to experience once but I think if you tube, you still will be able to get a swim in because parts of the river are pretty deep. After the swim area, we headed to the tubing section. It is a 15 minute drive from the main park entrance. The fee was 54 for two people that had an annual pass. Highly recommend bringing a small cooler with snacks and drinks and an extra tube for it. It took us about 2 hours to float back to our car and the river is very calm and relaxing. I've floated a river in San Antonio but wasn't as nice as Rainbow springs. Very clean and the water is sooo clear. Overall, really enjoyed our day visit to this state park!

Our tubing trip down the river was pretty, but it was quite boring. It took us two hours to float…read morefrom the entrance to exit, and it was extremely slow. We kept getting stuck in trees and bushes. The fun part was getting to swim in the clear water and passing off our tubes to a floating friend to hold onto. We also saw an otter. The lady at the rental station was very generous and let us borrow multiple pairs of goggles and masks. There were a bunch of motorboats passing by and blasting their music. They disturbed us with their waves and noise. It was around $27 per person in addition to $5 for one vehicle, and we paid all the fees upon entrance to the parking lot. They take you on a safari-like tram to get to the tubing entrance. I strongly recommend water shoes because my friends were suffering while barefoot on the hot ground. The walk was unexpectedly long and painful for my barefoot friends. They don't have showers or any sort of water spout/hose, so it was kind of gross to not be able to rinse the river gunk off then drive hours back to a major city. They have restrooms, but they were already closed when we walked from the river exit back to the tube station, even though the actual park wasn't closed yet, and there were still employees there. This was very inconvenient, and I wish they had at least told us in advance because we didn't have a place to change. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the restrooms to stay open while the park is open. Also, they have you sign a waiver that says you must wear a lifejacket at all times. They didn't even offer us one, so I was baffled why they made us sign a waiver that said that. Can't they get into legal trouble if they don't actually provide lifejackets? I was troubled by the fact that we had to sign something that wasn't in the slightest bit enforced.

Our neighborhood group of 16 booked Elizabeth's Tour in Crystal River. The information about…read morefamous people who visited or filmed or built in Crystal River was a surprise for most of us. Elizabeth took us to Lemon Tree Gift shop first where you have an opportunity to see so may unique gifts many produced by local crafters. We also spent time in the Artisans Art Gallery (most of us went back to either of the stops after the tour because we had seen something to purchase). However, the highlight was the four restaurants on the tour where we were treated to such incredible food pairings. Trust me when I say, no one left hungry! We were treated to unique American dishes, BBQ, seafood, and home made doughnuts and ice cream. One example, The Cattle Dog is owned by a five star chef who brought his culinary skills to this quaint town. I highly recommend you book this tour for a fun, fabulous, food tour in the lovely coastal town of Crystal River.

Definitely a MUST-DO! This was an incredible experience…read more Everything we were shown today would've been missed if we decided to stop in and walk around to see what the town had to offer. Not only did we get to know a bit of the towns history, we got to eat incredible food and meet incredible people. I chose for us to do a private tour and it did not disappoint. It was a great day to experience Inverness, Florida! What a beautiful, small town. I highly suggest booking one of these tours, Elizabeth was highly knowledgeable and knew the towns history backwards and forwards. Highly recommend! Great experience that was not expensive. Well worth it!