Do you want to see Manatees in the wild? Come here! Late November to early March these wonderous creature come to the warmer inlets of the gulf and like to habg out here at the 3 sister's spring, where the water is 72°F year round, and crystal clear. The grounds of the spring head are nicely kept, and contain a nicely informative walk. Come see the floaty potatoes! read more

Three Sisters Springs - Beautiful day for a walk - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

I loved seeing the manatees. The water is gorgeous and boardwalk is well maintained. It was an unforgettable experience seeing the calf manatee. The parking is near the ticket purchase area and is a bit of a walk to see the manatees. There's a closer lot but its get filled up during the peak season. read more

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Very disappointing experience at Three Sisters Springs. During our Florida vacation we visited seven parks from Fort De Soto up to this area and had great experiences everywhere else. When we arrived, the parking attendant directed us to park across the street and said we could pay at the gate or the visitor center. When we returned to the gate it was closed and the attendant had stepped away with a sign saying to wait or go to the visitor center, so we assumed we could pay there. When we reached the buildings we were aggressively approached by a volunteer named Cyndi Stone who immediately accused us of breaking federal laws and sneaking in. We tried to explain the misunderstanding but she was not interested in listening. The interaction was embarrassing and unnecessarily confrontational. We were clearly tourists unfamiliar with the setup and would have happily paid the fee if approached respectfully. Instead, the situation ruined the visit and we chose to leave. On the way out a different person at the gate apologized, which we appreciated, but clearer instructions and a more respectful approach would make a big difference for visitors. read more

My sister's and I enjoyed it. Was sweet and informative. Not far off main strip something so peaceful. read more

Three Sisters Springs - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

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Wonderful to see during cold weather especially when the manatees gather there. Lots of manatees! Walk or take the trolly from the parking lot. Pricey but worth it to see so many manatee close up in crystal clear water. read more

We stopped by to see the manatee after getting off a cruise in Tampa. As mentioned by others, parking is a bit strange. It was early on a Thursday in early February so we were able to find parking in one of the close lots. We had an easy walk to buy the tickets. It is very nice that they stack discounts and really try to give you the best possible deal. We really enjoyed walking around and were able to see the manatees. They have a very nice boardwalk and the water in three sisters is absolutely gorgeous. It was weird to see people in the water following around the manatees in one area. I much preferred when we saw them on their own in a different area. A nice stop and we were lucky that our timing worked with seeing the manatees. read more

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This is more like 3.5 stars. We went on a Friday and got to see a lot of manatees. It's really not clear what to do when you get there. First off, you don't park in the shopping center parking lot - you can get towed. They told us about the lot back behind where they are. They also have a free shuttle bus that runs regularly to the "boardwalk" if you don't want to walk - I'd say it's about .3 miles from the shack to the boardwalk. It is a nice walk, as there are a lot of plants and things to look at on your way. When you check in at the main building, you pay (think it was "$25 a person") and they give you a wrist band to get your past the entry shack across the street. When we walked over there - the person was dealing with cars, so not saying anything to people walking by. Once you get to the springs there is a boardwalk that goes around the spring where you can see the manatees in the water. Some spots are better than others for being closer to the manatees. There are also volunteers posted around the boardwalk that can answer questions and bestow a lot of cool manatee facts. We saw mama and baby manatees the day we were there. This business does not allow people into the spring, so no swimming or kayaking with the manatees. There are other businesses in the area that do that. On one side of the boardwalk, you could see people just outside this spring in the water snorkeling and kayaking to see the manatees. It was A LOT of people. There's no food or anything at the spring - it's really just to enjoy nature and see the manatees. This was our first time ever seeing them and I really enjoyed just watching and taking photos. I definitely recommend it if you've never done it, but it's not the kind of thing you'd likely do regularly. It would be a fun activity for visitors or kids also. read more

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On my bucket list of Florida springs is Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River. I visited is during the winter, which means hundreds of manatees seeking refuge in the warm, crystal-clear waters of the springs. It was truly a breathtaking sight to see these gentle giants up close. The springs themselves are stunning, with turquoise waters that are as clear as the pictures suggest. The boardwalk around the springs offers fantastic views and is a great way to see the manatees from different angles. I also enjoyed the hiking trails which was both peaceful and scenic walk through nature. The staff and wildlife guides were friendly and always ready to answer any questions. This place is truly amazing I recommend visiting Three Sisters Springs during the winter. It's a perfect destination for nature lovers and anyone looking to experience the beauty of Florida's wildlife. read more

Three Sisters Springs - Entrance - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

We came on a Sunday morning and they weren't really busy at all. We ended up taking the shuttle to the springs but it's not a far walk as well. Their website had limited information and when we called, it was $20/person to enter. If you have a national park pass or over the age of 62, there are discounts applied. Our $80 total for the 4 of us went down to $55. Everything I read online said you needed a handicap pass to park right by the spring but we saw plenty of regular spots too after we entered so not sure what is the correct information. We also took the shuttle into town for lunch and honestly, this was the part that wasn't worth it. The shuttle only came once every 45 minutes. There is no shuttle tracker so you have no idea where it's at in that 45min and we ended up just walking the mile back to the parking lot. There were plenty of parking available and we definitely could have drove ourselves. The lack of information is what earned it 4 stars instead of 5. Otherwise, the springs itself was beautiful. We came in the morning and saw lots of manatees. Right before we left the area around 11:30, we got to see the parade of manatees leaving the springs which was really cool to see. read more

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I can not imagine anyone giving Three Sisters Springs less than a 5 star. I was visiting for the Florida Manatee Festival and was told this was the best spot to find lots of manatees. They did not lie! They offered free shuttles from the festival to the springs. We arrived and hit the restroom, which was clean. Then we headed to the boardwalk, which guides you around the spring. When the temperature drops, the manatees come in from the colder Gulf of Mexico water to the springs as the water is a constant 72 degrees. They hang out and eat, sleep, and the younger calfs play. The water was so clear and blue that it was easy to spot these gentle giants. There were staff members throughout the park providing history as well as general manatee education. It was such an amazing experience! I recommend it for all ages. My friend and I will be back next year. read more

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Small springs that require an admission. We chose to do a tour bus that drives you in and has a few stops after (beach, nature center, places to eat). They are behind the city hall. Unfortunately it was the end of the season so no manatees on this trip. The boardwalk surrounding the springs isn't long and it is teaming with all kinds of wildlife. You can get in to swim - only by canoe or kayak or tour. Unfortunately they stated the swimming area will be closed at the end of the season (March 31, 2023) until the season begins again in November 2023. They will be planting eel grass for the manatee to eat during that time. read more

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The 3 stars are primarily due to the lack of bang for your buck. It was real cool to see so many manatees in one place, but at $20/person, I think it's overpriced. There were several volunteers around the park and they were very kind and knowledgeable, but they should honestly be paid for their time considering the cost of admission. It's a small facility. read more

Three Sisters Springs - Manatees - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

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I've only ever come to three sisters springs during the manatee festival, so it's free admission. If you come during a regular day, it's $20. Keep in mind there is no parking by the springs apart from like 2 handicapped spots. During the festival, they run a shuttle about every hour, I believe they do during the week as well, but if you park where the visitor center is, it's about a 10 minute walk. The water is bright blue so you can clearly see the manatees. There are no edits to these photos, it really is this beautiful. read more

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We came here to check out all the Manatee action. This time of the year manatee migrate to the springs, and it's a hotspot for a chance to get up close and personal if you enter from the water which we opted not to do just yet. The little one would freak out. We took the trolly out and back into the park. No parking unless you have a registered disabled pass. The trolley's driver gave us a narration of the sites on 5 min drive to the park. At the park there is a board walk that circles a few of the lagoons, which is where we saw a few manatee. Beyond the boardwalk is the park system which had a trail that loops around it. If you want to swim with the Manatee you need to do it from the water (it is prohibited to enter the water from the land within the park), and there are plenty of tour boat operators that will take you. The water is cold so you'll likely be wearing a wetsuit. We saw people in the water with the manatee. read more

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My Mom and I were visiting from different states and decided to come here to see the manatees. Most of the staff was pretty friendly and we got to and from the location quickly. We saw so many manatees and went on a little nature walk. It didn't have anything to offer outside of that, so we felt the cost was a little high ($20 per person) so that is why I am taking a star away. Otherwise, it was a pleasant experience. read more

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Beautiful place to spend a few hours and enjoy yourself. Parking is $5, and your equipment is waiting for you--after you rent it at Paddle's Outdoor Rental--at the pier. Make sure to apply sunscreen cause the sun and the reflection of the water for sure will affect your skin. I wasn't that smart and ended up with a sun burn on my legs. The water is clear and cool, no manatees this time of the year, but still a great experience. read more

Three Sisters Springs - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

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We came here on our visit to Crystal River. There is no public parking at the springs so you have to go to the office, which is located in town, to purchase our tickets and take the shuttle in, which runs every half hour. There was only one other party on the bus with us and the parking felt safe. There wsa only one person working who also drove the shuttle so if there is no one there, don't worry, they should be back soon. It was not the peak time of year to see the manatees (November-March) so people were allowed to swim in the springs. However, you cannot access the springs from this tour/entry. You must enter from the natural waterway, if that makes sense. There are several guided hikes, which weren't much. The appeal is the gorgeous springs themselves and walking around the magical area. The bathrooms were clean and the shuttle got us back with no issues. read more

We spent a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon exploring Three Sisters Spring. We walked the entire outer path. We didn't see any manatee in the popular spring area - there were lots of snorkelers and kayakers. The outside water apparently isn't quite cool enough for them to seek refuge in the springs. The springs are beautiful (except for all the people in them!). While walking the path our the park, we saw a couple of manatee in the river by the Magnolia Spring observation area. And we saw a black racer snake that scared the holy bejesus out of us on the outer path near the front gate. The park is beautiful. I wonder what it would be like if not polluted by all the noise and ruckus from the snorkelers and kayakers. I suspect in it's natural beauty and peace and quiet all filled with manatee would be stunning. The park is beautiful. Too many kayakers and snorkelers for my liking. read more

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We decided to visit the springs on the way to Gainesville from Weeki Wachee. I was concerned about actually accessing the springs, because I heard you have to get there by water, and I clearly didn't have a boat or kayak attached to my little car. Anyway, I called the center and the lady was very kind and patient with telling us how to gain water access. There are nearly 20 kayak companies, so we just chose one that was close to the water so we didn't have to shuttle. The springs were about a 30 min paddle from the dock. You can take your kayak inside, just don't tie it to any vegetation. The water: gorgeous but FREEZING. It was 72 degrees but obviously felt like an icecicle. It wasn't too crowded when we went on a Tuesday afternoon but we didn't get to see any manatees which was a total bummer. It's so beautiful that just the experience is totally worth it! read more

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Beautiful place to stop for photos. You cannot get in or out of the water here, but it's a great spot to watch the canoers, swimmers and manatees passing through. Parking situation sucks. read more

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The ability to see so many manatees at the springs in their environment was amazing. All of the volunteers at the springs were very personable and loved sharing information about the manatees and surrounding wildlife. That part is the experience was 5 star and worth every penny! Be sure to use your national parks pass or military ID for discounts. The lady selling tickets was very pleasant and helpful. The trolley driver that took us over to springs area was grumpy as f***! After overhearing his 10-minute tirade with his boss, guess he was not having a great day. Once on the trolley, he did not speak to us or answer a question when asked. He just sped through the town. Good thing everything was so wonderful or I would not have rated this as high because of the way things started out! read more

Three Sisters Springs - Manatees in the canal - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

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Getting here is the hardest part. We followed GPS directions but that only works if you have disabled parking. Instead you need to drive to Crystal River City Hall, pay an entry fee (generally $20 but cheaper if over 55 and free if under 5) and pick up a shuttle there. Once we arrived at the springs we were greeted with crystal clear water and manatees galore. There were also volunteers along the path who were very knowledgeable about manatees as well as the history of the springs. The highlight of our visit was viewing the Manatee March around 3pm when the manatees began moving in response to a change in tide. You can also swim with the manatees but you need to book a separate tour to do that so research that and book that ahead of time. Also recommend watching the sunset at Fort Island Beach which is about a 20 minute drive and stopping in town for cute manatee themed items. read more

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Beautiful natural spring! Hundreds of manatees were here to see. It was a great sight! You can even snorkel with them. You walk along a boardwalk to get to the river and to where most of the manatees seemed to be! They had some volunteers there that were very knowledgeable about the manatees. It costs $15 a person, which we thought was a bit much considering the manatees come there on their own and the staff do not maintain the spring or care for the manatees. read more

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Great kayaking and got to visit with a mom and baby manatee. The wildlife is amazing and the park walk through is very beautiful and educational! read more

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We saw so many manatees the boardwalk was wonderful. The town people were very nice and helpful

Small place to walk, clear beautiful spring .Saw 1 manatee. Not much to see. A small fee for the entrance and you have to take the trolley to get there. Not a fan. read more

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We were there today. Paid 20 dollars a peace for my husband and I. At the center I went into a restroom. A lady came and open the door and quite firmly said "these bathrooms are not to be used!" So I ask where can I use the restroom as we had driven along way. She said you can use them back by the manatees, which is about 1/ 4th mile walk. We said OK and went on our way. The walk was way further than 1/4 mile!! Very uncomfortable when you need a restroom. When we did find the restroom, there were three each with a line. One lady had actually gotten locked inside one of them. several maintenance crews were there sawing off the lock as the door lock had fallen off inside, and she was stuck!!! We loved the manatees and the volunteer at the site was awesome! However, when you pay 40 dollars a couple then told you cannot use the restroom at the service center. You must walk 1/4 mile in the heat, to find a restroom to wait in a line, and then find they are so poorly maintained that the lock fell off and locked a lady inside! Something is wrong with this picture !!! read more

This is a National Park... not a Florida State Park.. The Springs are beautiful, but the Blue Springs in Orange City are much more natural and beautiful. Amazing Manatees in both Parks. The Beauty of Blue Springs is it's remote setting on the amazing St. John's River. You must go in winter in both parks to see the Manatees. You will see over 300 Manatees in both parks. Something you will never forget. read more

Pretty place for pictures. We had a person that has mobile issues so we were able to park near the park... had we walked up, I would have been super annoyed and probably given this place 2 stars. It isn't worth a long walk. But it is cool to get out and see the water. I would love to have gotten in the water but you can't get into the water from this area. You have to have a boat take you there. read more

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The first thing to know about Three Sisters Springs is that you cannot drive in here. To access the area, you need to either swim. kayak or canoe in. It is a gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous springs with crystal clear water and a chance to snorkel and swim with manatees! It was my first time being so close to a manatee and I felt lucky that as I was swimming into the springs, two manatees started swimming in! They come up from the gulf into the Florida rivers, especially during the winter time since the springs stay around 72 degrees year round. Aside from seeing manatees, there's a lot of exploring you can do in these waters. Plenty of fish and beautiful majestic underwater sights. I could swim here for hours and marvel at the schools of fish passing by. In fact, I wish my group would have stayed longer! The optimum time to come would probably be later in the evening, closer to 3 or 4pm as this place can be uncomfortably crowded earlier in the day. The manatees are not likely to swim out into the springs when there are dozens of people out there. We launched our kayaks from Hunter Springs Park in order to get there. It was a gorgeous ~20-25m paddle into Three Sisters Springs (ask any of the locals or friendly kayakers on the water how to get there and they should be able to direct you). On the way to the springs, we saw a handful of manatees, pelicans, banana trees; truly amazing stuff. Not an experience to miss if you're traveling through this area of Florida! read more

Three Sisters Springs - Swimming into the springs behind a few manatees - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

Beautiful place to visit.Rent a kayak from one of the many kayak rentals in the area and explore the unique hidden gems of Florida.Take a dip in the crystal clear waters of the Three Sisters Spring. The spring gets quite crowded later in the day, so try to go earlier if you would like to have more peaceful experience at the spring. read more

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Quite possibly the most beautiful spring in Florida I have visited. We kayaked from Crystal River kings Bay into the Three Sisters Spring, approx 1 mile of kayaking to get there. Easy to navigate and on any given day there's friendly people on the water headed to the same destination. The spring temp was 72 degrees and is crystal clear to the bottom. We anchored our kayak & snorkeled/swam. Will definitely be going back when the Manatees are around. read more

It is better to visit one of the outfitters so you can actually get near the water. This is not a complaint about the lack of manatees, but to the misrepresentation of the park. After charging $20 A PERSON during the busy season (price gouging), you walk a 1/4 mile through barren land until you get to the boardwalk. Even if there are manatees present, you won't be anywhere near them. If you bring a camera with a zoom lens you may be able to take a picture. The volunteers were nice and even they were surprised of the entrance fee. We saw a lot of people on kayaks, boats, snorkeling, etc. However, none of this is available in the park. As stated, you cannot even get near the water. It is better to rent a kayak or snorkeling adventure and put the $20 fee towards that. Yes, I know that it goes towards the park, but maybe you can get more from it. Also, discounts for First Responders would be nice. Parking is limited across the street, so get there early. read more

We loved our walk along the boardwalk viewing the 100+ manatee. Amazing to see those creatures up close.

They say they are wheelchair assessable, but they have railing so you can't see under it or over it when you're in a wheelchair. We spent $220 for four people and we were there 30 minutes because my 90-year-old father could not see over the railing. It is not for handicapped people in a wheelchair. read more

What a beautiful spring! It is very small comparing to some larger in the area and it gets crowded really fast, so I would recommend to go early-like 8 am early. There might be few divers there but otherwise you will probably have a spring to yourself for at least a half an hour to explore. We rented canoes at 8, and were snorkeling the spring 10 min later. Beside The actual spring, Crystal River should also be explored. We ended up seeing a manatee in the Crystal River, lots of turtles and an alligator. read more

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BEWARE - THE SPRING AND PARK SHOULD BE SEPARATED AS 2 LOCATIONS! The springs are wonderful when there are a bunch of manatees here in the winter. In other seasons you may not see any at all. Without manatees this is a mediocre experience in my opinion. My 5 star rating is for accessing by boat during the winter. You CANNOT access the spring waters through the park entrance. You have to come in by boat. The park DOESN'T have boats. The park does charge an excessive fee (as parks go) of about $13 per person. I strongly suggest you do NOT pay to go in this way. TAKE A BOAT! There is a boardwalk around the springs, and a very short walk through the park itself, which was mucky and partially closed off. We lazily walked through and I bet we weren't there for more than 25 minutes. There were no manatees the day we went Oct. 27th 2019. There is NO parking at their entrance, and they do NOT offer paper receipts. Their gate attendant was unkind as well, but I imagine she deals with a lot of people who are frustrated with the situation. They do have a van that will pick you up down the street. They do have parking for handicapped on site. All in all a real disappointment of a park. I'll never be back through the park entrance. read more

We swam in to Three Sisters early May of this year. The water is absolutely clear and freakin' freezing. Fortunately, we had wetsuits and were comfortable just floating and looking around. We weren't expecting to see any manatees due to the time of the year. But lo and behold, a beautiful manatee swam literally right under me along the length of my body. It was so close, that I felt it before I saw it. Ah-mazing! It is a very small area, but I could have stayed there for hours. I wish folks would just follow the rules and not mess up this awesome experience for others. Simply, don't chase, don't harass, etc. Remember not to splash around or kick. I can't wait to return! read more

Three Sisters Springs - Tours Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

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I love to visit manatees, and we do it every time we go to Florida. Last time we visited in April, this park was closed for renovation, so when we visited again in December we expected a terrific experience. First of all, there is no parking, even for handicapped people of which we had one in our party that needed a wheelchair. We were told to drive into town and take a trolley. How could a brand new park, which lots of open space, fail to put in a parking lot, especially for handicapped access? Once you get there, they want $15 to enter the park. Seriously! This is a nice little park, paid for by taxpayers. I am ok with a small fee, but not a small fortune. I can visit Homossasa Springs and get a boat ride for less than that. My suggestion is to head over to Hunter Springs Kayaks, right around the corner, and for $30 get a kayak and head over to the springs that way. read more

Three Sisters is a beautiful spring, and one of the best spots to see manatees up close. From land, you have to pay $15 per adult for a shuttle to the boardwalk, which seems pretty steep to me since you can rent a kayak for $25-$35 for 2 hours and paddle to the springs and actually swim in the spring. During manatee season you can't bring your kayaks and SUPs into the spring, but there's a tie up area outside the spring and currently you're allowed to swim through the spring run and into the spring, where there are some off-limits sections for the manatees to rest in without having to be too close to humans. It's gorgeous here, but there have been a lot of issues over the years with people harassing manatees so there's pretty heavy oversight with volunteers and fish and wildlife officers keeping an eye on things from land. You get the feeling that they don't really want anyone in the spring and it's a little intimidating having officers yelling at other swimmers. Even with tighter regulations and oversight, you definitely see people behaving pretty irresponsibly and being loud and obnoxious, which I'm sure the manatees (and responsible visitors) don't enjoy. We just floated quietly and had a good experience, but we saw one guy get threatened with a citation when he followed too closely to a manatee with a tracker on its tail -- another group of loud, belligerent swimmers from a rental boat got kicked out entirely. There is a lot of debate on whether the spring should be opened to swimmers at all and there's a lot of pressure on USFWS to close swimmer access to the spring entirely during manatee season. As the kind of person who doesn't scream and thrash around in the water or try to ride and grab the manatees, I'll certainly be sad to no longer get to view manatees from the water, but obviously the needs of an endangered species (should) take precedence over human tourism and enjoyment, especially given the numbers of poorly behaved visitors. read more

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