Day Trips· springs
Crystal River Manatee Swim
Kings Bay / Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River|$$$
Each winter (roughly mid-November through March), hundreds of manatees crowd into the warm 72-degree springs of Kings Bay and Three Sisters Springs, about 90 minutes north of Tampa. Licensed operators run guided snorkel and clear-kayak tours with wetsuits and gear included; passive observation rules apply, and the encounters are unforgettable.
Why our team sends guests here
Book the earliest tour on a cold January morning — that's when the springs are thickest with manatees — and add nearby Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park to see them from the underwater observatory.
manateessnorkelingwinter seasonwildlifeguided tours