Redfoot
Contributor
Finally got around to editing my GoPro footage from the trip and figured I would post a report.
We visited my in-laws in Sarasota for Thanksgiving this year and finally checked off one of our bucket list items- Snorkel with manatees at Crystal River!
We stayed at the Plantation on Crystal River. Hotel was convenient, but definitely dated.
We only stayed one night, I don't think my in-laws could have lasted another. Their tastes are a little more refined- I thought the place was OK, but they felt it was dirty and uncomfortable. To each their own.
The onsite restaurant was disappointing- we arrived around 3:00 pm and they still had brunch leftovers sitting out, along with dirty linens, dirty plates and food all over the floor. We walked right back out the door.
We ate at Waterfront Social, right across the street, which had excellent food and service.
We booked back-to-back 3 hour private charter for our group of 6 with Adventure Center at Plantation on Crystal River. We ended up with about 7 hours on the boat.
www.plantationoncrystalriver.com
This worked out extremely well for several reasons.
-We boarded the boat at 6:00 am and beat all of the other groups out to the springs, which gave us alone time with the manatees
-We could leave sites as other boats showed up and continually had spots all to ourselves
-We got to tour the entire area, and if we saw manatees, we would stop the boat and ease in
The other, larger tours would pull up and dump out 12-20 guests and they would all be bumping, kicking and fighting each other for views. We did not have to deal with any of that.
This was easily one of the coolest things I have ever done. Manatees are such interesting creatures, and I really felt they enjoyed seeing people as much as we enjoyed seeing them. They are very inquisitive, curious and, well, goofy to watch.
The tour company was very professional, respectful and committed to protecting the manatees. Some of the manatees recognize the guides and go up to them specifically.
We also saw schools of snook, mullet, bass, a stingray, pelicans and several other bird species.
Would definitely recommend this trip to anyone in the area. Great for kids, adults and non-water people alike.
We visited my in-laws in Sarasota for Thanksgiving this year and finally checked off one of our bucket list items- Snorkel with manatees at Crystal River!
We stayed at the Plantation on Crystal River. Hotel was convenient, but definitely dated.
We only stayed one night, I don't think my in-laws could have lasted another. Their tastes are a little more refined- I thought the place was OK, but they felt it was dirty and uncomfortable. To each their own.
The onsite restaurant was disappointing- we arrived around 3:00 pm and they still had brunch leftovers sitting out, along with dirty linens, dirty plates and food all over the floor. We walked right back out the door.
We ate at Waterfront Social, right across the street, which had excellent food and service.
We booked back-to-back 3 hour private charter for our group of 6 with Adventure Center at Plantation on Crystal River. We ended up with about 7 hours on the boat.
Plantation Adventure Center: Amazing Florida Water Recreation on The Crystal River
Make the most of your Florida fishing vacations at Plantation on Crystal River, where we feature boating, diving, snorkeling, and more at our Kings Bay resort and marina.
www.plantationoncrystalriver.com
This worked out extremely well for several reasons.
-We boarded the boat at 6:00 am and beat all of the other groups out to the springs, which gave us alone time with the manatees
-We could leave sites as other boats showed up and continually had spots all to ourselves
-We got to tour the entire area, and if we saw manatees, we would stop the boat and ease in
The other, larger tours would pull up and dump out 12-20 guests and they would all be bumping, kicking and fighting each other for views. We did not have to deal with any of that.
This was easily one of the coolest things I have ever done. Manatees are such interesting creatures, and I really felt they enjoyed seeing people as much as we enjoyed seeing them. They are very inquisitive, curious and, well, goofy to watch.
The tour company was very professional, respectful and committed to protecting the manatees. Some of the manatees recognize the guides and go up to them specifically.
We also saw schools of snook, mullet, bass, a stingray, pelicans and several other bird species.
Would definitely recommend this trip to anyone in the area. Great for kids, adults and non-water people alike.
