Manatee Swim Tour with In Water Photographer
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Our Manatee Swim tour at Explorida was Voted Trip Advisors 2022 "Top Ten Bucket List Experience in THE WORLD!" Swimming with the manatees is a once in a lifetime experience so do it right! Dont cram into a small dive shop. Spread out and enjoy plenty of space at Explorida! The Explorida Adventure Center offers a large, top notch facility that is climate controlled with indoor changing rooms for your privacy. Our boats are U.S. Coast Guard inspected and certified, which means they are allowed to carry more than 6 passengers, have all necessary safety equipment, and are in tip top shape. Dont get stuck on a clunker! Book with Explorida! We are dedicated to the customer experience and will not disappoint! Let us prove it!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Level One Snorkel Experience Recommended
Infants are still considered to take up a seat on a USCG Inspected Vessel. You must pay full price for an infant.
Children Under The Age Of 3 & Pets/Service Animals Are Only Permitted On Private Tours
This is a wildlife encounter, and due to the unpredictability of Mother Nature, conditions vary daily. If you have any questions, feel free to call
In order to maintain operational efficiency, we require a minimum of three guests per boat to operate. Guests may purchase additional tickets if the capacity is not met, which will be reimbursed if another group joins.
Trip Advisor is a third party booking system designed to reserve tours with Explorida Adventure Center. Visit our website for more information and to connect with Explorida directly.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Hop aboard one of our safe, comfortable, and clean US Coast Guard certified vessels where you will join your Master Captain to embark on your journey into the Kings Bay refuge waters. Our master captains are trained to find manatees on your manatee tour, even in the offseason, and will deliver the best manatee tour in Crystal River, FL—every time. You will be paired with one of our expert in-water guides who will be with you every step of the way to assist in making your manatee tour safe and memorable. Your in-water guide will also serve as your professional photographer to capture your manatee swim memories, and those photos will be available for purchase upon arrival back to our facility. For this tour, all required gear is included at no additional charge.
You can swim with manatees in Citrus County, Florida. Swimming with the manatees is a privilege that is unique to Citrus County, which is why the small county has earned its world famous title of the ‘Manatee Capital of the World’. Nowhere else in the world can you legally swim with the manatees in their natural habitat, as you can do with us! When looking for things to do in Florida, add swimming with the manatees to the top of your list, and let Explorida be your guide!
What‘s Included
Safe USCG Certified Boats
Bottled water
In-Water Gude/Photographer
Wetsuit
Float Noodles Provided
Snorkel Gear
Photos and videos available for an additional fee at the end of your tour.
Options
Daily Rate
Reviews
2,313 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing Experience
erinsT5002XI,,Feb 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a FANTASTIC experience!! My son was amazed by the amount of manatees that we saw and how close they came to us. Faith got some great photos for lasting memories. She and GQ were amazing guides!
Bucket list item done!
Bob C,,Feb 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Just an absolute great time!! Staff is friendly, professional and knowledgeable about manatees! It was a great experience and a value for the $. There are many tours you can choose, but this one delivered! We swam with 30 manatees this day and thoroughly enjoyed a bucket list item.
Swimming with a manatee, February 2026 Chrystal River
dennislD5136PO,,Feb 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Truly, one of the best experiences we have ever had. We had gone to the office on Monday to book our trip. Dawn suggested that we wait until Wednesday when the temperatures were perfect for the best viewing. Oh of course it was when it was cold out, but that’s when the manatees our best viewed. Dawn was also our guide in the water, what a great job she did putting our mind at ease letting us know how to interact with the manatees. Sorry, I don’t remember the captains name, but he was very good also. Explained to us how to enter the water what to expect floating around and and providers with a welcome cup of hot chocolate when we got back into the boat! The bay that we went to was pretty close by and there were literally were hundreds. We saw at least 30 or 40 of them right by us. What marvelous, gentle creatures these are the state of Florida and the federal agencies did an exceptional job bringing these creatures back from almost extinction. This is an adventure that we will never forget.
Explorida is the way to go!
arielles413,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had SUCH an amazing experience! GQ was our captain and Grace was our guide. We were fortunate that we arrived during a short window when three sisters spring is open to swimmers, so we got the chance to see so many manatees! It was unreal. We had booked a private boat since one of my sons has been having health issues and we wanted him to have the option to stay on the boat. Even from the boat he saw so many manatees. After we’d had our fill of snorkeling, we returned to the boat and since we had more time to spare, GQ took us around King’s Bay before we went back to shore. They were very fun to hang out with and made us feel comfortable and at ease. They provided wet suits and snorkeling gear - which were all in good condition and they were very helpful with fit of everything. Obviously with nature viewing experiences there’s no guarantee that your tour will be the same as ours - but Explorida was a great company to go with: knowledgeable, helpful, kind and fun. I also found their prices for a private boat to be competitive compared to the others I looked into. Would definitely book again (and my youngest son asked if we could multiple times before we left Florida).
Highly recommend!
LisaE129,,Feb 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a great experience with Capt Gavin and Faith. Comfortable boat ride and very knowledgeable crew. We loved our time with the manatees
Great time, awesome guides.
M284KQamys,,Feb 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful experience. I wish we went when it was cooler, our fault as it was a last minute decision, we still saw manatees though! GQ & Kayla were phenomenal! Very knowledgeable, friendly and funny. We had our 10 and 6 year old with us - GQ could tell when we were lagging behind and gave tips/helped. I’ve been recommending Explorida to everyone. Only critique is the changing rooms are just 2 curtains for the “doors”. This didn’t bother me but my husband wasn’t comfortable with it as you’re more than likely getting completely naked to change from bathing suit to clothes (and clothes to bathing suit if you aren’t arriving in it). Even heavier, wider curtains would have felt better.
Excellent experience
Go68307092439,,Feb 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The team where very knowledgeable and friendly and took is right to where the manatees where, I appreciated there concern for the manatees best interests
So happy we chose Explorida!
I4995AAkatiek,,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was an awesome experience! Our whole family had a blast! Faith was a wonderful guide and took some great pictures of our swim with manatees. Explorida had very nice boats, wet suits, and equipment. They even had hot chocolate waiting for us when we got back on the boat.
Unforgettable
laetitiadZ8495ZR,,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Incredible and unforgettable experience. A top team, there is even a lady who speaks very good French 😉 . Thanks to Chris for his help. The team respects rabbits. A hot chocolate is offered on the boat on the return, a special attention that warms up. Frankly, we found it fantastic and recommend this team. Nice little shop
Great Experience
Susan R,,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great swim. The staff was very friendly and made for an enjoyable adventure. We saw lots of manatees! It got really crowded and we were glad we went in the morning.
From US$74.00
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