If you’re heading to Crystal River, you’re coming to see manatees — and doing it right makes all the difference. This quiet Florida town is known as the Manatee Capital of the World, and it’s one of the only places in the U.S. where you can legally swim with wild manatees in their natural spring habitat.

Check my link for my favorite heated boat tour to swim with manatees!

Manatee season runs from November through March, with the highest numbers in the coldest months. They gather in the warm, spring-fed waters of Kings Bay and Three Sisters Springs, and the best way to see them is by booking a licensed snorkel, kayak, or boat tour — all of which provide gear and go over the rules (no touching, chasing, or blocking the manatees; you float calmly and let them approach).

You don’t have to get in the water to see manatees up close. Visit the Three Sisters Springs boardwalk, where you can walk the trails and get great views of manatees from above — especially in peak season when the water is cool and clear. The boardwalk offers multiple lookout points and is wheelchair- and stroller-accessible.