Semi Private Manatee Swim Tour

Captain Glenn and Celeste were excellent tour guides. They provided a great experience with good instruction and everyone in my group had a great time. Good stories and great manatee viewing. Will probably return.

Reggie was a very helpfull and patient guide. As first time snorklers we needed some time to adjust, but she gave us so much confidence and guidance. The weather was very unpredictable, she and the captain as well were very clear about that and the possiblility was there we needed to leave in a hurry should thunder apear. We appreciated their professionalism and honousty. Luckely we had the change to see the manatees, an experience we will never forget!

Absolutely amazing time with Paddletail Waterfront Adventures! Unknowingly, we came during the off-season. Our trip was full of rain and thunder. Sounds awful, right? NOPE! Dani and Chad were perfect guides. I felt very confident being in the water during our trip. Not only were they extremely vigilant and in constant communication with each other and others who were reporting on weather and manatee sightings, they are an amazing team! Besides being in the water and the manatees, Dani and Chad made our day phenomenal! As stated above, it is off-season, but that did not stop Dani and Chad from making sure we found and had an memorable manatee encounter. We are already planning another Florida trip with the sole purpose of coming back to Paddletail during the correct season to see even more manatees and, of course, we will be requesting Dani and Chad for our trip. Don’t think twice! If you are looking for a manatee experience, I recommend Paddletail, Dani, Chad, and an early morning 6-person excursion!

Great experience, Jess was an amazing guide and the Manatee was awesome, so majestic and I was lucky enough to be touched by her. Fantastic x

Overall great experience. Loved seeing the manatees. Kids first time on a boat. Can't wait to go again.

Good experience with Reggie and Steve. Didn’t realize that Summer being off season means low likelihood of seeing and interacting with manatees; however, we lucked out and got to see a Mom and baby. The water was also pretty murky, which I wasn’t expecting. It was still a good time, though I highly recommend waiting until the cooler months. The guides shared some people never even get in the water this time of year because there is nothing to see.

This tour was incredibly well-organized from the moment we arrived. They supplied all the equipment and drinks, and our captain and our guide, Michelle, were so dedicated to finding a manatee for us. Since it isn't high season and the water conditions weren’t ideal, it took some effort, but they successfully tracked one down and we got a beautiful, up-close look. The grand finale at Three Sisters Springs was stunning. I have truly never snorkeled in water that clear before! We also lucked out and saw a lot of fish, some birds, and two very chill turtles. We ended up being out on the water for about 2.5 hours, which was longer than we anticipated. The price was around $100 per person, which covers everything (there’s no separate admission fee). To give an honest picture of the environment: because a couple of different boats were looking for manatees, there were quite a few people gathered around the one we found. Fortunately, it didn't seem stressed at all and just kept grazing. The tour is definitely suitable for everyone—there were multiple kids on other boats, and they offer pool noodles if you need help floating. That said, you do want to have decent swimming skills, especially since quick movements can scare the manatees off. If you go, do yourself a huge favor and book an early morning slot on a weekday. They told us the weekends get packed out on the water, but our weekday morning tour meant we had the springs entirely to ourselves. It was magical!

Captain Glenn was awesome! I learned so much about the wildlife in the area as well as interesting history of Crystal River. He loaned me his polarized sunglasses so I could see a manatee. So exciting. 😎

Reggie & Mark were great guides and were super sweet & fun. They took great care of our family and made sure we had a close encounter with a manatee. Highly recommend!

Glenn & Jessica were amazing! I highly recommend taking a manatee trip ! They were both attentive to our group and took the time to allow us to explore the area since some of our group have never been too Crystal River!