Manatee Snorkeling Day Trip in Crystal River with Lunch and Hotel Pickup
by Gray Line of Orlando
Choose from 2 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$338Overview
This full-day bus tour lasts about 8 and a half hours and is suited for travelers interested in seeing manatees and local wildlife near Orlando. The tour includes roundtrip transportation from designated hotels to Crystal River and Homosassa State Wildlife Park. After an early morning departure, guests receive a safety briefing and snorkel equipment including mask, snorkel, and fins; wetsuit rental is available for an extra fee and required for swimming. The boat enters the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, where participants may spot wild manatees. Once at Crystal River, a narrated boat tour is provided, followed by the chance to snorkel or swim alongside the manatees under the supervision of certified dive masters. The manatees frequent these waters year-round, with populations varying by season. Those who prefer not to swim can stay on the boat to observe. After the river cruise, the tour proceeds to Homosassa State Wildlife Park. Visitors walk at their own pace through the park, which houses rescued native animals including manatees in an underwater viewing chamber, bears, panthers, alligators, and a hippopotamus. A feeding session with a park ranger is included. The park offers a café for food purchase and picnic tables for those who bring their own lunch. On tours booked with the fully inclusive option, a 30-minute Wild Airboat Ride on the Withlacoochee River is added, providing an opportunity to see alligators and other wildlife. Lunch is also included in this package. The tour is led by a driver-guide throughout. Gratuities and breakfast are not included. Airboat rides are only available on Tuesday and Thursday tours; tours on Friday and Saturday do not include the airboat ride and are priced lower. Wetsuits must be rented separately.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
The boat enters the wildlife refuge area where guests look for wild manatees in their natural river habitat.
Crystal River
Arriving at Crystal River, participants take a narrated boat tour and receive snorkel gear including mask, snorkel, and fins. Certified dive masters supervise swimming alongside manatees. The manatees live here year-round, with winter numbers increasing to several hundred and summer averages around 80. After the cruise, transportation and guided service continue to the next stop.
120 min
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Visitors walk freely through the park to view rescued animals and see manatees through an underwater viewing chamber at the rehabilitation facility. The park includes other animals such as bears, panthers, alligators, and a hippopotamus. A feeding session with a park ranger is part of the visit. A café is available for food purchase, or guests may use picnic tables if bringing their own lunch.
120 min
Withlacoochee River Airboat Ride
On tours with the full package, a 30-minute airboat ride takes place on the Withlacoochee River to spot alligators and observe local wildlife.
30 min
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
Manatee Snorkeling Day Trip in Crystal River with Lunch and Hotel Pickup
by Gray Line of Orlando
Choose from 2 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$338Overview
This full-day bus tour lasts about 8 and a half hours and is suited for travelers interested in seeing manatees and local wildlife near Orlando. The tour includes roundtrip transportation from designated hotels to Crystal River and Homosassa State Wildlife Park. After an early morning departure, guests receive a safety briefing and snorkel equipment including mask, snorkel, and fins; wetsuit rental is available for an extra fee and required for swimming. The boat enters the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, where participants may spot wild manatees. Once at Crystal River, a narrated boat tour is provided, followed by the chance to snorkel or swim alongside the manatees under the supervision of certified dive masters. The manatees frequent these waters year-round, with populations varying by season. Those who prefer not to swim can stay on the boat to observe. After the river cruise, the tour proceeds to Homosassa State Wildlife Park. Visitors walk at their own pace through the park, which houses rescued native animals including manatees in an underwater viewing chamber, bears, panthers, alligators, and a hippopotamus. A feeding session with a park ranger is included. The park offers a café for food purchase and picnic tables for those who bring their own lunch. On tours booked with the fully inclusive option, a 30-minute Wild Airboat Ride on the Withlacoochee River is added, providing an opportunity to see alligators and other wildlife. Lunch is also included in this package. The tour is led by a driver-guide throughout. Gratuities and breakfast are not included. Airboat rides are only available on Tuesday and Thursday tours; tours on Friday and Saturday do not include the airboat ride and are priced lower. Wetsuits must be rented separately.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
The boat enters the wildlife refuge area where guests look for wild manatees in their natural river habitat.
Crystal River
Arriving at Crystal River, participants take a narrated boat tour and receive snorkel gear including mask, snorkel, and fins. Certified dive masters supervise swimming alongside manatees. The manatees live here year-round, with winter numbers increasing to several hundred and summer averages around 80. After the cruise, transportation and guided service continue to the next stop.
120 min
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Visitors walk freely through the park to view rescued animals and see manatees through an underwater viewing chamber at the rehabilitation facility. The park includes other animals such as bears, panthers, alligators, and a hippopotamus. A feeding session with a park ranger is part of the visit. A café is available for food purchase, or guests may use picnic tables if bringing their own lunch.
120 min
Withlacoochee River Airboat Ride
On tours with the full package, a 30-minute airboat ride takes place on the Withlacoochee River to spot alligators and observe local wildlife.
30 min
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.