Manatee Tour and Dive - Crystal River, Florida

Erin H.

I am so happy we chose Manatee Tour and Dive for our trip this morning! I researched all the companies and they far exceeded my expectations. Our guide John was incredible and our Captain Gary was great! They both were so knowledgeable and fun! It was clear that they are both very passionate about what they do and they strive to make it a great experience for all! We saw so many manatees including several sets of moms with their calves! On our way back from our last snorkel stop Captain Gary even took the time to stop for more fun and flew his drone over a section that was blocked off to people so the manatees are protected amd he showed our boys as he was taking video...there were at least a hundred manatees! So cool! They went above and beyond in so many ways and even had warm water to pour into our wetsuits when our boys were chilly as well as hot chocolate on board. Upon our return they had warm showers and the option to buy all the photos and videos for only $40, which we felt was incredibly reasonable compared to so many other places. Thanks for a wonderful morning with the manatees!

Nicole C.

A group of 5 of us did the 11am tour on a Wednesday. We were provided wet suits and a fuzzy jacket to help stay warm. We had Captain Gary and guided by Luke. Both were super great at making us feel welcome, informing us about safety and facts about manatees. I really appreciated how much they focused on the respecting the manatees and their habitat. We got to see 5 or so which was incredible. The water was still a bit chilly but we were greeted with hot chocolate on the boat to finish. I would definitely recommend it. Also a huge shoutout to the school kids field trip who were with us. Everyone did great!

allison S.

We went out with Bob and Andrew with our two kids and had a great time. They knew a lot and kept us informed the whole time. We saw a few manatee’s and even one up close! A very special adventure for our family we will remember for a long time!

Sabrina N.

We were adventurous enough to go at 8:00am. So glad we did. It was cold but we were provided with jackets and they were very warm. It was completely amazing!! Hunter Springs are the best!! I was face to face four times with these sweet faces. I would do this over and over again. Chad and John made us feel like old friends and made sure we were comfortable at all times.

Megan W.

Gary and John were amazing! They did all they could to find the manatees including flying a drone and traveling all over the bay. John took so many wonderful pictures and videos documenting our time in the water. I highly recommend this tour group!!

Franek D.

This was the BEST experience on my Florida tour as an animal passionate so far! Even though the weather was so cold(what I think was better because there was much less people and more manatees) it was such an AMAZING experience. We’ve got really fluffy coats to keep warm during the ride to our destination and after we got a cup of delicious hot chocolate- everything to keep warm. Besides manatees we were lucky enough to see a lot of really interesting fish and even the TURTLE! When we got back to the store we were able to buy great photos taken during our tour by the best guide- LACY! I also want to thank the best captain that drove us to the springs:)!!!

Brandon

Great trip with Manatee Tour and Dive. Chad and Lacy took us out. My first time swimming with manatees and won’t be the last. The spring heads are crystal clear (see video and pics) and the visibility where we found the manatees wasn’t bad either. I expected worse after the hurricanes but was pleasantly surprised.

The manatees roam around freely and you have to find them then get in and hold still! The tour guide spent much of the time giving instructions to the kids and keeping them from disturbing the manatees. She did a fantastic job. I decided instead of trying to move and find them I would sit still. As with most marine life it worked well! While the entire group just circled swimming and trying to get pictures and the best angle… I had the mom and calf come up and sit 6-12” from my mask right in my face. Holding still worked well definitely the most important tip for having the best experience in my opinion.

Foodie 4.

Wow! We did the 2 pm tour today and Captain Dexter and Lacy made this experience extraordinary! They made sure we swam with manatees despite the challenge of finding them. Everyone on our tour were taken care of! Lacy also stayed back to make sure that I caught up and saw the manatees too and she helped me back on the boat. Hot chocolates and tea were available to warm us up after our tour, which made this experience all the more enjoyable! Thank you Lacy and Captain Dexter!