Go Local Manatee Tours - Crystal River, Florida

MrBarker

Tour guides Walter and Derek have been swimming these rivers since they were 5 years old! They bring local experience you don’t get with other companies. They are professional and funny.

Highly recommend getting the early boat out. Beat the other boats to get the best spots.

Tie your hair back for some great photos, and warm up on the boat after with some delicious hot cocoa.

Island G.

If you are looking for a professional, yet personable outfit who goes above and beyond, then book with Go Local. Captain Walt and 1st Mate Josh were very knowledgeable about the area and manatee. They quickly got us in the water with a manatee that allowed us to tag along for over an hour! What a wonderful and informative experience we had. Extra bonus...they only operate 6 people per boat (yes, that REALLY matters) so much more peaceful experience with these gentle "sweet potatoes" manatees when there is not a crowd. We own a small owner operator business ourselves, so we love supporting local experts who are great at what they do. And, they did not disappoint!

Frank B.

Phenomenal experience! Josh and Walter were top tier guys - born and raised in the area! The tour was perfect and I’d highly recommend using “Go Local Manatee Tours”! It was also really nice that the boat was not overpacked like many of the other tour boats we saw. This company is the ONLY local tour company and they do not overstuff their boats. All around perfect excursion!

Robin R. M.

When you want to go swimming with manatees, go local! Go Local Manatee Tours gave us an amazing experience, even though we visited off-season, in the summer. We were lucky to get up close to two manatees, one of which was pregnant. Captain Walt and Josh were great with our 7-year-old, and we got lots of great pics without having to worry about an underwater camera, etc. Because of the time of year, we were lucky to get a private tour, basically, for just our family. They also recommended the best day and time to go, and were very knowledgeable about the area. Definitely would recommend.

Angela C.

Captain Walt and Josh were awesome. Professional, fun, and, being locals, knew exactly where to find the manatees. They keep the tour groups small (we had 4 total people).
We saw 9 manatees yesterday including a pregnant one. They supplied all of the gear needed. We stayed as long as we wanted and then they took us to two springs where we found several more manatees. Great fun! Josh took over a hundred photos of us and the manatees and sent them to us (free). I highly recommend these guys.

Stefanie E.

Had the absolute best experience with capt. Peter and tour guide Josh! Both being from Crystal River they had incredible knowledge of the springs and natural history of the manatees! We got to relax in crystal clear water with multiple manatees, even a little baby! Josh made us feel comfortable and at ease while in the water. I will definitely be booking another tour with Go Local! Y'all rock 🤘🏼

Ashley L.

We had an amazing time on our manatee snorkeling tour! Derek and Walter were fantastic guides—super knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about what they do. It really stood out how much they care about respecting the manatees and the environment, which made the experience even more meaningful. Highly recommend this tour if you want a fun and respectful way to see these gentle giants up close!

Lo

Did you know that this is the only locally owned and operated manatee tour in all of Crystal river? We didn’t until we booked this! Josh was an amazing tour guide and Marcus did an awesome job navigating us to manatees. We felt very safe and got to see several manatees, including some in Crystal clear water. Josh did great at photographing everything for us without getting in the way. They truly care for the manatees and treat them with the respect they deserve. I’d only recommend them to others. CAMEL.