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Manatee tours

The best ways to swim with manatees in Florida

Snorkel trips to Crystal River, manatee-season kayak tours, a Silver Springs day and a Blue Spring river cruise: here is where and when to see manatees from Orlando, with honest advice on the season, the rules and whether you will see one.

By the Things to Do in Orlando editorial team 6 tours compared Prices checked 25 October 2026

See our 6 picks
A manatee swimming in clear blue water, with a snorkeler at the surface far behind
Short answer

Yes, you can swim with manatees in Florida at Crystal River, about 90 minutes from Orlando.

Visit Orlando calls it the only place in the US where swimming with manatees is legal. The main season there runs from 15 November to 31 March. Near Orlando, Blue Spring is for watching only.

Our 6 manatee tours from Orlando, from €24

One snorkel trip to Crystal River, a Silver Springs day, three kayak tours and a river cruise. All six have free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Only the Crystal River trip puts you in the water with manatees.

  • A manatee facing the camera in clear water, with small fish around it from €151 per person Our top pick

    11 hours 4.6 (106) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Crystal River manatee snorkel with lunch and pickup

    A pontoon boat on the Crystal River and Kings Bay, where you snorkel near wild manatees if you spot them. Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park and a box lunch are included. The wetsuit costs $15 on site.

    Best for Really swimming with manatees

    Check availability: Crystal River manatee snorkel with lunch and pickup on GetYourGuide
  • A manatee in a clear spring, with water plants and trees on the bank from €79 per person

    8 hours 5.0 (17) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Silver Springs day in manatee season

    Pickup in Orlando, park entry and up to five hours at Silver Springs State Park. You can kayak, walk or add a glass-bottom boat. The listing includes no manatee swim.

    Best for A wildlife day with pickup

    Check availability: Silver Springs day in manatee season on GetYourGuide
  • A kayak's bow on a calm river lined with mossy oak trees from €71 per person

    2 hours 5.0 (210) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Small-group manatee and wildlife kayak

    Two hours by kayak from Orange City, near Blue Spring, with a naturalist guide. Beginners are welcome. Winter is the best time to see many manatees, the listing says. Its route is not stated.

    Best for Paddlers who want a small group

    Check availability: Small-group manatee and wildlife kayak on GetYourGuide
  • A kayak's bow on open water, with palm trees and a pier ahead from €86 per person

    2 hours 4.8 (239) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Kayak tour with a manatee encounter

    Two hours by kayak from Orange City, with a guide, gear and permit. Not for non-swimmers. The listing mentions a spring run, but Blue Spring’s run is closed to paddling from 15 November to 15 March.

    Best for A 2-hour paddle

    Check availability: Kayak tour with a manatee encounter on GetYourGuide
  • The wide St. Johns River covered in lily pads, with trees beyond from €24 per person

    1 hour 4.4 (49) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Blue Spring river cruise on the St. Johns

    A one-hour nature cruise on the St. Johns River from Blue Spring State Park. You may see manatees, birds and alligators. Park entry is $6 per car and not included.

    Best for The cheapest look, from €24

    Check availability: Blue Spring river cruise on the St. Johns on GetYourGuide
  • A manatee seen from above, resting over water plants from €62 per person

    1 h 30 min 5.0 (8) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Blue Spring manatee kayak

    A 1.5-hour kayak trip on the St. Johns River with a local guide. Not for kids under 6. The guide says manatee season is November to March and can’t promise a sighting.

    Best for A small group on the river

    Check availability: Blue Spring manatee kayak on GetYourGuide

Manatee tours compared

Manatee tours compared
TourFromDurationGroup sizePickupIn the water with manatees?Who it suitsWhy we picked it
Crystal River manatee snorkel with lunch and pickup 4.6 (106)€151
per person		11 hoursUp to 13Pickup includedYes, snorkelReally swimming with manateesThe only pick where you get in the water with manatees, rated 4.6 from 106 reviews.
Silver Springs day in manatee season 5.0 (17)€79
per person		8 hoursUp to 14Pickup includedNo swim listedA wildlife day with pickupThe top rating here, 5.0 from 17 reviews, with pickup included.
Small-group manatee and wildlife kayak 5.0 (210)€71
per person		2 hoursUp to 10Meeting pointNo, by kayakPaddlers who want a small groupThe best-rated kayak tour: 5.0 from 210 reviews.
Kayak tour with a manatee encounter 4.8 (239)€86
per person		2 hoursNot statedMeeting pointNo, by kayakA 2-hour paddleA well-liked paddle, rated 4.8 from 239 reviews.
Blue Spring river cruise on the St. Johns 4.4 (49)€24
per person		1 hourNot statedMeeting pointNo, by boatThe cheapest look, from €24The lowest price here, rated 4.4 from 49 reviews.
Blue Spring manatee kayak 5.0 (8)€62
per person		1 h 30 minUp to 9Meeting pointNo, by kayakA small group on the riverRated 5.0, but from only 8 reviews so far.

  • Crystal River manatee snorkel with lunch and pickup

    €151 per person11 hours 4.6 (106)

    Details
    Group size
    Up to 13
    Pickup
    Pickup included
    In the water with manatees?
    Yes, snorkel
    Who it suits
    Really swimming with manatees
    Why we picked it
    The only pick where you get in the water with manatees, rated 4.6 from 106 reviews.

  • Silver Springs day in manatee season

    €79 per person8 hours 5.0 (17)

    Details
    Group size
    Up to 14
    Pickup
    Pickup included
    In the water with manatees?
    No swim listed
    Who it suits
    A wildlife day with pickup
    Why we picked it
    The top rating here, 5.0 from 17 reviews, with pickup included.

  • Small-group manatee and wildlife kayak

    €71 per person2 hours 5.0 (210)

    Details
    Group size
    Up to 10
    Pickup
    Meeting point
    In the water with manatees?
    No, by kayak
    Who it suits
    Paddlers who want a small group
    Why we picked it
    The best-rated kayak tour: 5.0 from 210 reviews.

  • Kayak tour with a manatee encounter

    €86 per person2 hours 4.8 (239)

    Details
    Group size
    Not stated
    Pickup
    Meeting point
    In the water with manatees?
    No, by kayak
    Who it suits
    A 2-hour paddle
    Why we picked it
    A well-liked paddle, rated 4.8 from 239 reviews.

  • Blue Spring river cruise on the St. Johns

    €24 per person1 hour 4.4 (49)

    Details
    Group size
    Not stated
    Pickup
    Meeting point
    In the water with manatees?
    No, by boat
    Who it suits
    The cheapest look, from €24
    Why we picked it
    The lowest price here, rated 4.4 from 49 reviews.

  • Blue Spring manatee kayak

    €62 per person1 h 30 min 5.0 (8)

    Details
    Group size
    Up to 9
    Pickup
    Meeting point
    In the water with manatees?
    No, by kayak
    Who it suits
    A small group on the river
    Why we picked it
    Rated 5.0, but from only 8 reviews so far.
  • All 6 offer free cancellation.
  • Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are “from” prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

Where you can swim with manatees: Crystal River

Crystal River is the place to swim with manatees. Visit Orlando calls it the only place in the US where swimming and snorkeling with them is legal. It is about 90 minutes from Orlando.

Manatees gather in Kings Bay there in winter. The US Fish and Wildlife Service runs its manatee season from 15 November to 31 March.

Our snorkel pick goes out by pontoon boat on the Crystal River and Kings Bay. It picks you up in Orlando, Kissimmee, Lake Buena Vista or the Disney area.

Three Sisters Springs

Three Sisters Springs is a well-known manatee spot in Crystal River. You can’t get in the water from the refuge boardwalk. Swimmers come by boat or paddle craft from Kings Bay, the city says.

Paddle craft may go in only from 1 April to 14 November. The US Fish and Wildlife Service can close in-water access at any time.

When can you swim with manatees in Florida?

Go in winter. At Crystal River, the manatee season runs from 15 November to 31 March, the US Fish and Wildlife Service says.

At Blue Spring, manatees gather from mid-November to March. Florida State Parks counted over 700 there in 2023.

No tour can promise you will see one. Manatees are wild, and the listings say so.

Manatee tours near Orlando: kayak, boat and snorkel

Blue Spring State Park in Orange City is about an hour north of Orlando, Visit Orlando says. You watch manatees there from a 1/3-mile boardwalk.

Swimming or diving with manatees is not allowed at Blue Spring. From 15 November to 15 March, the spring run is closed to all water use, paddling too.

The cruise and one kayak tour go out on the St. Johns River, their listings say. The other two kayak listings don’t name a route, so ask the operator in winter.

You can make it a day trip from Orlando. The park opens at 8 a.m. and often fills up and closes for a while, so arrive early.

Silver Springs

Silver Springs State Park is another clear spring. Our pick drives you there and gives you up to five hours to kayak, walk or ride a glass-bottom boat. The boat costs extra unless you pick that option.

The rules: look, don’t touch

In Kings Bay you may only watch manatees, the US Fish and Wildlife Service says. Don’t touch, chase or feed a manatee.

Two of the kayak listings also forbid touching wildlife. At Blue Spring, you watch from the boardwalk or a boat, never in the water with them.

Before you book a manatee tour

  1. Pick the right month

    Go between mid-November and March. That is when manatees gather at Crystal River and Blue Spring.

  2. No sighting is promised

    Manatees are wild animals. The listings say a sighting can’t be guaranteed.

  3. What costs extra

    Blue Spring charges $6 per car, and the cruise does not include it. The snorkel trip’s wetsuit costs $15. Most tours don’t include tips.

  4. Arrive early at Blue Spring

    The park often fills up and closes for a while. The cruise listing says to arrive up to 2 hours early on busy days.

  5. If it rains

    If a tour company cancels for bad weather, you get your money back, GetYourGuide’s terms say. One kayak tour runs rain or shine unless it is unsafe.

Questions people ask about manatees

Can you swim with manatees in Florida?
Yes, at Crystal River, about 90 minutes from Orlando. Visit Orlando calls it the only place in the US where it is legal. You may only watch: no touching, chasing or feeding.

Where in Florida can you swim with manatees?
In Crystal River, mostly in Kings Bay, where tours go out by boat. At Three Sisters Springs you can’t get in from the boardwalk. Swimmers arrive by boat or paddle craft.

When can you swim with manatees in Florida?
In winter. At Crystal River, the manatee season runs from 15 November to 31 March, the US Fish and Wildlife Service says.

Is it legal to swim with manatees?
Yes, at Crystal River, as long as you only watch them. Don’t touch, chase or feed them. At Blue Spring, swimming with manatees is not allowed.

Where can I swim with manatees in Florida for free?
We found no free place to swim with them. At Blue Spring State Park you can watch manatees from the boardwalk for $6 per car.

More manatee and nature tours

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More day trips from Orlando

Sources (13), facts checked on 25 October 2026

Written by the Things to Do in Orlando editorial team.