Plantation Adventure Center and Manatee Tours - Crystal River, Florida

Kimberly U.

I've had the pleasure of visiting The Adventure Center Plantation on Crystal River twice this winter. The first time was a birthday surprise, and it was so wonderful that I booked the same tour for the following weekend. Both times I did the small group at 9:45am, and both times we had Captain Dave at the helm and Tyler as our dive master, manatee guide, and photographer. We also had a lovely interaction with the manager, Henry.

Our first weekend, Jan 26, was at the tail end of a significant cold front which meant there were a lot of manatees (and people swimming with the manatees). Tyler was great at navigating our little group and ensuring we had a terrific experience. He gave excellent guidance throughout and really helped all of us relax and appreciate the moment. He got great photos for us so we didn't need to do anything other than be present. When the press of less-than-polite snorklers from other outfits started to get to be too much, Dave and Tyler brought us to an alternate location where the visibility under water was less, but we were the only humans in the water with about 6 manatees as they fed. It was breath-taking.

The next week, just 6 days difference, was a completely different experience, manatee-wise. The weather had warmed enough that almost all of the manatees had left for the gulf. Despite the lack of animals, Tyler and Dave managed to find two that were happy to hang out near us. What we lacked the quantity they helped us make up in quality and we four spent a lot of time in the shallows watching a big male manatee munch on the shoots on the bottom.

I look forward to going again next winter and I do recommend them happily. They are a small shop and they did suffer damage from the hurricanes, so we are extra glad to give them our business.

Kay J.

We want to thank the staff at the Adventure Center manatees boat tours , they were so knowledgeable about all things manatee and Crystal River . We had out of town guests and it made for the perfect couples advantage. This is our second time and you better believe we will be bringing more family and friends when they come to visit.

Kait S.

The best experience I could have ever had! The crew was absolutely amazing and clearly love their jobs, getting to work with people excited about the manatees and the manatees themselves! They made sure we had the absolute best time, and got some amazing photos of us!
If this is something you are considering I highly recommend it and plantation adventure should be at the top of your list!
I don't know when, but I will be back!

Catherine J.

Don't look for anywhere else when choosing the RIGHT company to observe manatees. They are dedicated to making sure everyone has a wonderful experience, take photos for you so you can focus on the most amazing up-close experience of manatees/fish, and are devoted to making sure the manatees are calm, safe, and happy. There were other groups from other companies around doing all the wrong things (I e. Splashing, chasing the manatees, yelling), but this company CARES about the well being of these gorgeous creatures. Captain Dave & Tyler were attentive, professional, kind, and were kings of silly "dad jokes". WILL BE COMING BACK !!

Jo A. C.

My best friend in the world and I went out on Sunday with the Enchanted Swimstress Laura and Captain Aaron to swim with manatees . We encountered at least 5 manatees that we got to get close with . The whole experience was awesome !!! Laura was so nice and helpful . This was my friend’s first time snorkeling and was a little bit nervous but Laura and Aaron helped make her feel confident and she did awesome . We bought the pictures which came out fantastic … worth every penny !!! We are coming back in colder weather to enjoy more of these amazing creatures !! Great store for merch also.

Paul O. '. E.

We had a nice swimming with manatees tour with captain Baygull and tour guide Amandatee 😉 Snorkelling in the blurry water of Homosassa in low season, it was still nice to see the manatees from up and close. The trip was finalised with a visit to the Three Sisters Springs with crystal clear water. We bought the photos and videos that Amanda made during the trip as a good memory to a nice morning.

JD S.

We had such an amazing time with Cory and Amanda from Plantation Adventure Center. We were a bit nervous since we had our 6yr and 9 yr olds with us and it was their first time snorkeling. Amanda got our kids in the water and they took to it pretty easy. Amanda had a go pro and was taking videos/photos the entire time. She captured some great memories of our family. It's unreal how the manatees come up to you and interact with you. I had seen videos of other people snorkeling with them but didn't realize they were like that with everyone. If you stay calm and float they will come to you. At one point my 6yr old and I had 12 of them around us. They were so gentle. This was a bucket list thing and I am so glad we did this with Plantation Adventure Center. Thank you Amanda for all the time you spent making sure we had great memories.

Captain Cory was also amazing. He got us hot cocoa and towels once back on the boat. We had only a short trip to where the manatees were hangin out. The day we went the air temp was around 76 and the water temp was around 72. I was shocked that I was not cold at all and we spent about an hour and a half in the water. It was really nice having 5mil wetsuits. My kids even commented that they weren't cold in the water either. They have talked nonstop about how they want to come back next year and do it again.

Sadly when we got back to the shop, we had a flat tire on our rental car. Cory went above and beyond to make sure we weren't stranded. Enterprise was very little help so Cory inflated our tire so we could drive the 2 miles to the tire shop. Then he followed us and took me to enterprise to process getting the car fixed. We would have been waiting hours for a tow truck had he not helped us. Thank you Cory!!!

Mark B.

There’s good reasons why Plantation is considered the best manatee tour experience. They use high quality gear, the wet suit and snorkel gear are top notch and makes it easier to enjoy the experience. The video and pictures they take are high tech and incredibly clear. But it’s their highly experienced personnel that really set them apart. In our case, Captain Dave and Divemaster Laura were an exceptional blend of knowledgeable, professional, and fun. They are clearly enamored with the manatee and very respectful of their environment. Highly recommend!