Manatee Swim Center - Crystal River, Florida

Mayla J.

I had a blast with the crew. Captain Morgan is very knowledgable, patient and sweet and a fantastic photographer. Hurricane Helene greatly affected the water clarity and she was still able to take amazing pictures and videos and I could see that she cares a lot about the manatees as she was very sweet and gentle around them. I went on the 6:45 AM group and we were the first ones to arrive and encountered several manatees. Initially I kept getting spooked by the manatees because I could not see them until I was basically face to face with one or I would accidentally bump into one but I eventually got used to it. Some manatees did interact with us and one decided to hang on my back. Please enjoy some of the pictures Captain Morgan captured it bellow. 🤣

Henry L.

An Unforgettable Manatee Adventure with an Amazing Crew!

We had the most incredible experience with Manatee Swim Center on Thursday, February 6, during their 7 AM tour. From the moment we arrived at 6:45 AM, the staff made us feel welcome and well-prepared for the day ahead. We met Bri outside the office, who turned out to be our manatee tour guide. She was friendly, professional, and gave us clear instructions on what to do next.

Inside, Ethan greeted us and walked us through the necessary paperwork, including a liability waiver. Afterward, we were assigned wetsuits and gathered to watch a National Park Service video on manatee manners. This was incredibly informative and emphasized the importance of respecting these gentle, protected creatures.

Once we were ready, we walked down to the pontoon boat and met Captain Morgan—yes, her real name! She was cheerful, knowledgeable, and set the tone for a fun and safe adventure. We headed out into the bay, and though the crew wasn’t sure exactly where the manatees would be, they were confident we’d find some. Sure enough, our eagle eyes spotted a few, and we quickly geared up to get in the water.

Before jumping in, Captain Morgan and Bri gave us a mini class on how to use the snorkeling equipment and explained the safety gear on the boat. Once in the water, Bri stayed close to guide us to the manatees. The water was a bit cloudy, but her spotting skills were top-notch. And then, we saw it—a mother manatee, around 800 pounds, munching on Easter grass at the bottom, followed by her adorable baby. It was an absolute dream come true!

We spent about an hour swimming carefully around the manatees, ensuring we didn’t disturb them. Bri even took photos for us, which was a wonderful way to capture the memories. Back on the boat, we were greeted with hot coffee and hot chocolate—a thoughtful touch that warmed us up after our swim.

Next, Captain Morgan took us to the crystal-clear springs at Three Sisters. Swimming through the small canal to reach the springs was magical, and the water was unbelievably clear. Bri pointed out various fish species, including mullets, sheepshead, and snook, adding an educational element to the trip.

As we swam back to the boat, we had one final treat: a small manatee swam right past us on its way into the springs. Seeing this gentle creature up close was the perfect way to end our adventure.

Back at the dock, we changed out of our wetsuits and met Bri in the office to view the photos and videos she had taken. It was a wonderful way to relive the experience and take home lasting memories.

We highly recommend Manatee Swim Center to anyone looking to snorkel with manatees. The entire crew—Bri, Captain Morgan, and Ethan—were professional, knowledgeable, and made the experience unforgettable. Thank you for such an amazing day!

Kayce S.

Amazing experience with Morgan and (Guy) Morgan! It was me, my 3 children ages 14, 7, and 4 and my aunt who was just an observer.. but this was the best 3 hours of the week long trip! This was just an incredible experience and I highly recommend it to any and everyone. Having a manatee be right under me..I was in heaven! Morgan is great with kids, as she pretty much got my 4yr old son to want to swim all on his own now and she’s incredibly knowledgeable of everything! Please go and learn about these beautiful mammals! I wish I could upload videos!

H F.

Best experience ever! We did the private tour, six seated heated boat. A 6:30 am arrival and a cold morning was worth the experience of a lifetime! There were several engaging, playful manatees not to mention almost every turn was a manatee sighting! Most importantly our guide Sara and captain Andrew made a fantastic team! They were more than knowledgeable and love what they do which made our experience extra special.

Arthur B.

Such a great day! I went to a business meeting near Crystal River. Our group decided to take a day and get out on the water. Capt. Paul and Lucas took great care of us. Very professional and friendly. They made sure all of us knew what we were doing, made sure we were safe and made sure we had fun. I’m bringing my family back to do the same trip with them!

Heather L.

We had a wonderful time scalloping with Captain John and Jake. They were very personable and made our first time scalloping a lot of fun! We didn’t find a lot of scallops but Captain John was nice enough to grab a whole bunch for us to take home for dinner. Jake also prepared a little scallop ceviche on the boat for us which was delicious!! We will definitely come back during Manatee season and use them again.

Bunker R.

We first used another tour service and it was ok. We decided to try the Swim Center later that day and was a little more expensive. But Wow! Way more better customer service! Our captain Glenn was so awesome! Very knowledgeable and made every effort to get us to the right locations. We swam for hours with the manatee’s and was incredible. Highly recommended!

stacey S.

Amazing Captain Paul and Lucas were amazing !!! First they knew where to go when many others didn’t! They went in with us, & They took our daughter out and she went from being afraid to finding diving and catching scallops - a confident expert scalloper! We couldn’t get her out of the water! Afterwards Lucas made us a tasty treat of scallops So good, both my kids are not seafood kids but both ate the scallops and loved it! We have traveled the world and appreciate people who love what they do and love to share it with the world …. If that is your family this is your trip!! Fun, authentic, educational, locals who love what they do! And huge shout out and thank you to Captain Glenn The Shucking KING for shucking our scallops! Thank you guys !!! We will be back! The Veikalas Family