Garrett was a blast! We are just coming into the warm season and most manatees are back in the…read moregulf, he still got us to 7 manatees, 2 gators, and we caught a dolphin in kings bay towards the end. He gave us plenty of time to look for things to come up out of the water which was great for my 2 year old. Boat was shaded and was enjoyable even with a small child. Other tours wouldn't let me book because she was under 3- we brought our own lifevest but they did also have some on board that were her size.

Thank you Piper and Wade (best guide and captain combo ever!) for an experience my wife and I will…read morenever forget! Amazing! We learned so much and got to go face to face with a big old male. Piper's encouragement and direction kept us calm when things got exciting! Would recommend to everyone who loves nature. Also the office staff were gracious and made great recommendation for lunch at a local deli. 100% glad we chose these guys.

Fantastic trip with a very knowledgeable and professional crew. From check in to the boat ride it…read morewas safe and fun. We saw plenty of gators and learned a lot about them and the surrounding area. You can tell they love the lake and the animals. It is definitely worth the trip, we will be back.

Awesome experience.. everyone was super friendly.. awesome tour.. randy is an awesome guide and we…read morewere able to pet Luke their alligator..

Friendly staff. The boat captain was knowledgeable. Loved that he plucked plastic bags out of the…read morewater. It was a beautiful, relaxing trip. Saw many manatees!

Oh Lordy, where do I start? I was raised in the area and…read moremoved away 40 years ago. My bff and I were on a road trip tour of my favorite places. Crystal River was always one of my favorite places to play in the water. So during our "drive by" selected to do Captain Wayne's 2 hour manatee tour. I knew it was a shot in the dark because,well June, they are rare in the rivers this time of year. My BFF was hoping to see dolphins (also rare in the rivers I know). When we boarded first thing he asked was what we wanted out of this journey, we told him our hopes. We set sail in his wonderful pontoon boat completely shaded in the hot Florida sun. He told stories and provided information and answered all our silly questions with such importance we felt valued for our interests and not silly for asking such question. We happened upon ( I'm sure he did the searching but we never saw) our first pod of manatees coming up and diving so wonderful we were thrilled. After a little bit we came up on yet another pod of manatees. The respect and distance he gave them while insuring our amazing views was the marks of a caring and mindful captain. We were heading back in and time was short. But then Captain Wayne's spotted some dolphins getting ready to feed. He explained the process and what we could expect and it was AMAZING! Watching them circle the school of fish and watching them catch in midair was just a once in a lifetime experience. We stayed and watched the whole thing, running our time over by almost 30 minutes. He never rushed or even noticed that I could see. I have seen many places touristy (cattle feeds I call them) rushing in and never connecting. I can promise you this is not that. If you have time and are in Crystal River - Take this cruise with Captain Wayne, I believe you will not regret this decision! Captain Wayne's, if you're reading this - thank you thank you thank you for everything, you made it so special. A day we will not forget.

We have not done an airboat ride on the river so this trip we decided to do this. We had a great…read moretime with our guide. He was very good at spotting the gators and other critters along the river. He had a nice commentary and useful information about the history of the area. The airboat was very loud so it was quite difficult to hear everything he said. Our guide even gae us a nice run on the river with a bit of a splash/spray as he made the turn! Definitely saw lots of gators this trip. After the trip, you are invited to visit the main shop which was also the check in area for an opportunity to hold a real life baby gator! The gator was rather soft on the belly side. Was a fun trip. The day was not too hot so it was very enjoyable.

10/10 captain frank absolutely killed it gave us a little history lesson and a bit of a comedy show.read more

We had a wonderful day exploring wildlife and learning about the environment and natural habitat of…read morethe Lake. Our Captain Randy explained and pointed out spots that alligators, birds,fish, and turtles survive and thrive in. A BIG shout out to all the staff that were so kind and friendly and made our experience great. !!!!! Thank you guys for taking care of us, and especially for taking care of Floridas Wildlife and preserving the Lake. I highly recommend booking a tour, and I recommend Randy as your boat Captain.

Captain Chad did not disappoint. We saw more than 20 gator and turtles, fish and birds. The ride…read morewas amazing and the location beautiful. Captain Chad was very knowledgable ! Highly recommend!!

One of the best things about the trip was Captain Sean. He was a great guide. He was filled with so…read moremuch information and so many fun facts. He had a great sense of humor. He also knew where to find all the manatees. Also our photographer Serena was great. The photos she took were unbelievable. Well worth the money spent. Which was not a lot considering the amazing pictures we got. It's going to capture our memories at snorkeling with manatees forever. It was on our bucket list of things to do and I totally am amazed by the experience. It wouldn't have been the same without the captain in the photographer. It was just the perfect day.

Awesome adventure they took our time with us and the tour guides really take such special care of…read morethese precious manatees. We loved it!!

Our neighborhood group of 16 booked Elizabeth's Tour in Crystal River. The information about…read morefamous people who visited or filmed or built in Crystal River was a surprise for most of us. Elizabeth took us to Lemon Tree Gift shop first where you have an opportunity to see so may unique gifts many produced by local crafters. We also spent time in the Artisans Art Gallery (most of us went back to either of the stops after the tour because we had seen something to purchase). However, the highlight was the four restaurants on the tour where we were treated to such incredible food pairings. Trust me when I say, no one left hungry! We were treated to unique American dishes, BBQ, seafood, and home made doughnuts and ice cream. One example, The Cattle Dog is owned by a five star chef who brought his culinary skills to this quaint town. I highly recommend you book this tour for a fun, fabulous, food tour in the lovely coastal town of Crystal River.

Definitely a MUST-DO! This was an incredible experience…read more Everything we were shown today would've been missed if we decided to stop in and walk around to see what the town had to offer. Not only did we get to know a bit of the towns history, we got to eat incredible food and meet incredible people. I chose for us to do a private tour and it did not disappoint. It was a great day to experience Inverness, Florida! What a beautiful, small town. I highly suggest booking one of these tours, Elizabeth was highly knowledgeable and knew the towns history backwards and forwards. Highly recommend! Great experience that was not expensive. Well worth it!

Thank you to Heidi and Andy for the awesome time! So special getting to swim with manatees, and…read morethanks for answering all my many excited questions!

This was our second time using Birds to swim with Manatees and we will choose them every time now…read more Had an amazing experience with Captain Misty and Guide Gina. Highly recommend the 6am tour as you get viewing time before it gets really busy. I really appreciate Birds Underwater as they do a great job educating you about the manatees and how to passively observe. Made the manatees more comfortable and as a result we got to have some amazing interactions with them.

Manatee Paddle truly went above and beyond to make our experience positive, exciting, and…read moreeducational. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with genuine smiles, warmth, and encouragement. I was personally a bit nervous since I hadn't paddle boarded much before, but every step of the way we felt supported and truly cared for. Hearing about the family's passion for protecting the ecosystem and the manatees, along with all the helpful tips they shared to optimize our experience, was absolutely incredible. When we got to the dock, we were guided so kindly - Mike even held our shoes in his truck for us! When he noticed me struggling a bit, he took the time to give me multiple tips on how to better move in the water and maneuver the board, which made such a difference. We saw so many manatees, including mama and baby pairs, which was unforgettable. When we returned to the dock and shared how excited we were, Mike went above and beyond once again by recommending another nearby location we could walk to where we ended up seeing even more manatees up close and personal. I would 10/10 recommend Manatee Paddle to anyone looking for an incredible manatee experience. I am so grateful to Mike and his family for making our day so special. THANK YOU!!

If I could give this place 10 stars, I would. Paddle boarding with this crew in Crystal River was…read morehands down one of the best experiences I've had in Florida, and it's because of the people behind the business--Aidan, Mike, and Mandy. From the moment we showed up, they made us feel like family. Aidan was the first one to greet us, and right away you could tell how passionate he is about the river, the wildlife, and making sure every single guest feels confident before heading out on the boards. He has this calm, encouraging way about him that instantly puts you at ease--even if you've never stepped foot on a paddleboard before. He gave us tips, shared fun facts about the area, and somehow managed to keep the whole group laughing the entire time. Mike is the backbone of the operation--the guy making sure all the boards, paddles, and gear are in perfect condition, the one double-checking that everything runs smoothly so you don't have to worry about a thing. It's obvious how much pride he takes in the business, because everything is organized, well-maintained, and set up to give you the best possible experience. He's also just genuinely fun to chat with before and after you head out--one of those people who makes you feel like an old friend after five minutes. And then there's Mandy, who is truly the heart of the operation. She's warm, welcoming, and on top of everything. From making the booking process super smooth to making sure we had everything we needed for the day, she's the reason the whole experience felt so seamless. She checked in with us multiple times, gave us great local recommendations for after our paddle, and just made the whole day feel special. What really stood out to me was how much this team cares--not just about giving people a fun day on the water, but about the environment, the river, and the wildlife that call it home. They take time to educate guests about respecting the ecosystem, and you leave not only having had an amazing adventure, but also feeling like you've learned something important. I've been on plenty of tours and excursions, but very few have left me with such a lasting impression. These guys aren't just running a business--they're building memories for people, and they clearly love doing it. If you're anywhere near Crystal River, don't waste your time looking at other paddle board companies. This is the one. Between Aidan's energy, Mike's behind-the-scenes dedication, and Mandy's incredible hospitality, you won't find a better team anywhere. Do yourself a favor and book with them--you'll thank me later.