Man, what a trip with these folks. I booked and took the VIP Manatee snorkel trip just after new year's. I called in to see if there were any spots for the following day and the staff that helped me book were awesome. They took good care of making sure I was prepared for the trip, knew how to get there, and what to bring. The next day, I was assigned to my tour group and Kevin, the captain, and Michelle, the lead guide for the day, were amazing. They were an awesome crew. They were super friendly, made our trip out and back and our snorkel time a first class experience. Kevin pointed put tons of habitat, gave us stories about experiences about being on the water there, and really showed us his passion for the stewardship they provide for the area they work in. Michelle really put us on the manatees and was truly awesome as well. She has what it takes to get you a real and up close experience with the manatees there. I, and we all, felt super happy we had her as our guide and thanked her for putting us in great position for a great experience. I recommended Crystal Water Ports to a friend the next day and told her to request a trip with Kevin and Michelle as they provide an experience you will want more of, of which includes the staff you meet and work with along the way. Thank you to all who made me have such a great experience and making my day so great!

Absolutely a wonderful business. From start to finish everyone was very nice, helpful, and made the trip extremely fun. We booked a private tour and it was definitely the way to go. We encountered several manatees during our excursion. Swimming with the manatees was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend anyone to do it. It is kid friendly (the just need to be able to swim). Our guide and boat captain were the nicest people ever and take pride in what they do. This is a must! PS- the water is COLD! The wetsuits definitely help!

I had the best time and highly recommend the manatee experience!! I really appreciate the dedication and passion of the staff for the environment, ecosystem and animals. Kev, Orville and company were amazing - super friendly, funny, informative and dedicated to making sure you have a great time and spend the most time possible with manatees. I would love to visit again (from Toronto) if I’m in the area again and do more of their activities!

We had an amazing day with the Crystal River Watersports Team! We are in the wildlife tourism business ourselves and met the owner Mike at conference. From hearing his passion about the Manatees, we said if we make it Florida, we have to book a tour with his company and try the experience. So glad we did! We booked two separate private tours and it was the way to go. Being from a landlocked state you are just naturally a little out of your element in the water in a new place. I'm convinced we would not have had the experiences we had, or seen as many Manatees with out our private swim guide in the water. They just know what look for and are familiar with their behavior, so you get more experiences with the Manatees because of that. It was also awesome that our swim guide took had the waterproof camera to capture the underwater photos for us. We would have never had that. Other than that, everyone was totally professional, conservation and respect for the Manatees was an obvious core value. On the private tour we were given hot chocolate and a fleece jacket getting out of the cold water, with their VIP experience. Thanks again CRW team!

HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH….I had a phenomenal experience swimming with manatees with Capt Sandy and Dakota @ Crystal River Watersports. My husband and I had a private tour, which I highly recommend. The water was murky after a big storm but Dakota was the perfect guide in the water and spotted several manatees and helped direct me right to them. Capt Sandy and Dakota made us feel like family. We even enjoyed a nice cup of cocoa after the swim. Highly recommend and can’t wait for my next swim with Crystal River Watersports

We took a tour to swim with the manatees this morning. It was great! Leah was our guide and Jim was our boat captain. Both were very fun and informative. They love what they do and make you feel safe and comfortable. We loved being able to have an up close experience with these playful, majestic creatures. Thanks!

This company isn’t in it for just money and tourism but are dedicated to the wellbeing of the ecosystem and the manatees! Captain Kev volunteers and is a wealth of knowledge about the manatees and area and Dakota was INCREDIBLE with our 8 yo daughter. He was so reassuring and calm with her and swam her on his back until she got her confidence. I couldn’t say enough positive things about these two guides they went above and beyond and are just genuinely good people who love the water and manatees. These guys made the difference between a good trip and a great trip! Definitely planning to come back and scallop!

Truly the best experience of our lives! My sibling and I LOVE manatees, and Jim & Dakota made sure we had a great time. We loved hearing about the local wildlife! We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. This will be an annual trip for us, and we will definitely book with Crystal River Watersports again.

Robert and Dakota were Fantastic! We booked the VIP Manatee tour. One of the first boats out on the water and got to a great spot with tons of water cows! Dakota was a great guide even helping our little one move around while pointing out where to look. Highly recommend if you’re shopping around for a Manatee tour!

Wonderful experience with Captain Jim O and Dakota! Saw a bunch of manatees and had a very relaxing enjoyable afternoon outside of the large crowds. They even served hot coco on a cooler day! Definitely recommend.

This place is amazing! One of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had! The shop is so cute and the staff are incredible. Very friendly and patient! The manatees were so fun to see! If you go, ask for tour guide Dakota and Captain Kev!!

Leah and Kevin were great! They were chill and very informative. It’s more than a job to them. Enjoyed the small group sizes and the hot coca to warm up afterwards. My son had more fun with the boat captain then swimming with the manatees ha.

We just went on our Manatee tour and it was AMAZING! We had Kevin and Heather as our guides and they were so friendly! We saw so many manatees and one even gave me a hug. This is the perfect tour and experience to enjoy friendly conversation and see the incredible nature / wildlife in Florida. Both Kevin and Heather were incredibly knowledgeable - I definitely recommend:)

Me and my bf booked an early morning VIP tour with Jim and Heather and we couldn't be happier! They both were incredibly informative and attentive to our group. The VIP was worth the extra $$. The experience was more personal, fun, and we received great pictures. Would definitely return and highly recommend Jim and Heather!