Manatee season has begun with some of the most unexpected fall fun in Florida!

While most fall holidays involve leaf-peeping and holiday festivals, Crystal River and Homosassa, Florida, offer one of the most pleasantly surprising fall activities in Florida: swimming with manatees during manatee season (November 15, 2024 – March 31, 2025). As water temperatures drop in the Gulf of Mexico, hundreds of West Indian manatees are making their way to the warmer spring waters in and around Crystal River, also known as “the manatee capital of the world.” This annual influx makes it easy to experience manatees in their natural habitat, observe them at Three Sisters Springs and Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, and catch a glimpse while kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding through Kings Bay or the Homosassa River.

A unique Florida tradition, Manatee Season draws enthusiastic visitors from far and wide. Those still making fall plans can take advantage of local lodging packages, which offer the chance to splurge and swim with manatees. The newly renovated PaddleTail Waterfront Lodge offers a Stay N Swim Packageincludes one night’s accommodations and a manatee swim; and a Stay N Play packageincluding two nights’ accommodations, a manatee swim tour, and a half-day kayaking and sunset cruise.

Home to the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, the only refuge in the United States created specifically to protect critical habitat for the manatee, Crystal River is one of North America’s premier destinations for swimming with manatees. On a guided ecotour, visitors can enjoy an up-close encounter as the city’s certified local guides ensure this beloved, endangered species is treated with the utmost respect, using responsible passive observation techniques approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All local operators are encouraged to follow the standards and guidelines established for organizing manatee tours to ensure a safe and happy experience for both visitors and manatees. There are also “Manatee manners” which every visitor is encouraged to learn more about and absorb during a manatee swim tour.

Between November and March, seven manatee sanctuaries within the refuge are off-limits to human activity, providing manatees with protected “safe zones.” Refuge managers also have the authority to expand refuge areas when manatee activity is high due to the cold waters in the Gulf, which can ebb and flow daily. Swimmers and paddlers are not allowed to enter these protected areas, but can still observe from a distance or from various boardwalks.

Located approximately 75 minutes north of Tampa and 90 minutes west of Orlando, Crystal River and the pristine, spring-fed waters of Homosassa are the perfect place to experience manatees in their natural habitat – a true bucket list wildlife encounter . For more information about visiting Crystal River or Homosassa during Manatee Season, visit DiscoverCrystalRiverFL.com/manatee-authority. For daily updates on the status of the extensive shrines, visit FWS.gov/refuge/crystal-river.

Crystal River manatee.Photo byGetty Images