Clear Kayak Manatee Ecotour of Crystal River
5

Clear Kayak Manatee Ecotour of Crystal River

By Paddles Outdoor Rentals
Recommended by 94% of travellers
94% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 3-99, max of 10 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More


  • Clear Kayak
  • Paddle
  • Life Vest
What's not included
  • Optional Picture Package $37.99
  • Gratuity For Tour Guides


Start:
  • 469 NE 1st St, Crystal River, FL 34429, USA
    We are located a few hundred feet off of US 19 in Crystal River on NE 1st Street. We have free parking available and we shuttle you to our launch area which is 1/2 mile away. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ARRIVE 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE DESIGNATED START TIME OF YOUR TOUR. NO REFUNDS IF YOU ARRIVE LATE FOR TOUR
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 184792P18

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not recommended for travellers with back problems
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • Maximum weight of 250 pounds for a single rider and maximum weight of 420 pounds for 2 riders
    • You may be paired with another rider in your party to accommodate maximum participants
    • You must arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled start time or the tour will leave without you with no refund given.
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travellers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 184792P18

    From
    £63.78
    per adult
    Select date and travellers
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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Paddles Outdoor Rentals
      956
      United States
      Joined in August 2019
    • eldrethp
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Kayaking and swimming with manatees.
      John was our guide and he was so informative and an excellent guide. A highlight of our trip to Florida. We would highly recommend this tour. And yes we swam withe manitees was amazing. I am 69 and husband 72 and we managed well for all ages!!
      Written 6 February 2025
    • nicolenP1251FI
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Kayak Rental Experience
      Great experience. Kayak rental made it easy to be able to kayak to the springs. Saw so many manatees! When one of our kayaks tipped over, RJ, a tour guide who happened to be near with his group, kindly helped us out. Thanks so much RJ!
      Written 20 January 2025
    • IrishQueenB
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Paddles Rules!
      Paddles is the best little outfitter in Crystal River! Their customer service is unmatched, the price is right, all kinds of goodies in their shop & the “boyz @ the launch” are awesome! No need to look further for the best experience on Crystal River!
      Written 19 January 2025
    • N9449TShowardk
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Guided tour of manatees in Crystal Springs, Florida
      I just want to recommend the guide Jessica for the Crystal River manatee tour. She was knowledgeable, supportive, and effective. We saw lots of manatees, up close and personal!
      Written 4 January 2025
    • SThiessenNE
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Let’s Go Again!!
      Jonathan was a wonderful guide for our kayaking out to swim with manatees. He’s kind, patient and very knowledgeable about how to best encourage others in their experience. We appreciated everything about our adventure at Crystal River! We want to go again!!
      Written 25 December 2024
    • jessicabI4552ZH
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      FUN for the family!
      If you’re looking for a unique adventure with your teens, the Manatee Night Lights Tour is it. AND as a plus… they have to paddle the kayak so they can be on their phones. The tour guide as incredibly knowledgeable and engaging, making sure everyone was well-informed about the manatees and their habitat. They provided fascinating facts and stories that kept the teens fully engaged. The highlight of the tour was undoubtedly the night lights. Equipped with special underwater lights, we were able to illuminate the murky waters, revealing the majestic manatees gliding gracefully beneath the surface.
      Written 17 December 2024
    • nataliebU8000GM
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing Adventure!!
      Amazing adventure! Booked the 11am - 2 hour single kayak trip (not a tour). This was exactly what we needed! We were a family of 4 just wanting to see the manatees. The kayaks were sturdy and easy to maneuver! Saw soooo many manatees. We were able to kayak on our own. Such an amazing experience to see the manatees up close like that! We will be back!
      Written 2 December 2024
    • mikecO1827SH
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Day with Dani and the Manatees
      A great day. Started off getting into clean, dry wetsuits and heading to the water. Dani, our guide, was kind and very personable, a real pleasure to spend the day with. She led us to quite a few manatees that we would swim around with and even spotted some dolphin on the way back in. This is my second trip with Paddles Outdoor, the first doing the swimming with the manatees, and I'll definitely be back more often.
      Written 26 November 2024
    • Luna P
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Best way to spend a birthday
      Kyle with a smile He can’t help it, it’s just his style. As encouraging as he is helpful, He always goes the extra mile. I’m trying to paddle, cos it’s been a while, Helps steer the kayak so we stay single file. Three sisters lagoon was an amazing place, Just wish there’d been more time to chill in this space. He’s so knowledgeable on all the different plants, He knows his pelicans from his cormorants. For twas my birthday in Crystal River An amazing experience he did deliver. Seeing the sun set turning day into night, Then floating with manatees by LED light. An unforgettable experience, as a birthday should be, I’m still a big kid at heart despite being (gulp) 43. Time to head home now, but still wearing my smile. Keep doing what you do, thanks again Kyle.
      Written 6 November 2024
    • BWRAF
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Bucket List Experience
      Everyone working here was amazing. RJ was our guide and he went above and beyond expectations! We all had a wonderful time! We even saw a manatee even though it was really too early in the season.
      Written 3 November 2024
    • shellc70
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good company - recommended
      Lovely trip - good welcome and instructions clear. Nice little office with reasonably priced merchandise top. Note we didn’t see any manatees but it’s late in the year so not guaranteed. Kyle was knowledgeable and looked after us well.
      Written 19 September 2024
    • jaysonw860
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great experience and great company
      Cool springs. Crystal clear water. Fun experience. Staff were very friendly. Easy to work with. Guide Coda took great photos and made the experience memorable.
      Written 15 September 2024
    • lisamD6659VV
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Wonderful experience and totally worth it!
      We had an awesome time. Our tour guide, RJ, was so great. He shared great information with us throughout the tour. He made it fun. We encountered 3 manatees and they interacted with us for a good amount of time...it was amazing. We paddled to Three Sisters Springs which is beautiful. This tour company is great and my husband and I would definitely use them again. RJ took some great pics throughout the tour. There is a fee but it's reasonable and worth it. I highly recommend this tour and company.
      Written 12 September 2024
    • 906deei
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      BEST KAYAK EXPERIENCE!!!
      Kyle was a great guide...springs were beautiful...it started raining on our way back. Kyle was quick to call and get us picked aatvthe bridge! We had a blast!
      Written 6 September 2024
    • Robert K
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Recommended to all!
      Friendly staff and well run business. Enjoyed the scenery and wild life along the way in kayak, which was in good condition for a comfortable paddling trip.
      Written 5 September 2024
    See all 956 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles467 reviews
    Excellent
    423
    Very good
    18
    Average
    10
    Poor
    8
    Terrible
    8

    These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
    This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

    Maryrcaptiivacay
    St. Pete Beach, FL94 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2023 • Family
    Loved this excursion! Josh led our small group of 9 (5 clear Kayaks) on a late afternoon tour (2-4pm). He was enthusiastic & energetic and it rubbed off on our group attitude. We saw about 50-75 manatees in their natural environment.

    We learned bits of information on the manatees, the waterway, the coastline, local birds & local restaurants of recomendation.

    Josh also took about 75 pictures which he shared at a reasonable fee. Well worth it…his camera had a special lens to filter out glare. I treasure the pics.

    Great excursion for locals & visitors ( we are from st Pete beach and our guests were from Toronto….equally enjoyed). All ages.
    Written 1 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for taking your tour with Josh and spending the day with us. We greatly appreciate your kind words and are happy you and your guests had a great time. Please come back to visit us again soon and thanks again for your review!
    Written 14 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Lane B
    29 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2024 • Family
    Our original tour had to be canceled due to a thunderstorm, so they rebooked us for early the next morning. This turned out to be a blessing, because it was just myself, my son and our guide. He personalized the tour for us. Since we had already been to Three Sisters Springs previously in the week, he took us to a much less populated area. We saw so many manatees and not many other people! We even got to see a manatee nursing her baby calf. It was magical!
    Written 18 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks so much for choosing us and your 5 star review. We greatly appreciate your business and look forward to seeing you again soon :)
    Written 11 March 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Randy P
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2024 • Couples
    “Kyle with a Smile” was our fabulous guide on a paddle board who gave us information while he paddled along with us. Manatees swam close enough to us that we could have touched them, but we didn’t. Other staff were very helpful getting us overweight and old (72 and 73) folk in and out of the kayaks. It was a longer paddle than I expected but we were able to do it.
    Written 3 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    So glad you had a great time with Kyle! He's such a great person, let alone tour guide. He loves educating our guests and making sure everyone has an awesome day. Thanks again and we look forward to seeing you again soon :)
    Written 11 March 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Sergei P
    8 contributions
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2024 • Family
    The guides from OTHER scuba diving companies happily showed us all places where they found manatees when we were kayaking. Slogan of the Clear Kayaking Tours is "Wild life is a wild life", we all heard these words from each and every staff member when we asked about manatees, which means that they don't promise you anything. We didn't t see any motivation from this company to find us manatees, and it doesn't worth $300 for 2 kayaks for 2 hours of kayaking. At the same spots, at the same time, other providers helped their clients to find and enjoy manatees. You should select another provider if you spent your time traveling to Florida to enjoy manatees. We found many manatees by ourselves in several places without any guide and expected something more from Clear Kayaking Tours. We saw manatees in the Three Sisters area, but our guide decided to select a different route because "not many manatees people saw there".
    Written 29 December 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    R A
    1 contribution
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2023 • Family
    We made a huge trip to go here and the tour guide ruined our experience. For starters, they cram you in a van with wet moldy seats that smells like smoke to go up the road (they should just have people meet there). Kyle was our lousy tour guide. My almost 9 yr old was with me in our Kayak. He pressed the button to separate the paddles and thought it may be helpful. We asked Kyle to reconnect it and he said he would. Instead he took the paddles away and left me paddling a double kayak on my own where my 9 yr old kept asking for his paddle. Kyle persistently lied and kept saying he would give it back in 5 min, then he said up ahead where the water is lower, etc. He was gaslighting a child and I was furious. I kept telling him as an adult
    And the mother to return the paddle and it was needed for us to successfully paddle together. I have tennis elbow and needed my child’s help paddling. Kyle was rude, inappropriate and gaslighting to make the experience lousy. He didn’t help when my husband was stuck in an area and Kyle was well ahead of us most of the time so we struggled to keep up. I had to ask him to get photos of us as I knew we would buy photos but if I didn’t ask, he wouldn’t have. Lousy tour guide and therefore I would never come back and would never recommend this place to anyone. The driver of the van appeared high and the smell of smoke made it clear. I never leave bad reviews anywhere but I am taking the time to do this because Kyle ruined my day, ruined my families experience, ruined my birthday, and made my life hell on the water forcing me to paddle a double kayak alone with a 9 yr old who was perfectly capable and great at paddling (probably better than me). I had to keep switching and giving my paddle up to my child so we could both paddle. Kyle is rude. He also made a comment that the trip was miserable for him and the most difficult trip. This isn’t something you tell customers.
    Written 3 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Anyone reading this review, let's give you the facts of this tour. 1. She could not control her son and was not behaving at all. 2. She asked the TOUR GUIDE to get her son in line...Who does that?!?!? Parent your own child please :) 3. She was told the paddles would sink if he kept them apart and she literally said "that's not my problem." Again, what kind of whackadoodle says something like that. 4. Other guests on the tour had a MISERABLE time and we ended up giving them REFUNDS and had them back the next day for a complimentary tour. All because of how this mother and son were acting on the tour. 5. The husband was stuck in a RESTRICTED area and was told NOT to go in there. I literally can not believe people like this are allowed to leave a review. This is the biggest waste of time responding to a crazy person that we have every had. Please NEVER come back to visit. Take some parenting classes. Stop thinking people are "gaslighting" your child, they are just doing the parenting for you lol
    Written 14 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Jocelyn
    Muskegon, MI1 contribution
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2023 • Couples
    Our guide was knowledgeable and very personable. However, the clear kayaks were very flimsy, and more like a shallow canoe. It felt like they would break very easily. And although it rained the entire tour, which was not conducive to seeing under the water, I don’t think you’d be able to see through the canoe anyway. We did see a few manatees We had booked and paid for 3 people - and one of our party was ill and although came to do the tour, could not go due to illness. We asked for a refund and was told no refund would be given
    Written 15 February 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are glad that you enjoyed your tour guide.
    Written 9 March 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Gregory C
    Saint-Etienne, France5 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2024 • Family
    A little disappointed with the tour in respect to the price paid for it. The guide did not allow us to swim into the spring as it was not included in the tour...too much expensive (240€ for 3 people) for what it is. We could do the same by our own just renting kayaks because the location of manatees has been indicated by other people in kayaks. We also have to cross a long windy uninteristing bay to join the canals and then the spring. We bought the photos package where very few photos of my family appears...
    Written 2 September 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Then you fit taking your tour with us, however it CLEARLY states no swimming on the clear kayak tour. We have a totally separate tour for swimming which we do twice daily. You were told in the shop before you went, then you were rude with the guide during the tour. You can not research the tour, book the tour, and then get disappointed when it states clearly that there is no swimming on the tour. In addition, you VIEWED the pictures before purchasing them. Does that make any sense!!?!?!? We are glad you came, but what you’re relating in your review has nothing to do with us, but really the lack of your reading the description of the tour and then purchasing something you did not like.
    Written 3 September 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Michael F
    4 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sept 2023 • Couples
    Since we know that the manatees are only here from November to March, we thought it was cheeky that the gates are also offered outside of this time. The claim that there are always some there is irrelevant. According to our guide, there were no manatees to be seen that morning. It is also cheeky that after the tour they want to sell you pictures for $40, which they then send you by email, even though you didn't see anything. The Americans just make everything sound good.
    Google
    Written 28 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Though unwarranted and not grateful for ANYTHING about your tour, thank you for taking the time to write your review. Obviously you are not easily pleased and feel you can give a one star and basically say your guide was horrendous, you learned nothing about the area, and saw zero wildlife whatsoever. Have a good rest of your trip and try visiting Disney World, I heard there is a LOT to see there :)
    Written 2 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    167tianab
    Brandon, FL2 contributions
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apr 2023 • Friends
    Being from FL I guess I had higher expectations. The springs were TINY and there was very minimal “clear” water. Our guide, Brody, was nice, super chill. We “spotted” multiple manatee which was cool but would’ve been better if you could actually see them. Sadly the manatee just appeared as grey blobs in the dark water. We arrived almost an hour before leaving time and when we registered the girl at the front seemed nice but then as soon as we gave our names she insisted we sign the waivers and watch the 9 min video-outside. I mentioned I wanted to look around (to shop) and she commented how I could come back later to do that-it was a bit rude especially considering how early we were. My last issue was we spent good money and we were shorted over 20min of time on the water in the kayaks. If you advertise a 2 hour tour and the tour part ends early I highly suggest at least offering to let people continue to stay on the water an additional 15/20min to enjoy the time they paid for. I don’t personally think it was worth $150 for my friend and I at all. We would not go back for sure-ever. Could’ve seen manatees closer to home and could’ve kayaked in basically the same water for the same or less money and enjoyed the full 2 hours closer to home also.
    Written 18 April 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    We apologize for your group being cut short some but it was due to someone in your group struggling with kayaking. It's not because they chose not to give the length of the tour, so we do apologize but we have to consider the safety of all guests. The office girl who was nice, is always nice. She was just doing her job and doing things in order with the process so something does not get skipped. We have been doing this for over 3 years and our process keeps things streamlined to get everyone in and out quicker without missing anything. I realize that when you were there it might have been a slow day, but some days we get over 500 customers in and out of our shop and things needs processes or we could fail with getting everyone checked in efficiently. As far as the water not being clear, that is actually not correct. The water is very clear where you went on your tour. It might appear clear because of the seagrass on the bottom but you can see right to the bottom in several spots on our tour. You can call us at 351-586-5259 to discuss a partial refund since your time was cut short some, but a 2 star review with a great tour guide watching out for people's safety is a little bit harsh in our opinion. Hopefully you will come back to visit during manatee season.
    Written 25 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    John J
    Markham, Canada4 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2024 • Family
    This business is VERY misleading.. Be ware that ALL the promotions/video show plenty of manatees throughout the paddling experience.. The staff is skilled to avoid telling you the manatee are only in the crystal river during winter months.. I took this tour in there clear bottom boat only to pass over rocks and fish.. NO one saw any manatees.. The local cottage owners along the river say this tour company is misleading and should be called out on it.. Stay away.. The manatees are only there during the winter months.. Who wants to paddle 2 hrs in January, Florida is cold too.. STAY AWAY..
    Written 27 August 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Sir, you have to stop your madness. You and I have had SEVERAL conversations and I even regret giving your a FULL refund! Even though it CLEARLY states it is not manatee season, and it CLEARLY states no swimming on the clear tour... YOU ACTED LIKE A CHILD AND THREW A TEMPER TANTRUM!!!!! YOU LEFT YOUR CHILD (15 YEARS OLD) WITH OUR TOUR GUIDE LIKE THEY ARE A BABYSITTER AND TOOK OFF!!!! What kind of maniac does that???? You have some sever issues and definitely need a few things in life. A. A BIG hug! B. A good Psychiatrist C. A firm grasp on reality!!! There is absolutely no way that you have any common sense at all in life and try to blame our business for your noneducation! We have over 3,300 reviews between three different businesses and are at 4.9, 5.0 and 5.0! Explain that to other guests please.... Are they all incorrect, and since you are a narcissist, you're correct??? YOU MADE OUR OFFICE STAFF CRY BECUASE YOU WERE AN ABSOLUTE IDIOT!!!! Karma has a way of dealing with people like yourself, and I am sure yours will come back at you one day soon. Have a great day :)
    Written 20 September 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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    2025 Clear Kayak Manatee Ecotour of Crystal River provided by Paddles Outdoor Rentals

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