Fort Island Beach, Crystal River FL

Things to do in Crystal River FL

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Since we have family in Sarasota, we’re always on the lookout for a cool day or weekend trip within a couple of hours’ drive. Crystal River is two hours away by car and is world-famous for the chance to swim with manatees (also called “sea cows”). We took a two-day trip to Crystal River recently and found that while the manatees are the reason for most of the tourism there, there are also other interesting attractions to explore.

Before you dive into the article, check out other places in our “Things to do” series:

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Sea Daddy’s Dive Center

The number one reason tourists go to Crystal River is to swim with manatees, which are there due to the warmer waters. There are a few companies that provide guides to help you navigate the waters and spot manatees, and we had a great experience with Sea Daddy’s Dive Center.

They truly care about these amazing animals and want everyone to make sure that they are protected while swimming around them. The guides are knowledgeable and friendly and ensure that you have a great time on the water.

We chose the basic manatee swimming tour, which basically involves getting into a wetsuit, and then into a boat. The boat will stop at a few different places, but will mostly stop whenever a manatee is spotted.

We went in November, and while the water was fairly cold, the wetsuit will ensure you’ll be fine even for a couple of hours in the water. Our luck in November wasn’t as great, as we really only got to swim with one manatee, but it was still a pretty amazing experience to be so close and watch.

The boat also stops at a place that has spring-like water and allows you to relax and swim around.

A view of Crystal River, FL
A view of Crystal River, FL

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs

Ellie Schiller park is known for its thousand-year-old warm spring waters that have become a true “home” for hundreds of manatees. If you want to see manatees in their natural habitat without needing to swim with them, this is a great place for that.

This state park also includes some captive animals that is unable to return to wildlife, including a hippo and a black bear.

Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park

This is a very small “park”, so don’t expect to spend more than 10-15 minutes here. In fact, it’s not really a park, but really just old sugar mill machinery from the Civil War era that has survived until now. There used to be a large plantation around the machinery, but it has been destroyed.

Nevertheless, the site does offer an explanation of the machinery, as well as the life story of the man behind it.

Indian Mound at Crystal River Archeological State Park
Indian Mound at Crystal River Archeological State Park

Crystal River Archaeological State Park

This park was an unexpected surprise, as we really enjoyed walking through a place that was once the home of the Creek Native American tribe. There are numerous “middens” to view, which are essentially large burial mounds. You can even climb on one of them, which has a great view of Crystal River.

In addition, there is good information on how these mounds contributed to the daily life of the Creek Native Americans, and you can view a sculpture on which a human face is supposedly carved.

Fort Island Beach

This is a really nice beach with soft white sand and a nice boardwalk. It’s a small beach, so don’t expect it to stretch for miles, but it has nice views of the water. Besides all that, however, this beach is known to attract its share of seagulls. So if you like seagulls, then this is a good place to walk near them and watch them fight over territory and food.

Hunter Springs Park

Location: 18 NE 2nd St, Crystal River, FL 34429
Hours: 8 am – Sunset
Website: https://www.crystalriverfl.org/comserv/page/hunter-springs-park

If you want to take a break from swimming with manatees and just want to enjoy a small, cozy beach, then Hunter Springs Park is a good choice. The water is from a natural spring, and though the beach is man-made and small, it is a popular retreat for locals and a good choice to take a break from the tourist crowds at all the manatee parks.

Three Sisters Springs

Location: 18 NE 2nd St, Crystal River, FL 34429
Hours: 601 Three Sisters Springs Trail, Crystal River, FL 34429
Website: https://www.threesistersspringsvisitor.org/sisters

For the clearest and most beautiful water in Crystal River, and maybe even the entire Gulf Coast, look no further than Three Sisters Springs. It’s called Three Sisters Springs because it has…wait for it…three different springs!

Boats are not permitted here (otherwise the water wouldn’t be so clear), and there are some limitations and restrictions for swimmers and kayakers because the area around the springs is a protected sanctuary for manatees. If you wish to swim or paddle in the springs, you will not be able to access that directly inside Three Sisters Springs. Instead, you will have to launch your kayak from Kings Bay and navigate to the springs yourself. But it is certainly worth the effort, as this is one of the most beautiful places you will see in Florida.

Shoppes of Heritage Village, Crystal River FL
Shoppes of Heritage Village, Crystal River FL

The Shoppes of Heritage Village

Location: 657 N. Citrus Avenue, Crystal River, FL 34428
Hours: 10AM – 5PM
Website: http://www.theshoppesofheritagevillage.com/

If you want to take a break from all the nature activities and all that swimming, The Shoppes of Heritage Village is an excellent option. It’s important to note that this is not some typical, boring mall with a bunch of chain stores. On the contrary, this is a collection of local craft stores, art galleries, and gift shops that are located in the heart of downtown Crystal River.

The stores are essentially located in different houses on one street that are next to each other, so all the stores are walkable. There is a very nice variety of stores and items that you can buy here, from the usual keychains and magnets type of store to more artsy items, more fashionable Gulf Coast clothing, and even a glass studio.

There is not much food to be found, except for a Florida BBQ chain called BubbaQue’s. We actually did takeout there, and it was a pretty decent BBQ, so we were happy with it.

Any other ideas to visit in Crystal River?

Feel free to leave them in the comments below!

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