Boat Tours at Crystal River
This unique eco-heritage experience sponsored by the Friends of the Crystal River State Parks is unlike any other boat tour offered in the Crystal River region.
Enjoy a leisurely 1.5 hour professionally narrated boat tour offered seasonally from September through May on the 24 passenger vessel Monroe. Park volunteers make learning fun while discussing the park's myriad historic cultural resources as well as how the rare, spring-fed estuary that defines the Crystal River Preserve State Park supports the abundant wildlife of the Gulf of Mexico.
It’s common to hear the keening screech of a bald eagle, observe ospreys diving into the water for fish, and during low tide events, be entertained by an abundance of shorebirds foraging along the waterfront. Bottle-nosed dolphins are frequently sighted searching for their favorite meal of mullet. Manatees utilize the main channel of the Crystal River as their main path of travel from the Gulf of Mexico to the freshwater springs of Kings Bay, although they can be a bit elusive to the untrained eye.
Park Services Specialist Marla Chancey says “Visitors can’t truly appreciate the coast and the beauty of the Crystal River area unless they leave the land and get a waterfront view.” So come experience life on the river, we’d love to have you as our guest at Crystal River Preserve State Park.