Although you most likely are heading to Crystal River to swim with the famous manatees, it is actually such a charming and adventurous city to spend an entire weekend. From unique state parks to beachy restaurants to all the water activities, you will not want to leave. My hope is that you can use this post to plan the ultimate one weekend in Crystal River, FL with ease! Without further ado, here is the ultimate 3-day Crystal River Itinerary!
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Table of Contents
How to get to Crystal River
Crystal River is a small coastal town in Western Florida with just over 3,000 residents. The closest major airport is Tampa International, which is a short 1.5-hour drive away! You will of course need to rent a car in order to get to Crystal River and explore all there is to offer! I recommend extending your trip a bit to explore Tampa for a weekend as well or drive further south to Sarasota or the Keys!
Tip!! Check out the DiscoverCars search engine to find the best deal on rentals in Tampa!
When is the best time to visit Crystal River?
This will depend on what you hope to do in Crystal River. Although the weather is pretty mild to hot all year, you will only be able to see manatees in the springs in the winter months (November-April). They head back into the gulf in the warmer months. If you are hoping to admire the crystal clear springs without the crowds, then I recommend visiting in the summer months (you can also go scalloping from July-September!)
Where should I stay in Crystal River?
When we visited, we booked a hotel the same day so our options were extremely limited and a bit expensive (any other last-minute planners/travelers out there?!) With this being said, if you are hoping to spend one weekend in Crystal River, I recommend securing a stay a bit earlier.
The most popular and beautiful hotel to stay right in Crystal River is the Plantation on Crystal River. Here, there is an outdoor pool, full-service spa, golf course, 3 restaurants, and even Manatee tours right on site.
If you are looking for a slightly more affordable option, you can find a Days Inn, Holiday Inn, and Quality Inn just outside the city limits.
Sample 3-day Crystal River
Day 1 in Crystal River
Morning:
Catch up on some missed travel sleep and grab breakfast at the hotel. Pack a picnic and prepare yourself for a day full of adventures!
Afternoon:
After breakfast, start your exploring at Rainbow River State Park! You can swim in the crystal clear water, hike along the nature trail, search for wildlife, snorkel, or rent a canoe, kayak, or tube! You can rent your canoe, kayak, or tube right inside of the park! Take a break in the midst of the fun to eat your picnic!
Evening:
Continue your active day with a bike ride along the Withlacoochee Trail. The Withalooche trail is a 46-mile paved trail—making it one of the longest paved trails in Florida. I recommend renting a bike from Sparky’s Green Rides of Inverness or Trek Bikes and hopping on the trail just 2 blocks away.
After 2.5 miles of biking, you will find Fort Cooper State Park where you can explore and learn more about Florida’s history. On your way back to Inverness, stop at Cedar River Seafood for a delicious dinner!
Day 2 in Crystal River
Morning:
It’s now time for the reason you (likely) planned a Crystal River weekend trip…SNORKELING WITH MANATEES! Manatee season in the Crystal River springs is from November through April with the largest Manatee population in the coldest months. The manatees then head back to the gulf once the water starts warming up. Early morning is also when the manatees are most active!
We went at the tail-end of the season and saw 3 manatees in the springs. Our guide told us in the colder months, they sometimes see hundreds! There are so many different tour companies to choose from (I was a bit overwhelmed), but it did appear that most of them talked to each other and visited the same area.
Our tour was Explorida and it was perfect! After swimming with the manatees, they brought us to a second spring to check out and dive down to. The guide also takes pictures and videos that are available for purchase after (…and I’m always a sucker for pictures).
Tip! Visiting outside of Manatee season? You can go scalloping in the summer months (July to September).
View Prices for Snorkeling with Manatees Tour here!
Afternoon:
After checking off snorkeling with the manatees off of your bucket list, head over to the Three Sisters Springs boardwalk. Three Sisters Springs has that sparkling blue water that you see in all the pictures. You can pay between 12.50 and 20.00 (depending on the season) to explore the boardwalk. OR you can check out nearby rental shops to rent a kayak or canoe to explore the springs via water.
Tip! If you visit the boardwalk, you can not access the water and vice versa. If you want to see the boardwalk and canoe/kayak/swim, you will have to pay for two separate tours/tickets.
Evening:
Head over to Copp Winery and Brewery for a sandwich and wine or beer flight.
Day 3 in Crystal River
Morning:
Come check out the famous Florida monkeys…yes real monkeys living on a small island across from the restaurant! After eating your delicious brunch at Florida Cracker Kitchen, head to the pizza bar across the street for a drink and to watch the monkeys play.
Afternoon:
After breakfast, head over to Homosassa Springs State Park. This is not your average state park as it is home to Lu the Hippo, hundreds of different birds, alligators, and even an underwater viewing “fishbowl”. The park is open from 9 am-5:30 (ticketing closes at 4:45) and costs 13 dollars per person. We spent just over an hour here exploring, but you could definitely keep yourselves busy for much longer!
Evening:
Stop at a grocery store or gas station and grab your favorite drink and snacks and end your weekend in Crystal River with a sunset and picnic. Find a spot at Fort Island Gulf Beach for a relaxing evening. If a picnic on the beach is not your thing, you can grab dinner (all the fresh fish) at Charlie’s Fish House.
Other Things to do in Crystal River
- Airboat ride and dolphin tour in Homosassa
- Explore the Crystal River Archaeological State Park
- Take a day trip to Weeki Wachee Springs
- Check out the city via Segways!
- Try and catch dinner on a fishing excursion
Other tips to know before visiting Crystal River
- Manatee season is from November through April, but you will see the most manatees in the springs in the coldest months.
- You can go scalloping from July to September
- There are limited hotels/airbnbs in Crystal River, so be sure to plan ahead.
- If you want to extend your Florida vacation, I recommend driving further south to Sarasota (the best beaches in Florida IMO) or check out all the adventurous things to do in the Florida Keys!
3-day Crystal River Weekend Trip Itinerary Recap:
- Day 1: Rainbow River State Park, biking the Withcalooche Trail, Fort Cooper State Park
- Day 2: Snorkel with Mantees, Three Sisters Springs, Copp Winery
- Day 3: Monkey Island, Homosassa Springs State Park, Fort Island Gulf Beach
One Weekend In Crystal River Isn’t Enough
As you can see, there’s SO much to do in Crystal River that one weekend would never be enough to see it all. You can customize your 3-day Crystal River itinerary based on what interests you. No matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find plenty of entertaining activities to create your own fun-filled, jam-packed adventure weekend in Crystal River!
What else would you add to this “One Weekend in Crystal River” Itinerary?
Tip! Make sure to follow me on Instagram for more USA weekend getaways and dog-friendly adventures!
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