Best Ways To Experience Central Florida’s Beautiful Waters and See Manatees This Spring

Feature photo courtesy of Silver Springs State Park

Spring comes early to Central Florida. It’s a great time to get outdoors and enjoy the region’s incredible natural beauty. One of the best ways to experience Central Florida is on the water, and in this story we will share with you some of the best choices for water-related activities.

Spring is one of our favorite seasons here. The air is warm enough but not yet too hot. The humidity is low. The summer rainy season is still a couple of months away, so most days you can count on sunshine to enjoy being outside.

Whether you are a year-round resident, seasonal snowbird, or tourist, this story has something for everyone. Find your favorite place on the water and go experience the Sunshine State at its best this spring.

Take a Boat Tour

Central Florida is famous for its lakes, springs, and coastal waterways. Spending time on the water is a great way to see the region’s exotic birds, wildlife, and tropical flora. You don’t have to own your own boat to enjoy a view from the water. There are plenty of boat tours available.

Some of the better-known boat tours include:

Winter Park’s Scenic Boat Tour takes you through lakes and canals in this upscale older suburb of Orlando. In addition to beautiful tropical landscapes, you get to gawk at the ornate waterside mansions. The boat tour docks just blocks from Winter Park’s trendy shopping district, which is a great place for a stroll, shopping, or just people watching.

Perhaps the most famous boat tour in all of Florida takes place at Silver Springs State Park, near Ocala. Here, the Glass Bottom Boat Tour has been entertaining guests for more than a century. Silver Springs is one of the nation’s largest springs and is renowned for the clarity of its water.

https://scenic-cruise.com/photo-gallery/

Another boat tour with a long history is the Scenic Cruise St. Augustine, which takes guests past historic sites in the nation’s oldest city. While the narrated tour offers an informative look at St. Augustine’s rich history, you can also expect to see wading birds, a lighthouse, marshes, and maybe even some dolphins.

Tarpon Springs is one of the most unique cities in Florida, with its Greek settlement and history as a commercial sponge-diving capital. The Spongeorama Cruiselines tour is a great way to learn more about Tarpon Springs and soak in (or should we say, sponge up?) the area’s natural beauty. The tour goes up the Anclote River into the Gulf of Mexico, stopping at a beach for shelling.

The Living Waters Boat Tours takes you through the chain of lakes in Winter Haven. This long-time operator offers numerous tours, both daytime and dinner cruises, through one of Central Florida’s premier lake networks. Winter Haven is easily accessible from either Tampa or Orlando.

Quaint and beautiful Mount Dora is situated on Lake Dora, part of another popular chain of lakes in Lake County, north of Orlando. Two companies offer pontoon boat tours of Lake Dora, including visits to the exotic and tropical Dora Canal. Check out Premier Boat Tours and Rusty Anchor Mount Dora. While there, be sure to grab lunch or dinner at the nearby downtown shopping district, a regional favorite.

See the Manatees!

Manatees may be seen at any time of year in Florida, but winter and early spring is when thousands of manatees migrate to Central Florida’s natural springs to escape the colder ocean waters. These giant and docile sea mammals are a sight to see. Thanks to the crystal clear waters in many of the region’s springs, you can get a great look from shore without ever getting wet.

There are many places to see Florida’s manatees but the top spots include:

Crystal River, in Citrus County, which includes the Three Springs and Kings Bay areas. While you can see the manatees from boardwalks, boats and other dry locations, Crystal River has the distinction of being the only place in the United States where you can legally swim with manatees. Several private operators offer manatee tours and close encounters, including Captain Tim’s Family Adventure Charters. If you want an unforgettable, up close experience with manatees and don’t mind getting wet, this is where to come.

Not far from Crystal River is Homosassa Springs, where the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park offers excellent spots for viewing manatees.

On the other side of Central Florida is popular Blue Spring State Park, in Volusia County. This park is a great place to take a nature walk while also viewing the manatees. The grounds here are exceptionally nice. The park offers several platforms over the water for watching the manatees close up. Like many of the region’s favorite manatee viewing spots, it is advised to arrive early in the day at Blue Spring, especially on weekends, because the park reaches its capacity early during peak manatee season.

Paddle a Kayak

Photo courtesy of Get Up and Go Kayaking

Kayaking is a relatively easy activity that people of all ages can enjoy, although getting in and out of the boats may require help for some of us older folks. The springs, lakes, and coastal waters around Central Florida are great for kayaking. It’s the most peaceful way to spend a pretty spring day and see Central Florida’s unique flora and fauna. This time of year, you just might see manatees too.

For an overview of some of Florida’s best kayaking spots, visit this story.

Want a unique kayaking experience that works great with Central Florida’s clear spring water? Try a glass kayak. These allow you to see what’s swimming around you as you kayak. One of the best-known operators of clear kayaks in Florida is Get Up and Go Kayaking. They offer more than a dozen locations where you can rent kayaks or participate in group tours.

Go Fish!

If sitting through a boat tour or watching manatees from an observation deck are too passive for you, then try your hand at fishing in some of Central Florida’s thousands of clear-water lakes. Bass fishing is particularly popular in this region. For an overview of some of the better bass fishing spots, see this list. If you’re a novice at fishing or not familiar with the area, consider participating in a fishing charter. See this TripAdvisor listing of top-rated fishing charters and tours in Central Florida.

While you may be able to fish in the lakes back home, Florida offers some of the nation’s best opportunities for deep-sea fishing off both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. For a truly memorable experience, consider spending a day or longer deep-sea fishing. Many charters and tours are available from all the sea-going ports, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota, Cedar Key, Tarpon Springs, Port Canaveral, Daytona Beach, Vero Beach, and many more. For an overview and more information, see this article.

Get Outdoors Soon!

Spring is relatively long and glorious in Central Florida, but it doesn’t last forever. Before you know it, the summer heat and humidity arrive. If this article has whetted (or in this case, wetted?) your appetite to get out and enjoy the region’s many water-related activities, then act soon! Put a date on the calendar. Confirm your reservations. Then go and make some unforgettable memories!

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Note: This article includes no affiliate links or paid advertisements. The author receives no compensation from any of the sites and companies listed in this story and has no ownership interest in any of these businesses. The story is intended as an informative and accurate guide to helping you better enjoy the waters and natural beauty of Central Florida.