Just over and hour and a half from Orlando Crystal River is one of the state’s most biologically diverse estuaries and one of the few locations where gorgeous spring-fed freshwater mixes with the saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico. About 25 minutes north of Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, it offers many of the same services and is a year-round prime destination for hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, and board-watching.
This park also features an excellent boat tour with phenomenal wildlife viewing options, including up-close interactions with manatees!
More than 27,500 acres of scrub, pinewoods, hardwood forests, salt marshes, and mangrove islands lay within the Park’s borders. Much of the property is still untouched, allowing visitors a glimpse of what this area of Florida looked like centuries ago. One of the best ways to enjoy this natural splendor is the seven-mile loop trail that brings mountain bikers and hikers on an awesome journey woven through the park.