Swim With The Manatees: Citrus County, Florida is known around the globe for its manatee population and the protection of this endangered species is taken very seriously. Each year, many tourists learn about the plight of the gentle giants first hand, by donning a wetsuit and snorkeling or diving the warm springs where the manatees come to escape the cold winter ocean temperatures.

The rules are strict: No chasing, riding or otherwise harassing the manatees. Swimmers must allow the animal to approach them, not the other way around, and never touch with more than one hand at a time. The rules won't damper your experience a bit. Since the manatees have no natural enemies, they regularly make contact with their awestruck human visitors, and seem to particularly enjoy being scratched under the flippers. If lucky, you may find yourself surrounded by a swirling, graceful underwater ballet with baby manatees playing a game of tag, oblivious of your presence.

Swimming with the manatees isn't difficult or too physically exerting. Young children as well as seniors can make the trip. If you want a lifetime of stories to tell your friends, and the videos to prove them, do not miss this rare opportunity to interact with nature.  Tours are regularly conducted in October through March and at other times of the year, depending on whether or not any manatees are in residence. Reservations are a must as the trips regularly sell out.  There is no better souvenir of your trip to Florida than pictures of you and your friends or family swimming alongside your new underwater friends.

Local Dive Shops and Tours: