Crystal River, Florida, a village perched on the state’s west coast, has a human population of about 3,400 people. During the winter months they’re joined by more than 400 manatees. Those large, droll-looking mammals—sometimes referred to as sea cows—are attracted by the proliferation of warm spring-fed waters in the area.
Tourism based on watching the manatees loll about in their natural habitat has grown into the area’s major business, and the manatees are fascinating and fun. But visitors focused on manatee moments are often unaware of a number of other attributes that warrant a visit to the destination.
