We had an amazing time with River Ventures. We knew going into it that we were there after peak manatee season and didn't really know what to expect. But Captain Wade and Trish were so great. We saw four manatees and while that may not sound like a lot, we had in-depth encounters with them that exceed our expectations. Trish was a manatee whisperer in coaxing the manatees to stay with us and helping us interact with them appropriately. When my youngest son got a bit cold in the water and wanted to stay on the boat, he felt completely comfortable hanging with Captain Wade. As a parent that said a lot and allowed me to fully enjoy the experience as well.
Also wanted to note that we went post-COVID. So while the theme parks in Central Florida may be limiting capacity or shut down, Crystal River was not. It was all safe, sanitized, and ready for visitors.
I would definitely recommend River Ventures and will certainly use them for our next trip.