Airboat tours · Manatees · Boat rentals — Homosassa, FL
Explore Florida's Wild Side.
Race through coastal backwaters on an airboat, discover manatees in spring-fed water, or spend the day cruising the Homosassa River. Your Nature Coast adventure starts here.
Four ways on the water
How will you explore Homosassa?
Every trip leaves from our dock at 10823 W Yulee Drive on the Homosassa River. Pick your boat and your pace — the wildlife is already out there.
Most popularAirboat Adventures
Hold on. The wild side is waiting.
Nov–MarchManatee Encounters
Meet Homosassa's gentle giants.
Half or full dayPontoon Boat Rentals
Your boat. Your day. Your adventure.
WildlifeDolphin & Eco Tours
Wildlife around every bend — dolphins at the river mouth, herons in the marsh, gators in the backwaters. Captain-led pontoon and skiff tours, or a custom cruise on your own itinerary.
Why River Safaris
The best way to discover Homosassa is on the water.
We have been running boats out of Old Homosassa for years — long enough to know the river, the seasons and exactly where to slow down.
Captains who run this river daily
Our captains know which creek the dolphins feed in, where manatees raft when the springs turn cool, and which cypress head the eagles nest in. When something worth watching shows up, they cut the engine and drift.
An adventure for every group
Five guests on an airboat, six on a manatee swim, twelve on a pontoon. We take first-timers, families with small children, grandparents, and the occasional group of seventeen women in their sixties who did manatees in the morning and airboats in the afternoon.
Nature up close, at the right pace
More than 500 native plant species line these waterways. Monkey Island is on every airboat route. Manatees, dolphins, otters, alligators, bald eagles and roseate spoonbills all live within a few miles of our dock.
Licensed, insured and careful
Every captain holds an active US Coast Guard OUPV license with an airboat endorsement and is drug tested through the year. All boats are insured, and every trip starts with a safety brief.
The Homosassa experience
A different side of Florida.
The Homosassa River runs about seven miles from the springs to the Gulf, and the scenery changes the whole way — clear spring water, cypress shade, open marsh, then the islands.
Spring-fed and 72°F
Homosassa Springs push out water at a constant 72 degrees year round. That is why manatees gather here in winter, why the water stays clear, and why the river is a no-wake zone up this end.
No-wake · about 5 mphCypress, canals and Monkey Island
Cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, residential canals, waterfront restaurants and bars, and the monkeys of Monkey Island — a stop on every airboat tour.
25 mph river limitMangrove keys and open water
The river opens into the Gulf of Mexico at last. Dolphins feed here, scallops hide in the seagrass flats in summer, and the islands around St Martin's and Ozello hold redfish and snook.
Shallow flats and channel
Where it happens
Monkey Island is not a metaphor.
About a mile upriver from our dock sits a small island with a resident troop of spider monkeys, watched over by the Old Homosassa community since the 1960s. Every airboat tour passes it — and yes, you will see them.
From there the river runs past the Springs, out through the backwaters, and finally to the Gulf. One waterway, a dozen different habitats, all reachable in an afternoon.
On the water with us
Local guides. Real Florida stories.
Guests remember our captains by name. Captain Ang, Angelo and Scott all turn up again and again in reviews — for knowing the river, finding the animals, and telling a good story along the way.
- Active US Coast Guard OUPV licenses with airboat endorsements
- Drug tested through the year, every year
- FWC-compliant passive observation for every manatee encounter
- A 10-minute safety brief before every tour and rental — no exceptions
Seasonal adventures
The river changes with the calendar.
Manatees in winter, scallops in summer, airboats and dolphins all year. Here is when to come for what.
Manatee season
When the Gulf cools, manatees move into the 72°F springs. Swim with them or watch from a warm, dry boat.
Scallop season
Snorkel the Gulf seagrass flats north of Channel Marker 8 and fill a cooler. Rent a pontoon and bring the family.
Airboats and dolphins
The backwaters, Monkey Island and the Gulf run all twelve months. Dolphins feed at the river mouth most days.
Guest reviews
What people say after they get off the boat.
★★★★★
Water fun for everyone!
There were 17, 60+ year old women! We had a wonderful time! The guides were fun and very knowledgeable. Scott worked with me to come up with an easy and enjoyable plan for us. We did manatees for 3 hours in the morning and airboats for 1 1/2 hours in the afternoon where we saw porpoises in the Gulf.
★★★★★
A must do experience in Homosassa!
We did the air boat ride including the Gulf and it was absolutely worth it! We saw so many beautiful birds and loads of dolphins. Our boat driver was wonderful, knowledgeable and great company. Everything was perfectly organized.
★★★★★
Time well spent
This was an awesome trip on a pontoon boat with Captain Ang. He was so informative about Homosassa and the river. We saw manatee and dolphins... Captain Ang spent a lot of time letting us take pictures.
★★★★★
Go fast and watch for dolphins
Take the airboat ride out to the gulf and you will likely be chased by parts of dolphins who want to ride the wake from the boat. The captain was awesome and the ride was exhilarating. Super fun way to catch a sunset on the gulf.
Make a day of it
More than a boat ride.
Old Homosassa is small, walkable and built around the water. Most guests turn a tour into a full day — here is how the locals do it.
- Eight waterfront restaurants and bars within a 15-minute boat ride, including the Monkey Bar at Florida Cracker and The Shed at Macraes
- The Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, a short drive from the dock
- Old Homosassa shops, bait and tackle, and the historic fish houses
- Sunset on the river — the best seat is the bow of a pontoon
Plan your visit
What to know before you drive down.
A few practical facts that make the morning go smoothly — and the rules we ask every guest to follow.
Getting here
- 10823 W Yulee Drive, Homosassa, FL 34448
- Look for the yellow Key West-style house just before the elementary school
- Parking in front, plus a rear lot through the gate
- Handicap parking at both the front and back of the building
What to bring
- A jacket — it is cooler on the water than on land
- Sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat that fits snugly; loose hats blow off airboats
- A swimsuit if you are swimming with manatees (required under the wetsuit)
- Arrive 15–20 minutes before departure for check-in and the safety brief
Good to know
- No alcohol on airboats. Pontoons are fine — except for the driver
- Dogs are welcome on pontoon rentals, never on guided tours
- No restrooms on board; six waterfront restaurants are within a mile
- Manatee and dolphin sightings depend on wild animals, never on us
Your Nature Coast adventure starts here.
Call the dock at (352) 628-5222 or book online — airboats, manatees, pontoons and dolphin tours depart daily from Old Homosassa.