60 minutes · from $65 per person
60-Minute Scenic Safari Airboat Tour
A full hour in the Homosassa River and backwaters — the calm, wildlife-dense water where alligators sun on the banks and Monkey Island sits around the bend.
- Duration
- 60 minutes
- From
- $65 per person+ tax
- Guests
- Up to 5per airboat
- Route
- River & backwaters
The Scenic Safari is our introduction to airboating and the best tour for first-timers, families and anyone who wants wildlife more than speed.
You leave the dock at 10823 W Yulee Drive and head upriver past Monkey Island, then turn into the backwaters where the Homosassa River breaks into narrow channels of sawgrass and cypress. This is the water most boats cannot reach. Your captain knows it well enough to find the alligators that like a particular sunny bank and the cypress head where the eagles nest.
What you will see
- The resident spider monkeys of Monkey Island — a guaranteed stop on every tour
- Alligators, softshell turtles, river otters and gar in the backwater channels
- Herons, egrets, ibis and, on a good day, a bald eagle overhead
- Cypress heads draped in Spanish moss and fields of eelgrass in the shallows
How the hour runs
Monkey Island
Upriver at a relaxed pace past the old Homosassa waterfront, with a stop at Monkey Island to see the resident troop.
About 1 mile from the dockThe backwaters
Into the shallow channels of the river system. The captain slows for wildlife, cuts the engine when something unusual appears, and answers every question.
Calm, shallow waterThe return
Back down the river to the dock, past the cypress and the fish houses, with time for photos on the open stretch.
Arrive back at the dockWhat is included
Included
- 60 minutes on the water with a US Coast Guard licensed captain
- Life jackets in infant, youth, child and adult sizes
- Earmuffs for the engine noise
- A safety brief before departure
Bring with you
- A jacket — it is cooler on the water than on land
- Sunglasses and a hat that fits snugly
- Sunscreen and a camera or phone on a strap
- Arrive 15–20 minutes before departure
Who it is for: first-time airboaters, families with children, photographers and anyone who wants the river without the open-water run. If you want dolphins and the Gulf, book the 90-minute Gulf Airboat Ride instead.
Guest reviews
What guests say about the river.
★★★★★
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.
★★★★★
Go fast and watch for dolphins
The captain was awesome and the ride was exhilarating. Super fun way to catch a sunset on the gulf.
Before you book
Scenic Safari questions
How long is the Scenic Safari airboat tour?
Will we see alligators on this tour?
Is the 60-minute tour suitable for small children?
What is included in the price?
An hour on the river goes a long way.
Book the 60-minute Scenic Safari online, or call the dock at (352) 628-5222 and we will find you a departure time.