Crystal River is situated around Kings Bay, which is spring-fed by a cluster of more than 30 springs, designated as a first-magnitude system. Because the water stays a constant 72 degrees, this area is a popular area for West Indian manatees to winter in.
Incorporated in 1903, in 2016 about 3,138 people were living within the city limits. US Hwy. 19 separates Crystal River in a north-south direction, with Kings Bay on the west side and most public works on the east side of the road.
Quick Crystal River History
The northwest edge of Crystal River is home to a National Historic Landmark consisting of the Crystal River Archaeological State Park. This pre-Columbian Native American site containing burial mounds, temple mounds, a plaza area, and a sizeable shell midden is worth a visit from anywhere.
Next to the Archaeological Park is the Crystal River Preserve State Park, with a fantastic historical boat tour each Monday, Wednesday and Friday run by the Park’s Friends organization. The boat tour allows visitors the opportunity to see the islands and temple mounds of the time gone by. It can make it easier to visualize how this historic society operated. There are interpretive exhibits. Coincidentally, the archaeological excavations began in 1903.
Downtown Crystal River is charming, with the 1800s and 1900s buildings in good condition housing small retailers and restaurants. There is quite a bit of waterfront development that includes parks, housing, and businesses.
Crystal River is most famous for its winter manatee population, which has reached over 1,000 manatees on occasion. A boardwalk and viewing center has been constructed around Three Sisters Springs, perhaps the most famous location to view manatees in the world. There is a robust manatee tour trade, as well as sunset cruises and fishing expeditions. Kayak rentals, tours and more are part of the waterfront community. You can find links to Manatee Tour Operators and more here.
Manatees in Crystal River Once the Gulf of Mexico water temperatures drop to a chilly 68°F, Florida manatees flock to Crystal River on Florida’s Nature Coast. This iconic species gathers in the 72-degree warmth of the Idiot’s Delight Springs, located at the mouth of the Three Sisters Spring Run in… Read More
Crystal River was frequented by pre-Columbian Native people who enjoyed abundant fishing in the crystal-clear water. The cluster of 30+ springs in Kings Bay constitute a first magnitude springshed, with a coastal marshland ecosystem north and south. Kings Bay is Florida’s second largest spring. The diversity of wildlife that make… Read More
The Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters Story When James Cook was five years old, he would get up early every morning to make the coffee for his grandpa. He would push the button on the coffee maker they had set up from the night before. No one could have imagined what… Read More
What do you do when your livelihood is completely disrupted? Even with an emergency plan, many small businesses on Florida’s Nature Coast were unprepared for the changes brought about by the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, to our area in mid-March. On March 20, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis ordered all Florida restaurants… Read More
The Hernando/Citrus MPO is accepting applications for the following citizen vacancies: Hernando/Citrus MPO Accepting Applications for Committee Vacancies Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) • City of Crystal River Resident• Citrus County Resident — Public Transit User• Hernando County Resident – Low Income and/or Minority Representative• Hernando County Representative – Unincorporated Hernando… Read More
The Florida Manatee Festival returns to downtown Crystal River on Saturday and Sunday, March 27-28. Make your plans to attend now! The Florida Manatee Festival is consistently rated as one of the best outdoor events in Citrus County by attendees. This year promises to continue that tradition with the return… Read More
The sixth annual Community Leadership Summit took place Friday, January 29, 2021 at the Lecanto Government Building, Room 166. Sixth Annual Community Leadership Summit a Success Commissioner and 1st Vice-Chair Ronald E. Kitchen, Jr. presided over the collaborative event that brought together the County Commission, Citrus County School Board,… Read More
Manatees in Crystal River Once the Gulf of Mexico water temperatures drop to a chilly 68°F, Florida manatees flock to Crystal River on Florida’s Nature Coast. This iconic species gathers in the 72-degree warmth of the Idiot’s Delight Springs, located at the mouth of the Three Sisters Spring Run in… Read More
Citrus County Parks and Recreation has installed eleven new scoreboards at ball fields in Central Ridge District Park (Holder, FL) and Bicentennial Park (Crystal River, FL). The project was funded from the Capital Improvements Fund (CIP) and had a budget of $65,000. Total expense was $44,282.44, for a savings of… Read More
After continued meetings with City and County (Health) Officials, as a condition of the permit to conduct the festival within the parameters in consideration of Covid 19 guidelines/protocol, the 2021 Florida Manatee Festival has been postponed to March 27-28, 2021. The Festival team was hoping for significant improvement in Citrus County infection numbers and hospitalization… Read More
The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with The New Church Without Walls, presents community initiative Building A Diverse Community: Moving from Words to Actions. As a community, we’ve spent a lot of time TALKING about diversity and ways to promote a successful future. Now it’s time to move… Read More
All of the creepy things that go bump in the night are gathering at Just Amuse Me (JAM) Entertainment Center for the Halloween season. This fun-filled place in the Crystal River Mall has added to a spooky maze to their family-friendly games and Underground Cantina restaurant offerings several evenings… Read More
This weekend kicks off Halloween fun at Just Amuse Me (JAM) Entertainment Center. JAM is hosting a Superheroes Masquerade party on Saturday, October 10th from 7 to 11 pm. Live music, costume contest, haunted maze, Popular reggae-style band, Propaganjah, is scheduled to play live at the Superheroes Masquerade Party… Read More
Crystal River was frequented by pre-Columbian Native people who enjoyed abundant fishing in the crystal-clear water. The cluster of 30+ springs in Kings Bay constitute a first magnitude springshed, with a coastal marshland ecosystem north and south. Kings Bay is Florida’s second largest spring. The diversity of wildlife that make… Read More
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will facilitate each of the upcoming Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) Task Force meetings and public engagement options this month. M-CORES Task Force Holds Local Public Meetings for Members Meet to Review and Refine Draft Report The meetings will once again… Read More
Citrus County’s 25th Annual Save Our Waters Week (SOWW), sponsored by Keep Citrus County Beautiful, Inc., will be September 19-26 with the theme, “25 Years Protecting Our Waters.” The week, which promotes public appreciation and awareness to save our irreplaceable waters, features nine activities of which four are offered… Read More
The view from atop Temple Mound A allows one to experience what the Native Americans who lived here may have seen thousands of years ago. This is a National Historic Landmark in Crystal River.
Crystal River Archaeological State Park
The northwest edge of Crystal River is home to a National Historic Landmark consisting of the Crystal River Archaeological State Park. This pre-Columbian Native American site containing burial mounds, temple mounds, a plaza area, and a sizeable shell midden is worth a visit from anywhere.
This 61-acre Native American site was occupied long before Columbus came to America; in fact, evidence has been found that puts native peoples living at this site from the Deptford period (800 BC), the Swift Creek-Santa Rosa culture and up to the late Fort Walton period (1500 AD). It is one of the longest continuously occupied sites in Florida with many stories to tell.
Artifacts found at the site are displayed in the museum and Park Rangers give historic demonstrations throughout the year.
Native peoples who lived at, and visited, the site that houses the CR Archaeological Park were able to hunt and gather food from the sea (oysters, saltwater fish), land (deer, bear, beaver), and marsh (turtles, freshwater fish) in this area.
These native peoples built six large middens, mostly consisting of oyster shells and bones from fish and animals that provided their food, layered with sand and plant debris.
Some of these mounds were used to bury the human remains also, and it is believed that over 7,500 Natives lived or visited here. Evidence of trading with other tribes has been found. This is a peaceful place to visit, with explanatory displays, demonstrations and trails to roam. There are several archaeological finds, and activities to help history come alive.
Crystal River Preserve State Park
Next to the Archaeological Park is the Crystal River Preserve State Park, with a fantastic historical boat tour each Monday, Wednesday and Friday run by the Park’s Friends organization. The boat tour allows visitors the opportunity to see the islands and temple mounds of the time gone by. It can make it easier to visualize how this historic society operated. There are interpretive exhibits. Coincidentally, the archaeological excavations began in 1903.
Today the Florida Public Archaeology Network of USF has an office at the Crystal River State Preserve.
An historic and nature-viewing tour is available at the Crystal River Sate Park, put on by Friends’ of the Park, it offers another view into ancient civilizations, the opportunity to see native wildlife and a relaxing cruise that supports the park and its activities.
The City of Crystal River
After the Second Seminole War and the Armed Occupation Act of 1842, twenty-two men filed for land in Crystal River. Several families moved to the area after the Civil War. The turpentine industry brought more people to the area, with William Turner being a noted early resident.
If you’ve ever written with a Dixon pencil, you are using a piece of Crystal River’s history. The cedar mill that made the planks those pencils were made from was located to Kings Bay in 1882. Those boards were shipped to New Jersey to make Dixon pencils.
The Crystal River Train Depot is alongside the walking/biking path.
1888 brought the railroad to Crystal River, providing a way for wealthy northerners to come to Crystal River to sport fish and starting the area’s thriving tourism business.
The Crystal River Nuclear Plant
During excavations for the Florida Nuclear Power Plant in 1969, scientists discovered rhinoceros and mastodon bones, as well as the shells of an extremely large armadillo and a large land tortoise.
Bones were found from the Pleistocene era, giving evidence that the Crystal River area had sabre-toothed tigers and mastodons roaming on it. Image is of a diorama from 1953 and is from FloridaMemory.com
The power plant was completed and licensed to operate in December 1976, and operated safely for 33 years until shutdown in September 2009. It was the third plant built as part of the 4,700-acre River Energy Complex (CREC) that includes four fossil fuel power plants.
In 2009, the Crystal River nuclear plant was shut down for “routine maintenance.” During the maintenance, the reactor was cracked and determined to be inoperable. In 2014, the plant was closed.
Attracting Visitors to Crystal River
The Plantation on Crystal River was built in the 1960s and has been updated and renovated many times over the years because its bones and location are so wonderful.
The Plantation Inn and Golf Resort was built in 1962 along the banks of the pristine Crystal River. In 1975, W.W. Caruth Jr. purchased the property, impressed with its beautiful natural setting and Old South charm. Today, this beautiful resort offers fine dining, manatee and scalloping tours, fishing charters, a riverside pool area, three golf courses, and an on-site spa. It has plenty of history in the area and is a premier place for getting away on the Nature Coast.
On eo fth ecute downtown Crystal River shops.
Heritage Village
The Edwards House
Crystal River Trolley stop
Crystal River Trolley stop
The Edwards House
Heritage Village
Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters Crystal River location.
On eo fth ecute downtown Crystal River shops.
Crystal River’s Charming Downtown
In 2015, Crystal River became a Main Street community.
The downtown area has many repurposed historic homes that now house shops, restaurants, galleries, and service businesses.
The area near Citrus Avenue and US 19 is home to Heritage Village, which encompasses the Eubanks Edwards House (c.1900) and several early rental cottages. Directly across Citrus Avenue, quaint businesses welcome visitors and residents. Historic buildings, quaint lighting, and colorful landscaping welcome shoppers daily.
Hundreds of manatees come to Kings Bay for the “warm” water in the winter. Image courtesy of Citrus County Visitors Bureau.
Manatee Tours and Three Sisters Springs
Over the years, Crystal River has become most well-known for its manatee tours. Citrus County is the only place one can swim in the water with manatees legally. There are many tour operators that provide complete packages for this amazing encounter. Some of our favorites can be found here.
The Three Sisters Springs manatee viewing attraction is open daily and trolleys run on weekends between downtown Crystal River and the viewing area.
Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River is one of the most beautiful places to see manatees and it was saved from development in 2010 and became part of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Boardwalks have been built around the Springs and now you can visit daily 8:30-4:30 for a fee. Trolley tours take visitors from the boardwalk area to downtown Crystal River as part of the $7.50 admission fee.
Manatees are easily seen from the boardwalk in Hunters Springs Park.
Several public parks are located throughout Crystal River. Hunters Springs was recently updated and given a beautiful boardwalk and kayak launch, along with playground equipment and picnic provisions. The only fee is for parking and the manatees are easy to spot from the boardwalk.
Festivals and Events celebrate Crystal River
There are many festivals and events held in Crystal River throughout the year. To see what’s happening now, check out NatureCoaster’s events page.
Divers floating in the spring. This picture is just so beautiful that I had to include it. Courtesy of Miles Sanders, Citrus County Visitors and Convention Bureau.
Related
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.