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Snorkel with the Manatees in Your Back Yard - Kayaks Included

Waterfront holiday home with kitchen and patio

Photo gallery for Snorkel with the Manatees in Your Back Yard - Kayaks Included

Fish Bowl House with carport
Front view
Living area
Wood fire pit
Summer view of back yard fig trees

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 483.6 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Air conditioning
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

View map
  • Place, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
  • Place, 7 Sisters Springs
  • Place, Three Sisters Springs

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Double Bed and 1 Single Bunk Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Snorkel with the Manatees in Your Back Yard - Kayaks Included

One of a kind rental, because it is on a canal off the headsprings of the Homosassa River. Swim with the manatees very near the house in the winter months. They gather in the clear waters just 300 yards away, a short kayak paddle, and kayaks included. The water is always 72 degrees so don't let the cold air scare you off, it is quite pleasant. You are also allowed a 10% discount at Bird's Underwater Dive Center who manages the house. You can take a tour with them on the Crystal River with your discount or they will loan you masks and snorkels if you would rather go it alone from the house. This clean, popular house has been a rental unit for 11 years and many people return very good reviews. The Homosassa Springs State Park is across the street and over a short footbridge. There are two docks, you can fish, or sit and enjoy a fire on the LP gas burning fire pit. This is the Only vacation rental unit in Homosassa within 300 yards of the clear freshwater springs. Two-night minimum stay. Screened-in back porch overlooking the canal. Spacious backyard with banana, grapefruit, and fig trees. Canal has direct access to the Gulf of Mexico. Lots of unique waterfront restaurants that specialize in fresh seafood in this little old Florida town.

Paddle to the clear freshwaters of Homosassa River outside of the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, see their website. Manatees gather 300 yards from the house to winter in 72-degree water. You may swim with manatees. House owned by Bird's Underwater Dive Center, see the website, who will rent you necessary snorkel gear and explain rules of engagement with manatees.

Great swimming in summer. Great fishing. Walk to state park two blocks away to view manatees and other indigenous animals.

Keywords: Waterfront House

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Water view

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 12:00 PM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Please see the attached PDF for house rules, sign and return to ----@--------.---

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Homosassa

Located in Homosassa, this holiday home is on the waterfront. Riverhaven Marina and A Crystal River Kayak Company are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Three Sisters Springs and Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
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Map
Homosassa, FL

What's nearby

  • Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park - 3 min drive - 2.7 km
  • Citrus County Dog Park - 4 min drive - 3.7 km
  • Three Sisters Springs - 21 min drive - 13.4 km
  • Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge - 21 min drive - 13.3 km

Getting around

  • Tampa, FL (TPA-Tampa Intl.) - 69 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪RaceTrac - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Pizza Hut - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Crumps Landing - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Manatee Pub - ‬17 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Snorkel with the Manatees in Your Back Yard - Kayaks Included pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Snorkel with the Manatees in Your Back Yard - Kayaks Included?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Snorkel with the Manatees in Your Back Yard - Kayaks Included?

Checkout is at 12:00 PM.

Where is Snorkel with the Manatees in Your Back Yard - Kayaks Included located?

Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is within 2 miles (3 km) of Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Old Mill House Gallery and Printing Museum and Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park. Citrus County Dog Park is 2 mi (3.2 km) away.

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 139 out of 157 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 15 out of 157 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 157 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 157 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 157 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Tania D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
They have kayaks available to use and 2 docka on the property. Older kids will love it
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

David R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Place!

Second time staying, and we really enjoy the house and garden.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Angela

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
The kayaks, the manatees the area was so wonder!!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Tracy R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just as advertised

Nice quaint home on the channel. Kayaks were a great addition and the river was awesome ! Manatee State park literally just down the road.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kristy S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

4th visit

This was our 4th visit to this property and we hope to stay again next year. We love the location and the owner is kind and responsive. Highly recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mary B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Visiting the Manatee

My daughter and I had a fabulous stay. The property was very well located for kayaking and touring.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mike H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Another great trip

Everythung at the house was fine, the manatees were friendly, and the food, service, and entertainment at MARGUERITA GRILL was GREAT !!!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chris H.

Liked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Check-in, communication

Great 2 day get-a-way

House was as described. It was very clean and close to everything. I would definitely recommend for a get-a-way to swim with the manatees.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

6/10 Okay

Greg M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, listing accuracy
Disliked: Communication, location
Adequate! Internet did not work so I followed directions and sent a text with no reply. Shower drain very slow so had to stand in a dirty puddle to bathe. Neighbor warned us against thefts in the area.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tina M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun Time in Homosassa

We enjoyed our stay in this house on the waterway. We saw lots of different birds and other wildlife. We kayaked to the river and visited some of the local attractions.
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Oréo C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great

Perfect
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jeffrey B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Manatees

Unfortunately the house was not available during our stay due to hurricane damage. However the property owners were great. They promptly refunded our money and put us up in another location. We did get to tour this property and it looks like it will be a perfect place to stay in the future. The owners also let us use their kayaks. We were able to reach the springs in a couple of minutes and had a great experience kayaking the a ton of manatees. Can’t wait to stay at this property in the future!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mike H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Another great weekend !

We got there later than normal, because, due to the inclement weather, we decided we wouldn't try to swim with the manatees. I love the keybox entry. The house was clean and orderly, it had everything we needed. We always enjoy our stay here, whether we swim with the manatees or not!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Deb L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Feels like home

This is an older home but very clean...everything works great....Cook a meal or grill out...Wash your clothes....but most of all.......enjoy the manatees right in front of your eyes....We did not canoe but they are there for you to use..a great rental.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very Nice house

The house was right on the water and very close to the springs. We were able to take or boat out scalloping and stop by the springs on the way back everyday. You just need to make sure your boat fits under the bridge. We have a pontoon boat and had to take down the canopy to get under.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Brian G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location

Lovely place, great location, spent hours just sat outside watching the birds, insects and jumping fish! Had a daily visit from a heron! The kayaks were great, went out for a paddle every day and saw manatees every time, including mothers and babies! It was very quiet on the Monday but by the time we got to Friday it was very busy with boats and paddlers but this did not spoil our enjoyment. The house was clean and had everything we needed. The only negatives were that the area where you entered the water to get in the kayaks was very rocky and slippery and the road could be a bit noisy at times, but these were very minor points. Met a very friendly neighbour who told us all about the area and how it had been affected by recent bad weather (The weather was gorgeous when we were there if a bit cool on a morning by Florida standards!). All in all we had a lovely stay and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

Ashley P.

Liked: Check-in, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Great Spot…

We loved this spot on the canal it was awesome and had great access to the spring. Down Side was the inside of the house had fruit flys and porch smelt like cat pee. Bathroom was tiny and flys seemed to accumulate their. Coach was broke and and fridge doors don’t shut all the way which causes it to beep all day and night. Previous guest trash was left which made dumpster smell up the whole yard. This property does bode have a dishwasher and if you leave a few dishes in the sink you will be charged $100. We were also blamed for broken vintage blinds.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Angela M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Truly OUTSTANDING location!

The location of this house is suburb, especially if you like to kayak and particularly if you like to kayak to hang out with manatees. Diana made the whole process easy and clear and was prompt in answering any questions we had. We visited for a couple of nights in late November and felt so lucky to have just a 4 or 5 minute paddle to the Homosassa Head Spring where manatees congregate in the colder months. And the Ellie Schiller Wildlife State Park is just a 5 minute walk from the house as well. The backyard with 2 docks, kayak ramp, chairs and a gas fire-pit is a lovely place to relax. Other nearby adventures (all within 30 miles away )we recommend are: swimming with manatees in Kings Bay with Bird's Underwater Dive Center, stand up paddle boarding on the Rainbow River (turtles and otters)and kayaking the Weeki Wachee River(manatees and raccoons). One recommendation would be to plan on cooking or grilling out at the house if you're visiting on a Monday night since most local restaurants seem to be closed on Mondays!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Christine C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a great time. Was in a good location and the home and surrounding area was very nice. Had a nice elderly neighbor guy to talk to. Kayaking was fun and wven saw a manatee. Will hopefully be back!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Doug S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

An Unbelievable Spot

I am honestly surprised this place was available. The description seemed too good to be true. This is a super unique and amazing place to stay. Being able to kayak down to the Springs and get there early in the morning before crowds is worth it alone. But the house is great, there is a nice little dock with a fire pit (gas) and you see mullet jumping in the river constantly. It is about a 5 minute walk to the wildlife park. This is not Disneyworld. it’s 1000 times better. I am reviewing photos to share and realize all the ones of the dock itself have family members in them. I don’t want to share those, but trust me, it is beautiful. We would definitely go again.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

8/10 Good

Lanae M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Convenient location

Nice place and conveniently located. We enjoyed the kayaks provided. Only suggestion would be that a few window blinds needed replacement.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Heather J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just what we needed

We loved staying in this home on the canal. It was clean and well appointed. The access to the canal couldn’t be sweeter! We look forward to going back.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ariana B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great time with manatees!

This place rocked! It was clean, comfy, and the backyard space is great for relaxing by the water.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ashley P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay!

We really enjoyed our stay! The location was great for visiting places in Weeki Wachee, Crystal River, and Homosassa. Very close to a Publix and almost next to the state park. A highlight was definitely using the kayaks and seeing the manatees! We did have an issue with the AC not working. However, the owner was extremely responsive and got us set up with a portable AC unit asap and credited us for the trouble.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Becky R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location

Super fun stay! Having the kayaks available was key. We brought our snorkles and wetsuits and used the kayaks to paddle down to the park and happily observed the manatees. Small cottage but had evertrhing we needes.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2025

About the host

Hosted by Karl Oestreich

Host profile image
Bill and Diane Oestreich own Bird's Underwater Dive Center in Crystal River. Originally from Elkhart and LaPorte Indiana, met in high school. After 11 years on the road as musicians, we settled into the Crystal River, had one son, adopted 4 more boys over the years, who are now moving on. Still active in scuba diving, Bill "Bird" teaches cave, re-breather, and other technical diving. We also have two other rental houses listed on VRBO as 12055 and 1019739

Why they chose this property

When you rent one of our houses you also get 10% off a Manatee Tour with Bird's Underwater and 10% off a Scalloping Tour (July - Sept) as well as use of the kayaks at Bird's Underwater which is located on King's Bay.
For groups larger than 5 persons see our VRBO listing #12055 located on the Hall's River in Homosassa, FL.
Our newest addition is a small blockhouse on 5 acres of land in Branford Florida, not far from Gainesville, Ginnie Springs, Poe Springs, and Ichnetucknee Springs parks. Great places to dive, snorkel, fish, kayak and other water-related sports. Listing number 1019739

What makes this property unique

Short walk to the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Wildlife State Park.
Kayaks included.
Waterfront has access to the Gulf of Mexico, very popular during scallop season July 1 - Sept. 24th. Disadvantage: If you have a fly bridge or hardtop on your boat you cannot get under the Fishbowl Drive bridge.
See manatees near the house in the wild in the cold winter months.
Fishing
bike rentals in Crystal River
Great waterfront restaurants in Homosassa, easy to Google.

Languages:

English

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