Welcome to Manatee Oaks Nature Sanctuary! Escape to your own private 1.1-acre luxury nature haven on Florida’s celebrated Nature Coast! Framed by majestic, 350-year-old Live Oak trees, this 1,706 sq. ft. split-floor-plan estate perfectly balances epic group hangout spaces with deep personal privacy. Whether you're here to explore the springs, launch a boat into the Gulf, or just relax poolside, you’ll be completely immersed in nature without ever leaving the property.
The Residence: Premium Comfort & Open Spaces Step inside to a bright, beautifully designed layout optimized for up to 8 guests:
The Great Room: A vast, open-concept living and dining area perfect for streaming your favorite movies, sharing meals, and lounging together.
The Culinary Kitchen & Fueling Station: Outfitted with sleek solid surface countertops and a fully stocked gourmet coffee bar to fuel your morning adventures.
The Master Wing (King Suite Escape): Tucked away on its own side of the house for ultimate privacy! Features a premium King bed, a twin daybed for flexible sleeping options, an open walk-in closet, a unique snail shower, and a deep soaking tub. Bonus: There's a 55" TV here, but we hope you're too busy adventuring to use it!
The Guest Wing (Two Queen Retreats): Located on the opposite side of the house, offering two minimalist bedrooms with top-tier Queen hybrid mattresses and immaculate white linens.
The Outdoor Playground & Enclosed Pool Lanai Dual glass sliders open up to your private backyard oasis—you’ll honestly be torn between staying in and leaving to explore!
Screened-In Pool Oasis: A massive 32' x 21' bug-free lanai featuring a heated in-ground pool, a built-in soothing spa, plush undercover couches, and a shaded outdoor dining setup.
Paver Patio & 3-Hole Putting Green: Step outside the screen to play backyard games, star-gaze from the 8-person seating area, or practice your short game on your private putting green.
Hammock Retreat & Wildlife Viewing: Unwind in a hidden hammock or use our high-powered spotting scope to track local turkeys, deer, migrating birds, and our very special neighbors...
Paws, Shells, & Safety (Our Pet Policy) Your pups deserve a vacation too! They will love roaming freely in our secure, fenced-in pet oasis. Because we share our grounds with a resident pair of protected gopher tortoises, please keep these rules in mind:
Leash Rule: Pets must be kept securely on a leash anytime they are outside of the fenced yard. Tortoise Cam: To ensure our slow-moving, shelled friends stay safe, an on-site perimeter camera subtly monitors their habitat to make sure it remains undisturbed. Thank you for helping us keep all guests—two-legged, four-legged, and shelled—perfectly safe!
Elite Vehicle, Boat, & Toy Logistics Designed with marine and trail travelers in mind, your gear is completely secure:
Covered Carport Storage (20' x 24'): Keep your boat, jet skis, or ATVs shielded from the Florida sun and rain.
Dual Driveways: A main concrete driveway for regular vehicles, plus a separate, graveled secondary drive specifically designed for boat trailers.
Property Security: The carport and trailer storage zones remain under continuous exterior security camera coverage for total peace of mind.
Please Note: Guests enjoy 100% exclusive access to the home, lawn, and pool. The 1-car attached garage remains locked for owner maintenance storage.
The Captain's Guide: Nearby Public Boat Launches Inglis Barge Canal Ramp (2.8 miles / 5 mins away): Your absolute closest deep-water launch! Bypasses all winding river speed zones. A straight 5.5-mile boat ride down the canal puts you directly into the open, crystal-clear Gulf of Mexico scalloping grounds and offshore fishing fields.
Lake Rousseau & Inglis Dam Ramp (3.1 miles / 6 mins away): Drops you right into freshwater backwaters. World-class destination for legendary largemouth bass fishing and cypress-lined cruising.
Goldendale Avenue Boat Ramp (4.2 miles / 7 mins away): An uncrowded freshwater ramp with quick access to the Withlacoochee River system—ideal for kayaking and paddleboarding.
Kings Bay Park Boat Ramp (10.2 miles / 15 mins away): Located in downtown Crystal River. Gives you instant access to the spring-fed ecosystem of Kings Bay for waterfront dining or anchoring at the springs.
Springs, Trails, & Eco-Tourism Adventures Inglis Dam & Island Recreation Area (2.9 miles): Shaded overwater fishing piers, island wilderness trails, and picnic pavilions right on the water.
Withlacoochee Bay Trail (6.1 miles): A flat, 5-mile paved trail running right alongside the canal to the Gulf salt marshes. Perfect for coastal biking and sunset views!
Three Sisters Springs (9.5 miles): The world-famous 72°F year-round spring sanctuary where you can swim or kayak alongside migrating wild manatees.
Hunter Springs Park (9.8 miles): Features a clean freshwater sandy beach, a playground, and a dedicated kayak launch.
Crystal River Preserve State Park Eco-Walk (11.5 miles): A massive 27,500-acre coastal preserve optimized for long-distance trail biking and hiking.
Crystal River Archaeological State Park (12.1 miles): Walk shaded boardwalks and climb ancient ceremonial mounds directly overlooking the marshy river.
Withlacoochee State Trail (14.0 miles): A 46-mile-long completely paved rail-trail corridor engineered for cycling and shaded canopy running.
Fort Island Trail Park & Gulf Beach (18.5 miles): Citrus County’s top coastal beach park featuring fine sand, public fishing piers, and marine launches.
Rainbow Springs State Park (19.2 miles): Swim, snorkel, or take a lazy down-river inner-tube run in one of Florida's largest first-magnitude springs.
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park (17.1 miles): Walk elevated boardwalks to view manatees from an underwater observatory, plus Florida panthers, black bears, and Lu—the legendary resident hippo!
Devil's Den Prehistoric Spring (29.8 miles): A bucket-list underground cavern spring featuring 72°F crystal-clear waters and ancient rock formations.
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park (37.9 miles): Home of the world-famous underwater mermaid show, a spring-fed water park with slides, and an elite downstream kayak run.
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Pets allowed: dogs and cats less than 9 kg per pet (limit one pet total)
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Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Check-out instructions
The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Gather used towels
Remove personal items and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Digital Logout: Please take a quick second to sign out of any personal accounts on the TV (like Netflix, Hulu, etc.)—don't want you leaving your watch history behind!
🐾 The "Paws-itive" Final Sweep: Please do a final patrol of the yard to ensure all pet waste is picked up and tossed into the designated trash cans on the side of the house for collection.
Locked & Loaded: Give the front door a good pull to make sure it’s locked up tight when you head out.
Wave Goodbye: Shoot us a quick message to let us know you’re off and running!
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Be kind and keep your space while enjoying the wildlife on the property, especially the Tortoises.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 5297445vb
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 indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Crystal River
Located in Crystal River, this holiday home is in a rural area and by the sea. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Three Sisters Springs and Fort Island Gulf Beach. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with ecotours and horse riding.
Crystal River Preserve State Park - 6 min drive - 6.2 km
Crystal River Watersports Marina - 8 min drive - 10.6 km
Hunter Spring Park - 11 min drive - 14.1 km
Restaurants
Circle K - 8 min drive
Circle K - 13 min drive
Denny's - 8 min drive
Loft - 11 min drive
The Pizza Joint Wood Fire Pies - 11 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Does Manatee Oaks: 1 Acre Wildlife Oasis, Pool, Kayak/SUP, Bikes, Boat Ramp & Parking have a pool?
Yes, this property has an outdoor pool. Pool types include heated pools.
How much does it cost to stay at Manatee Oaks: 1 Acre Wildlife Oasis, Pool, Kayak/SUP, Bikes, Boat Ramp & Parking?
As of 12 June 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Manatee Oaks: 1 Acre Wildlife Oasis, Pool, Kayak/SUP, Bikes, Boat Ramp & Parking on 22 June 2026 start from AU$741, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
Is Manatee Oaks: 1 Acre Wildlife Oasis, Pool, Kayak/SUP, Bikes, Boat Ramp & Parking pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 9 kg per pet.
How much is parking at Manatee Oaks: 1 Acre Wildlife Oasis, Pool, Kayak/SUP, Bikes, Boat Ramp & Parking?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Manatee Oaks: 1 Acre Wildlife Oasis, Pool, Kayak/SUP, Bikes, Boat Ramp & Parking?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Manatee Oaks: 1 Acre Wildlife Oasis, Pool, Kayak/SUP, Bikes, Boat Ramp & Parking?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Manatee Oaks: 1 Acre Wildlife Oasis, Pool, Kayak/SUP, Bikes, Boat Ramp & Parking located?
Situated by the sea, this holiday home is 2.2 mi (3.6 km) from Lake Rousseau and within 6 miles (10 km) of Bayfront Health Seven Rivers and Felburn Park Trailhead. Crystal River Preserve State Park and Crystal River Watersports Marina are also within 6 miles (10 km).
About the host
Your host
Hello and welcome! We are Devin and Charity, passion-driven hospitality hosts, and avid lovers of the spectacular Florida Nature Coast. Our mission with DFI Vacations is simple: we design, furnish, and operate unforgettable, premium spaces that serve as an immaculate home-away-from-home for travelers seeking top-tier comfort and seamless outdoor adventures in order to defy "normal" vacations. As hosts, we are deeply committed to pristine properties, high-fashion luxury aesthetics, and world-class guest experiences. We absolutely love everything that Citrus County has to offer—from tracking native wildlife across old-growth ecosystems to exploring the breathtaking, crystal-clear 72°F natural springs on our complimentary kayaks. We became hosts to share our passion for this beautiful, spring-filled paradise with families and adventure groups who appreciate attention to detail. When you stay with us at Manatee Oaks, you are our number one priority. We provide our guests with full direct access to our personal digital welcome guides, high-end travel gear, and resort-style facilities so your vacation fairytale can come to life seamlessly. We cannot wait to host your next unforgettable Nature Coast expedition!
Why they chose this property
What we love most about this neighborhood is the pure, unfiltered theater of old-growth Florida that abounds right outside the windows of this home. On any given afternoon, guests can sit under the shaded canopy and watch wild turkeys, deer, native birds, and our resident pair of gopher tortoises grazing across the property envelope. Yet, despite this total backyard sanctuary feel, a boater or eco-tourist can hook up their trailer, pull off the dedicated gravel driveway, and splash their watercraft into the Inglis Barge Canal Launch in less than 5 minutes. We chose this neighborhood because it satisfies the core rule of hospitality psychology: it delivers the rugged, wild nature adventure that travelers crave, while providing a secure, high-end basecamp to return to.
What makes this property unique
The combination of location included amenities, and the property's nature experiences make this the only choice for large families / groups traveling to the Nature Coast. We purposely created a haven for our guests to create epic memories together and will have then looking forward to coming back time and time again.