10 Things You’ll Learn When You Visit Crystal River, FL
Trace a map of Florida’s Gulf Coast and your finger might skip right over Citrus County, home to the communities of Floral City, Inverness, Homosassa, and Crystal River. This place flies under the radar — and that should be your first hint to look closer.
Here, roads you may think lead to nowhere end at hidden beaches. And all of a sudden, your plans for the day (and your small-town assumptions) are thrown right out the window. That’s the charm. After a day or two, you’ll start rethinking a few assumptions, because there’s more than one thing we could all learn from the Crystal River region. And take note: Manatees, margaritas, and mermaids are only the beginning.
1. Your mother taught you manners for a reason.
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Well, “manatee manners” to be exact. The Crystal River area is the
Head to
Kings Bay, home of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, is the only place in the USA where you can legally swim with manatees. Hit up one of the local outfitters, brush up on your
2. Sometimes life’s better on the fly.
The coastline here is lined by mangroves, and that makes for one awesome fly-fishing scene. Tarpon, snook, redfish, speckled sea trout, and tons of other species are hauled in on the daily.
Getting to the “secret” flats of Crystal River and Homosassa requires good knowledge of the area, but local guides like those with the venerable
3. Life can be a walk on the beach.
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Down a stretch of road known as the Fort Island Trail — yes, one of those roads that seem to go nowhere — the marshland on either side slowly transforms into
The beach isn’t huge, but since so many flock to larger beaches on Florida’s Gulf Coast, this local oasis feels much, much bigger. It has roped-off swimming, pavilions, food vendors (mainly in summer), a fishing pier, picnic tables, and the occasional friendly dolphin causing a stir.
4. Music sounds better in a canyon.
If you head into town and the fire-lit patios over the Gulf are looking sparse, you didn’t happen upon a dead weekend — you’re just in the wrong place. Everyone else is in the canyon.
Rock Crusher Canyon, to be exact. It’s played host to music legends like Joan Jett, Trace Adkins, and the Charlie Daniels Band, and local groups with not-so-local followings get their share of the stage, too. It’s technically a pavilion and amphitheater, and most shows have both reserved seating and bring-your-own-chair sections (so pack that picnic!).
5. The well-traveled path can still pay off.
Photo: Amy Venables for the
The Crystal River region is one of those places where the lines between city and nature are totally blurred. You can go from shops and outdoor malls to state parks, quiet biking trails, and eco walks in a matter of minutes.
What’s an “eco walk?” Glad you asked. The only one you need to know about begins in
6. You don’t have to be home for a home-cooked meal.
There’s dinner, and then there’s dining. The
Pro tip: They’re only open for dinner, and you should definitely make a reservation in advance.
7. Fresh seafood is the only seafood.
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Finding locally caught seafood isn’t a challenge here — finding a place without seafood on the menu might be.
But just eating it isn’t enough. Head over to
8. Traditions are the spice (and the sweetness?) of life.
The Floral City Strawberry Festival, held annually in the first weekend of March, is a celebration of local agriculture. Check it out for just $5 per adult (kids 12 and under are free), and put away as many strawberries and helpings of strawberry shortcake as you can handle.
Keep the calendar as open as you can when it comes to local events, though. You’ll also want to hit up Fort Cooper Days, The Taste Festival in Inverness, and — the money-maker — the
9. Life’s always better in the fast lane.
Speed limits need not apply.
10. And the rest is history.
Photo: Meredith Burns for the
It won’t look like it heading down the main drag, but just past Crystal River’s historic downtown shops is a site that makes most out-of-towners do a double-take. The jump from modern, urban, and contemporary to ancient, historic, and natural happens in a matter of blocks.
All of a sudden, you’re transported 1,600 years into the past, faced with six preserved Native American temple mounds rising out of the otherwise flat terrain.
Once you take a walk around the interior plaza of the site, you have the option to head into the museum, grab a seat, and watch a film on the area’s history, or head out past the largest temple mound and take in a picnic lunch overlooking the nearby coastal marsh…though why not both? Bonus lesson: When you can, always choose both.
