Booking choice: The clear kayak tour, from $89 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Three Sisters Springs is a 57-acre unit of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, at the head of a short canal off Kings Bay. The City of Crystal River sells the tickets for the land side, the boardwalk and trails. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sets the rules on the water.
That split confuses a lot of visitors. A boardwalk ticket does not let you swim, and you cannot walk in from the boardwalk to the water. Here is how each side works in 2026.
The quick answer
Boardwalk tickets cost $20 for adults in winter (15 November to 31 March) and $12.50 in summer, with children 6 to 15 at $7.50, per the city's ticket page. The site opens 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, last tickets 3:30 pm, and a shuttle from the Three Sisters Springs Center is included. To swim or paddle in, you come by water from Kings Bay. The clear kayak tour ($89) spends about 30 minutes at the springs.
How much are Three Sisters Springs tickets in 2026?
$20 for adults from 15 November to 31 March and $12.50 from 1 April to 14 November. Children 6 to 15 pay $7.50, and children 5 and under pay nothing.
The figures come from the City of Crystal River's ticket page, which says prices can change. Holders of a federal recreation pass, such as America the Beautiful, get $5 off an adult, senior or military ticket. That is where the $15 winter and $7.50 summer figures on some websites come from. Ticket sales are final.
| Ticket | Winter (15 Nov to 31 Mar) | Summer (1 Apr to 14 Nov) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $20.00 | $12.50 |
| Senior, 55 and over | $17.50 | $12.50 |
| Military | $15.00 | $11.50 |
| Child, 6 to 15 | $7.50 | $7.50 |
| Child, 5 and under | No charge | No charge |
| Federal pass holder | $5 off adult, senior or military | $5 off adult, senior or military |
Rather see the springs from the water? The clear kayak tour spends about 30 minutes at Three Sisters.
Check dates for the clear kayak tourWhat are the hours, and where do you park?
8:30 am to 4:30 pm every day, last tickets at 3:30 pm. Park at the Three Sisters Springs Center, 917 Three Sisters Springs Trail, and take the included shuttle.
- The shuttle: runs continuously from the Center to the boardwalk. Keep your wristband on; you need it to ride.
- Other stops: the shuttle also calls at the refuge visitor center on SE Kings Bay Drive, Hunter Springs Park, the Town Square and Heritage Village.
- Parking: at the Center, at no extra charge.
- Holidays: the refuge lists trail closures on several federal holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. Call the Center on (352) 586-1170 before a holiday visit.
Can you swim at Three Sisters Springs?
Yes, but only from the water. You reach the spring run by boat or kayak from Kings Bay, and there is no water access from the boardwalk.
The city's swimming page puts in-water access at sunrise to sunset daily, unless the refuge has closed the springs. Public launches include Hunter Springs Park at 18 NE 2nd St and Kings Bay Park at 268 NW 3rd St. Most visitors go with a guide. Fun 2 Dive and River Ventures list Three Sisters on their itineraries, and Gulf Coast Expeditions guests describe swimming in the spring after the manatee search.
Sharon, on Gulf Coast Expeditions in August 2026: "My grandson was awestruck by the clarity of the spring."
Want to swim the springs with a guide? The Fun 2 Dive tour lists Three Sisters on its route when the refuge has the water open.
Explore the 3-hour Fun 2 Dive manatee swimCan you kayak into Three Sisters Springs?
From 1 April to 14 November, yes. In manatee season paddle craft must stay outside, and the clear kayak tours watch the manatees in the bay and the spring run.
The refuge sets those dates on its visit page. The summer trip is the one people photograph: clear kayaks gliding over the basins with the sand and the springs boiling below. In winter the clear kayak tour switches to manatees, and the animals are easier to find. Strong wind can stop groups crossing Kings Bay, so book a morning.
Why does Three Sisters close to swimmers on cold days?
To protect the manatees. When the cold drives large numbers into the springs, the refuge closes the water to people, sometimes for days. The boardwalk stays open.
The refuge closed the water for six days in a row in January 2024. In February 2016 about 300 manatees crowded in and the springs closed to people for a day. Closures are announced on the day, so nobody can promise you a swim in the springs in mid-winter. A good guide simply moves to another part of Kings Bay, where the same animals come and go.
For you it is a bonus: a closure day is the best day of the year on the boardwalk.
Springs closed on your day? The Gulf Coast Expeditions snorkel swims with the manatees in Kings Bay, six guests at most.
Check dates for the Gulf Coast Expeditions snorkelWhat can you see from the boardwalk?
The three spring basins from above, with manatees resting on the sand in winter, plus more than 2 miles of flat trails through the woods.
The boardwalk circles the basins, and on a cold morning you look straight down on the animals. The trails are gravel and grass with no hills, per the refuge. Rangers run programs daily at Three Sisters in manatee season. Drones are banned on the refuge, so leave yours in the car.
Summer brings fewer manatees to watch from land, but snorkelers and kayaks in the basins below, and the water at its clearest.
Boardwalk or the water: which is better?
The water, if you can only do one. The boardwalk is the better call for non-swimmers, small children and the closure days.
From the boardwalk you watch. In the water you float above a 1,000-pound animal grazing in the grass, which is a different trip altogether. Many people do both: a swim at dawn, then the boardwalk after lunch. A January 2026 kayak guest suggested the same, pairing the paddle with a walk at Three Sisters.
If anyone in your group would rather stay dry, the viewing cruise costs $51 and takes an hour and a half. For the rules in the water, read the swim rules guide.
Want to stay dry and still be on the water? The clear kayak tour includes a dry bag and the guide's photos.
Explore the clear kayak tourIs Three Sisters Springs good for kids?
Yes. The boardwalk is flat, children 5 and under pay nothing, and the shuttle does the walking from the car park.
Bring binoculars and a jacket on a winter morning. Children aged 3 and up can join the clear kayak tour at a child rate, for ages 3 to 11. More ideas are in the guide to manatee swims with kids.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to get into Three Sisters Springs?
$20 for adults in winter and $12.50 in summer, $7.50 for children 6 to 15, and nothing for children 5 and under. Federal pass holders get $5 off adult tickets.
Can you swim at Three Sisters Springs from the boardwalk?
No. The boardwalk has no water access. Swimmers and paddlers come in by water from Kings Bay.
Are kayaks allowed in Three Sisters Springs?
From 1 April to 14 November. In manatee season, 15 November to 31 March, paddle craft stay outside the springs.
What are the hours of Three Sisters Springs?
8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily, with the last tickets sold at 3:30 pm. The shuttle runs throughout those hours.
Ready to book
Choose your manatee tour
Every option here can be cancelled for a full refund; the deadline is on each listing. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Clear Kayak Tour of Three Sisters Springs & Manatees
Seeing manatees through a clear hull, staying dry
3-Hour Manatee Swim Tour with In-Water Guide
- About three hours from the Fun 2 Dive shop on NE 3rd Street
- Mask, snorkel and wetsuit, plus an in-water guide and photographer
- Small groups of no more than 12 on the boat
Small-Group Manatee Snorkel with Gulf Coast Expeditions
Six guests, wetsuits and hot cocoa on the boat
