CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — In Crystal River, life seems to move at the pace of water.
About an hour and a half north of Tampa Bay, boats head out onto Kings Bay. Where, beneath the surface, some very special residents are eating to say hello.
“You can book private tours that will take you out to swim with the manatees,” said Alex Arrow, from Three Sisters Springs.
Every winter hundreds of manatees gather in Crystal River’s warm springs, making this one of the best places in Florida to experience these gentle giants in their natural habitat.
But the magic in the city isn’t just below the water.
Streets downtown are lined with local shops and restaurants, giving visitors plenty of homegrown options to explore.
“We just like being able to walk around, park one spot, take the afternoon, walk to all the shops, get some food, go to the splash pad with the kiddo, um, great sunsets,” said Allison Hubbard.
It’s a laid-back lifestyle that has helped make tourism a major driver of the local economy and a community people don’t want to leave.
“Everything’s convenient. Everybody’s nice. It’s got a small town feel, but it’s got some beauty to it, you know, between the parks and the beach and the manatees,” said Jim McDonough.
But the good times here come after some very tough ones. Hurricane Idalia brought major flooding in 2023. Then in 2024, Helene and Milton added more damage and disruption. Downtown businesses were flooded, forcing owners to clean up, rebuild, and in some cases start over.
“Yes, yes, but we rebuilt better; we built back better for sure,” said Lauren Stringer.
Rebuilding hasn’t just meant repairing buildings. It’s meant investing in the community so many love and call home.
“We just like being able to walk around, park one spot, take the afternoon, walk to all the shops, get some food, go to the splash pad with the kiddo, um, great sunsets,” said Hubbard.
That small-town feeling is exactly what keeps people here, even after the storms.
“We love the area, we love the water, we love taking our kids fishing, so it’s a great place to live,” said Ryan Hoffland.
Crystal River, a city with a small-town charm, thriving to the future.
Crystal River’s tourism numbers show that comeback is real. The area welcomed more than 1.6 million day visitors in 2025, with visitors spending more than $428 million in Citrus County — helping local businesses continue their recovery.
Share Your Story with Andrew
Tampa Bay is known for our diverse military community, and Good Morning Tampa Bay Anchor Andrew Kinsey takes pride in sharing their stories. He is also dedicated to being a voice for crime victims as they navigate the legal process. So, reach out to Andrew if you need an ear to listen.
.
'My heart breaks': Woman describes helping injured students after deadly school bus crash in Polk County
A woman on her way to work Monday morning found herself helping injured Winter Haven High School students after a school bus crash that killed two people.
