Enjoy and discover the wild beauty of Homosassa Springs with endangered animals and manatees.

Homosassa is best known for scalloping and springs, but oh, there is so much more to offer. Many towns on the central west coast of Florida still have that throwback look, charm, and feel and Homosassa is definitely one of them.

history

Located about 75 miles north of Tampa, Homosassa Springs was a popular train stop in the early 1900s, where passengers could picnic and take a dip in the cool spring water while train cars were being loaded up with cedar, crabs, fish, and spring water. 

Old Homosassa was known for its 5100-acre sugar plantation owned by Davie Levy Yulee, who also became a U.S. Senator after Florida achieved statehood in 1845. His sugar plantation supplied most of the sugar for the Confederate army during the Civil War. The early days of Homosassa’s economy relied on Yulee’s plantation, lumber, citrus, and commercial fishing. As time went on, the sugar business died out, lumber stopped being cut, and commercial fishing saw their catches slowing down.

Today, recreational fishing is big business and commercial fishing is controlled by environmental regulations. Many restaurants serve their catch of the day. One of our favorite places to eat at is Charlie’s Fish House. You can read more about this area and more in this post.

If you drive US-19 on West Yulee Drive, not much has changed since then.

Homosassa Springs

The biggest attraction during the winter months is the gathering of all the manatees at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park which is approximately 270 square miles of urbanized and agricultural land, forests, and wetland.

One of the largest springs in Florida, the springs consist of nearly 30 springs and puts out 65 million gallons of water daily which qualifies this group as a first-magnitude spring. The springs waters eventually flow out to the Gulf of Mexico. Since there are 3 different points in the springs having different salt content and water quality blend together which feed many saltwater and freshwater fish in the area.

And because of its warm waters, it’s a haven for wintering West Indian manatees. Up to 1000 manatees migrate north to the springs from November 15 to March 31. Some do stay all year long at the springs. Known as “Sea Cows”, these gentle giants can weigh up to 1200 pounds and grow up to 10 feet long. They are very slow-moving animals that spend most of their time eating, resting, and traveling. They can live up to 60 years and have no known enemies. Loss of habitat is the most serious threat to the manatees with less than 6000 manatees recorded. The West Indian manatees in the United States are protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which make it illegal to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal.

The ultimate experience is to stop by “The Fish Bowl” where you can see the manatees and swirling schools of fish while underwater. There are also times during the day when the manatees are fed which is fun to watch. So be sure to check the feeding times.

Be sure to catch Lu who is the oldest living hippopotamus in North America at the park. An old movie star, Lu retired at the park and has been enjoying his life since. Lu is an honorary citizen of Homosassa which means he will never be moved to another facility.

This area is one of only a few places where you can dive and swim with manatees. All swimmers on manatee tours learn their “Manatee Manners” before ever getting in the water. The in-water guides are trained to make sure the beloved threatened species are treated with the utmost care and respect. There are several tours you can choose from to enjoy this experience. You can see in the picture above that there are markers where boats are not allowed because of the manatees.

You will also see Florida panthers, black bears, red wolves, alligators, and a parade of flamingos at the springs park. The Pepper Creek Birding Trail is a wonderful place for birding while walking the elevated boardwalks. The Wildlife Walk’s elevated boardwalks are accessible for visitors in wheelchairs or strollers.

There are many birds and animals living at Homosassa Springs who cannot survive in the wild and are brought to the park because of injury or were orphaned. The park provides these animals with a habitat and diet that is as natural as possible. These animals are easily viewed throughout the park.

A black bear, Maximus, was recently added to the park because his mother abandoned him after he was born for unknown reasons. He was rescued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and brought to the park to receive medical care and around-the-clock supervision. Normally they are released back to nature, but because he was so young and spent so many hours with humans, this wasn’t an option, and had to stay at the park. After learning his new habitat and growing into a young adult, he was introduced to his new home at the park for us to enjoy on occasion.

Mr. G and I have been to a few state parks in Florida and Homosassa State Park is our favorite when it comes to all the nature you can see. Easy to walk through, there are several covered picnic areas to enjoy a meal and relax, lots of benches to rest on, and so much beautiful nature to see while you are there.

I do suggest visiting from November through March. Not only to see the manatees, but all the flowering bushes and trees in the area. And the weather is always nice that time of the year too. This park is truly a “Real Florida” experience and don’t forget your camera!

Address & Information

4150 S. Suncoast Blvd.
Homosassa FL 34446

352-628-5343

Hours – 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Ticket counters close at 4:45 p.m.

Fees – Adults (age 13+), $13; children ages 6-12, $5; children 5 and under admitted free.

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