My Top 10 Things To Do In Citrus County, Florida

What a difference a nature coast makes! The contrast between the congested freeway I'd
left only hours before, and the serene scene that stretched before my vacation home in
the OZELLO KEYS , CRYSTAL RIVER, FL. was so pronounced, for a minute I thought I was in
another country. Trees dripping with Spanish Moss lined a slow moving river who's calm
was only broken by the chug of a fishermen laden boat returning with the day's catch. ,
while a tiny island, inhabited only by monkeys, lay midstream AS I PADDLED BY IN MY 2
PERSON Kayak supplied with my vacation home.
The monkeys, relocated to their island habitat from a now defunct Florida animal park,
enjoy the gorgeous view everyday. I was only visiting "Florida's Nature Coast" for the
weekend. And even though the vista from the Stilt home at 13972 OzelloTrail, Ozello Keys,
Crystal River had an almost meditative effect on me, there was much more to see and do in
this fascinating, but little known, corner of Florida that's less than two hours drive
from Orlando, Tampa or Daytona.

The Ten Best Lowdown
As with all our "Ten Best" lists, item number one is the author's personal favorite.
Aside from that, the order is not an order of preference. If it made it on the list, we
thought it was pretty nifty, plain and simple. Be sure to stay tuned at the end of the
article for great places to eat and stay while visiting Citrus County.
10 Best Things To Do In Citrus County, Florida

1. Swim with the Manatees
2. Salt or fresh water fishing
3. Visit the Ted Williams Baseball Museum
4. Explore Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park
5. Paddle a River Kayak
6. Enjoy Great Golfing
7. Go Biking
8. Scuba Dive or Snorkel
9. Shop for Antiques and Collectibles
10. Discover History from 500 B.C. to the Present
Getting There and Practicalities


1. Swim with the Manatees -- Citrus County is known worldwide for its manatee population
and the protection of this endangered species is taken very seriously. Each year, many
tourists learn about the plight of the gentle giants first hand, by donning a wetsuit and
snorkeling the warm springs where the manatees come to escape the cold winter ocean
temperatures.
The rules are strict: no chasing, riding or otherwise harassing the manatees. Swimmers
must allow the animal to approach them, not the other way around, and never touch with
more than one hand at a time. The rules didn't damper the experience in the least. Since
the manatees have no natural enemies, they regularly made contact with their awestruck
human visitors, and seemed to particularly enjoy being scratched under the flippers. At
one point, I found myself surrounded by a swirling, graceful underwater ballet as three
baby manatees played a game of tag, seemingly oblivious of my presence.
Swimming with the manatees isn't difficult or too physically exerting. There were young
children as well as seniors on our trip. If you want a lifetime of stories to tell your
friends, and the videos to prove them, do not miss this rare opportunity to interact with
nature.

2. Salt or Fresh Water Fishing -- The fishing's fine in Citrus County, whether you prefer
the fresh or salt water variety. You can't throw a rock in this area without hitting a
fishing charter service. Anglers will be in seventh heaven year round as the catch is
bountiful. Springtime brings Black Bass and Trout. Add Tarpon Sheepshead and Grouper to
that list come summertime. In the fall its time to fish for Red Fish, Speckled Trout,
Bass and Grouper and winter is Snapper season.

3. The Ted Williams Baseball Museum - Baseball fans can relive some of the game's most
spectacular moments, as well as learn everything they could possibly want to know about
baseball legend Williams at the museum. An 80 seat sports theater shows continuous videos
of Ted Williams and the all-time greats. Before you leave, be sure to pay homage to
baseball's best hitters in the Hitters Hall of Fame (new inductions take place each
February).

4. Explore Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park - More than one third of Citrus County
is protected as federal, state or county parks and wildlife refuges. Homosassa Springs
State Wildlife Park is a great way to get a look at a lot of it in a short period of
time. Visitors will especially want to visit the manatee rescue refuge to get an up-close
view of these amazing creatures. An underwater observatory gives you a fish eye view of
the action -- the next best thing to actually swimming with the manatees. In addition to
manatees, you'll see a host of other wildlife indigenous to Florida, and one hold over
from the days when the park was a privately owned parked -- Lu the hippopotamus is a
local favorite who will live out his days in comfort at the state park.

5. Paddle a River Kayak -- Pop in the 2 person Kayak at your back door at the vacation
home. Short paddle from the Lagoon around a saw grass island and your in the River. The
St. Martins River provides a wonderful place to view wildlife such as dolphin, manatees,
eagles, otters, and over 200 species of birds. Miles of Sawgrass islands to explore. The
two homes offered at OZELLO KEYS , CRYSTAL RIVER, FL supplied my Kayak with the homes
saving me so much money.

6. Enjoy Great Golfing -- As Citrus County is home to ten challenging public courses and
four outstanding private courses, long waits are rare. Both serious and casual golfers
will enjoy playing among the hills, valleys, nature trails and wildlife this corner of
Florida offers. A FREE list of Names, addresses, and phone #s of the area courses are
listed on their website at CrystalRiverWaterfrontRentals.com

7. Go Biking! -- Citrus County is a biker's paradise. On my ride along the Withlacoochee
State Trail (part of the "Rails to Trails" program which converts defunct railroads into
biking and hiking trails), I met cycling enthusiasts from as far away as Canada to the
north and California to the west. They came because of the diverse two wheeled
opportunities in the area. In addition to the Withlacoochee, 46 miles of asphalt which
meanders through state and county parks and recreation areas, the Fort Islands Beach
Trail will take riders to the County's only salt water beach. There are also some
wonderful off road trails which snake through woods and meadows teeming with birds and
other wildlife.
Regardless of your biking taste, the bikes are supplied with these waterfront Vacation
Homes saving me additional money.

8. Scuba Dive or Snorkel -- Besides the thrilling opportunity of swimming with the
manatees, the Nature Coast offers divers a host of other options. Caves, grottoes and the
chromatic rainbow springs - named for its assortment of multi-colored fish and plants--
tempt divers. Snorkelers will enjoy exploring the shallows of the Crystal River where, if
the season is right, they're apt to see a manatee or two.

9. Shop for Antiques and Collectibles -- The county is dotted with interesting little
antique and collectibles shops as well as flea markets and even auction houses. You can't
drive far without coming across something of interest. A good place to shop around lunch
time is Heritage Village, a collection of shops and a wonderful restaurant housed in
historic buildings. Antiques and collectibles will be found along with unique gifts,
gourmet food and home accessories. Heritage Village can be found on North Citrus Avenue
in Crystal River, Florida.

10. Discover History from 500 B.C. to the Present -- History buffs, whether their
interest is ancient or more recent times, will find a lot to explore in Citrus County.
The 14 acre State Archaeological Site in Crystal River dates back to 500 B.C. More
recently, Fort Cooper was a post during the Seminole Indian war in the 1830's. The County
is even home to 14 ghost towns, once thriving farms communities, wiped out in the big
freeze of 1894/95. By the 20th century most of these towns were gone, but their remains
are still explorable today.

By the way, This area has some of the BEST Motorcycle rides in the State, US19 North of
Crystal River traffic thins out to almost a lonely road on your way to CEDAR KEY for
Lunch. Ozello Trail is touted as the Dragons tail of the South.