3 Br/2 Ba Waterfront Surrounded By Nature Close To Plantation Inn/ Kings Bay

We are 2 seniors who enjoyed the screened porch views of the canal and "lagoon" right in our back yard. A variety of wildlife was observed including; manatee, small alligator, river otter, turtles, jumping mullet, song birds, water birds and even heard barred owls at night! The porch is a very peaceful place to sit and enjoy the views and sounds of nature. Kayaks are available however, we found it a challenge (or an adventure) getting in and out of the kayaks due to the usually low water level at the boat dock. Colder than normal January weather limited our outdoor time and we can only imagine how much more enjoyable the porch areas and kayaking could be with warmer temps and drier conditions.

We found the top floor master bedroom and bath very spacious and comfortable with a large walk in closet. A large built in dresser with a nice flat screen TV conmpleted the quality master.

On the main level, the TV/living room with many recliners was a relaxing place to watch basic Direct TV on the vintage "lamp" TV. Mike, from property matinence, commented a new TV will be coming as "lamp needs replacement" message greeted us everytime the TV was turned on. A large well stocked kitchen made for easy meal preparation. Refrigerator issues are being addressed as we regularly dealt with monitoring the refrigerator's fluctuationg temperatures and a leak in the water line to the ice/water dispencer. The owner, Pete, was very quick to respond to any concerns and has an excellent communication network. He also provided great suggestions for day trips, restaurants and is very knowledgeable of the Crystal River area.

Also on the main floor are 2 bedrooms and a bathroom, as well as access to the screened porch. On the lower level we used the laundry room, with very reliable washer and dryer, and the garage. Having rented homes over the last 5 years, we've learned to bring our own bed pillows, bath towels and hangers. We made use of them here. After cleaning the grill from previous renters, we chose not to use it in its rusted condition.

We really enjoyed this property and the Crystal River area. Its location offers close access to a number of opportunities to experience nature such as, 3 Sisters Springs, Homosassa Springs and Fort Island Beach. Several good restaurants are nearby as well.

4 1/2 stars wasn't a rating option so we rated it 5 stars, due to the owner's easy accessibility and quick, excellent communication. Thanks Pete for a memorable stay.

We enjoyed the porch and the deck area in the back. We covered the cushions with a blanket since they are a bit moldy (as another reviewer noted) but the screened deck is the selling feature of the home! We loved listening to the fish jump in the dark, we saw a manatee go into the spring across the canal, and enjoyed the eagle, osprey and piliated woodpecker! Bring your binoculars! Kayaking was amazing and we saw many manatees out in Kings Bay!

Several came up at our kayaks! We wished there was an "official" way to get in and out of the canal at the house because it was hard getting in and out of kayaks especially when the tide was low using the bank & rocks (but we are old! :) The house is in a great location and we enjoyed walking our dog over the bridge and along the canal. The neighbors all along the street were quite friendly.

This place was in a perfect location. We kayaked with the manatees and dolphins!! We swam with the manatees, relaxed on the beach. The porch was amazing and the house was very spacious. We really enjoyed our stay

The house had plenty of room and it was comfortable Convienent to everything. We loved kayaking in the canal. My son fished everyday. We went on a fishing and scalloping trip that was fantastic! The only request is please get ESPN so we can catch all the football games😉� would recommend and stay again

As stated the trip overall was awesome. I would definitely recommend Crystal River to anyone with a family that enjoys the outdoors. The house was located in a great spot, fairly easy to access the river and all of the surrounding visitor sites but it was not the house we saw in the advertised pics.

The pics make the deck/patio/dock look like new and clean but it was far from that. All of the wood deck was molded, dirty, rotting and loose. Worst of all was that one section of the 2nd floor deck was sectioned off with caution taped. To a house full of adults maybe not a big deal but we have four children all below the ages of 10 so it was on our mind all weekend. To be clear, when I say sectioned off I mean with two rows of yellow caution tape. If I could upload the pics to this review I would. Not boarded off or anything structural to keep people out. Needless to say we were disappointed because I knew the manager knew we had kids as well as their ages and there was no mention of this prior to our arrival. My last communication with the owner was two days before our arrival. After walking the rest of the property we realized that the inside of the house was neglected as much as the outside. I get that its a 2nd/rental home but the place was seriously neglected. I went back and reviewed the reviews to make sure I did not miss anything and honestly I was very surprised at all of the 5 star reviews.

Regarding water access, if you can't get your boat under a very low bridge (maybe 7-8 ft from water) then the channel to the east is your only way in. That channel can get a little shallow at low tide so I don't suggest it to anyone with a boat that drafts more than 14 inches (what my boat drafts). Shallow areas (1 to 2 ft showing on my depth sounder) are solid rock so you need to take it slow the first time.

On a positive note, the house was not why we were there so overall the trip was amazing. The time we spent at the house was only to shower, have dinner and sleep so I can't complain about the house too much. House positives: The location is perfect, the house has tons of space for a large family or group and operationally we had no issues with appliances, plumbing or electrical. That's all a big plus to a Dad so I give it a two star.