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The Manatee Lodge is Homosassa's best kept secret

Photo gallery for The Manatee Lodge is Homosassa's best kept secret

Exterior
View as you walk in the front door.
18 foot wide fire pit & sitting area
THE LAGOON!
Kayaks & Paddle Boards in Boat House

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 82000 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Fireplace
  • Air conditioning

Explore the area

Map
Homosassa, FL
  • Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • 7 Sisters Springs
  • Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park
    ‪4 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Main floor bedroom

1 King Bed

Upstairs bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Upstairs bunk room

1 Single Bed, 1 Double Bed and 1 Single Bunk Bed

2 bathrooms

Main floor

Toilet · Shower only

Upstairs

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen
Balcony
Dining area

About this property

The Manatee Lodge is Homosassa's best kept secret

Welcome to the best kept secret in Homosassa! Located on a unique canal near the head of the pristine Homosassa spring, you will be in awe of the crystal clear water which remains a refreshing 72 degrees year round. We share this beautiful area with manatee, river otter, unique and beautiful fish, birds and other wildlife you are sure to enjoy . The home is stocked with everything your family and friends will need to relax and have a fun and memorable vacation. Bring your own boat or enjoy the provided kayaks, pedal boat, paddle boards & fishing poles which can all be used right off the launch pad and dock. The ground floor game room is sure to satisfy both kids & adults. Welcome to the "Manatee Lodge!"

The Manatee Lodge is located on a quiet secluded spring fed canal of only 20 homes. The canal opens to a rejuvenating lagoon that is approximately 3 feet deep with crystal clear 72 degree water. You will see many varieties of fish, unique skate, manatee and even the occasional dolphin. Enjoy the waterways with our provided kayaks, pedal boat, paddle boards or bring your own boat and tie up at the backyard dock.

INTERIOR: 2,000 sq ft | 3-bedrooms | 2-bathrooms | 3 Screen Balconies | Game Room | Fireplace | Laundry

* Bed 1 - King Bed with screened balcony
* Bed 2 - Queen Bed with screened balcony
* Bed 3 - Bunk Room with 3 singles and 1 double

EXTERIOR: Boat/Fishing Dock | Kayaks | Pedal Boat | Paddle Boards | Outdoor Shower | Fire Pit | Fishing Poles

* We have a boat house/shed that is stocked with all of our "toys."
* Adjacent to the boat house/shed is a small boat slip where we keep the pedal boat. There are also stairs into the water to launch the kayaks and paddle boards.

BOATER INFO: You may tie up your own boat to the dock. However access under the bridge prevents any boat with a hard top. You can launch your boats at the nearby marina and keep your trailer there as well. Reach out to us for more info if you plan to bring your boat.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Parking available

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Please be aware that there are open railings on th
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
Please no animals of any kind.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
No smoking in the house.
Guest is required to sign a Renter Agreement.
Minimum age to rent is 25. No Smoking. No Pets. No Parties/Events. Quiet hours 9pm - 8am.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Homosassa

Located in Homosassa, this holiday home is on the waterfront. Riverhaven Marina and A Crystal River Kayak Company are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Three Sisters Springs and Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. With kayaking, scuba diving and snorkelling nearby, you'll find plenty of adventures in the water.
Map
Homosassa, FL

What's nearby

  • Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park - 4 min drive - 2.7 km
  • Citrus County Dog Park - 5 min drive - 3.7 km
  • Three Sisters Springs - 13 min drive - 13.7 km
  • Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge - 14 min drive - 14.0 km

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Sugarmill Restaurant - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Crumps Landing - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪The Freezer Tiki Bar - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Twistee Treat Homosassa - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Manatee Lodge is Homosassa's best kept secret pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at The Manatee Lodge is Homosassa's best kept secret?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Manatee Lodge is Homosassa's best kept secret?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The Manatee Lodge is Homosassa's best kept secret located?

This family-friendly Homosassa holiday home is located on the waterfront, within 2 mi (3 km) of Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park and Old Mill House Gallery and Printing Museum. Citrus County Dog Park is 2.1 mi (3.3 km) away.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 15 out of 15 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 15 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 15 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 15 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 15 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Shauna J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Vacation to fish & paddle

The lodge is clean and comfortable and family friendly. The boathouse offers kayaks & paddle boards so we could enjoy the quiet, morning paddles together. We fished off the dock and kayaks and with Captain Rick Spratt. We enjoyed watching ducks, turtles, and manatees from the dock. We traveled to Three Sisters Springs, Rainbow River & Spring, Crystal River, and to Clearwater Beach.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Phil B.

Met all expectations

Excellent experience - met all expectations, great location and very comfortable
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Rudy S.

Perfect Florida Fishing Spot!

Manatees literally were swimming up to the dock. Teenage boys caught 13 different varieties of fish and we barely saw them when we were home because they were downstairs in the game room. It’s the perfect family destination if you want that “Old Florida” experience. Everything is there for you both at the house and in the immediate area to have tremendous, slow paced and eclectic time to unplug. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience

10/10 Excellent

Mandy S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Well appointed manatee adventure.

We could not have chosen a better place to stay. If you are looking for an up close and personal experience with manatees, stay here. The house is very thoughtfully appointed with so much to do inside and out. The kayak and paddle boards made our whole trip. Even though we were late in the season, we still got to enjoy the manatees. Highly recommend.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Taylor S.

Perfect Location for Manatee Watching!

We spent 4 nights at the Manatee Lodge in January and were able to take a short paddle to see the manatees face to face! The lodge provided wetsuits and boats and plenty of space for our family of 3. We were also able to catch a few fish in the springs and even rented a boat to explore downriver. If we come back to Homosassa we would definitely book here again.
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Mike M.

Love this place!!

The Manatee Lodge was perfect and was “as described” by Tim, listing all the amenities. We took advantage of kayaking, fishing, the fire pit with s’mores of course, grilling out burgers and dogs, and just sitting on the screened in porch staring at the canal and all the wildlife that cruised by. Even though we were told all the manatee had left, we were blessed by a “chubby” cruising by the back sea wall while fishing! We really enjoyed the kayaks and paddle boards and that there is a safe launch area beside the back garage. We will be back! Thanks Tim!
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Steve P.

Wonderful relaxing place to stay

Manatee Lodge is the place to stay. Comfortable/homey feel to enjoy with family and friends. There’s no doubt we will be back. Being able to bring your boat and having on site canoes/kayaks to enjoy are the best way to have fun and explore. Also, you can’t pass up MacRae’s ‘The Shack’ just down the street on the water for food & drink. Additionally being able to visit various springs and natural parks near by was also great fun.
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Duncan D.

Magical place

Spent 13 nights at Tim's wonderful place. Took full advantage of the Kayaks, SUP's, snorkeling and fishing gear and spent hours out on the water. Met Manatee's every day and got to recognize a few regulars including mums and calfs. We swam with them most days in the springs and they were regular visitors to the canal. We also saw loads of osprey and even a bald eagle plus snakes, cormorant, otters and pelicans. Another highlight was seeing dolphins chasing mullet a couple of times in the river and springs. Homosassa Springs park was great, visited Crystal River and kayaked down Rainbow River where we saw alligators and otters. Inverness was worth the trip to walk round the lake and see the old town etc. The house was perfect and we spent hours in the shade on the netted balcony. Plenty of restaurants within a few minutes drive and I can recommend The Shed at mcrays, they even cooked the fish we caught of a fishing charter. It went down well with their margaritas. All in all if you like a nice quiet relaxing place with access to the water The Manatee Lodge was perfect. Tim's communication was great and couldn't have been more helpful
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Pat F.

Perfect Weekend

Our friends and us stayed at the Manatee Lodge for a long weekend. We had a wonderful time. The house is beautiful, relaxing and such a get away from it all place to stay. The canal offers sightings of the manatees, the fish (jumping), and even dolphins!! We had a fire pit fire, roasted marshmallow, melted chocolate and laughed ourselves silly over nothing but fun. The house had everything we wanted kayaks, paddle boards, many games in the basement room and comfy beds. We had a fabulous weekend!! Thanks for offering such a nice place to stay to have a fun time.
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Gisselle U.

Absolutely beautiful

Manatee Lodge was so cozy and peaceful. The house was very quiet and comfortable, stocked up with everything we needed. The area is magical with the crystal clear water and the house has kayaks and paddle boards too! Just sitting on the screened porch rocking chairs sipping coffee we saw a manatee, an otter and many fish right in front of the house! There’s also an awesome fire pit with these gorgeous Adirondack chairs made from local wood (gorgeous) where we enjoyed s’mores every night. It was peaceful, beautiful and very clean. Highly recommend!
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Mamie B.

Perfect for our family.

The owner was so quick to answer any questions we had. The house was so nice and directly on the canal. And there were wet suits in different sizes and there were canoes and paddle boards and a few fishing poles for our use which was so convenient! We had everything we needed to enjoy the water and see the manatees including a mom and baby. And the life jackets very provided. The washer and dryer down stairs was so convenient. I would recommend this place to anyone. Also, we all enjoyed the screened in porch.
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Emily R.

Great time

What a little gem! This house was perfect for our 2 families to gather and share a super fun weekend for my daughter’s birthday. I’ve never been to a place in Florida where you can swim in cool refreshing FRESH water and not have to worry about alligators. It’s so beautiful to just take the paddle boards or kayaks out and Tim’s house is very well equipped with all the toys for a fun vacation. We loved sitting around the campfire at night and having a glass of wine and kids making s’mores. We went out scalloping with capt Rick and his wife and had so much fun with them (highly recommend that adventure) we saw sea turtles and swam with dolphins and learned all about the area and got to hunt a few dozen scallops as well. All in all it was a blast. We’ll be back for sure.
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Duncan D.

Magical place

Spent 13 nights at Tim's wonderful place. Took full advantage of the Kayaks, SUP's, snorkeling and fishing gear and spent hours out on the water. Met Manatee's every day and got to recognize a few regulars including mums and calfs. We swam with them most days in the springs and they were regular visitors to the canal. We also saw loads of osprey and even a bald eagle plus snakes, cormorant, otters and pelicans. Another highlight was seeing dolphins chasing mullet a couple of times in the river and springs. Homosassa Springs park was great, visited Crystal River and kayaked down Rainbow River where we saw alligators and otters. Inverness was worth the trip to walk round the lake and see the old town etc. The house was perfect and we spent hours in the shade on the netted balcony. Plenty of restaurants within a few minutes drive and I can recommend The Shed at mcrays, they even cooked the fish we caught of a fishing charter. It went down well with their margaritas. All in all if you like a nice quiet relaxing place with access to the water The Manatee Lodge was perfect. Tim's communication was great and couldn't have been more helpful
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Emily R.

Great time

What a little gem! This house was perfect for our 2 families to gather and share a super fun weekend for my daughter’s birthday. I’ve never been to a place in Florida where you can swim in cool refreshing FRESH water and not have to worry about alligators. It’s so beautiful to just take the paddle boards or kayaks out and Tim’s house is very well equipped with all the toys for a fun vacation. We loved sitting around the campfire at night and having a glass of wine and kids making s’mores. We went out scalloping with capt Rick and his wife and had so much fun with them (highly recommend that adventure) we saw sea turtles and swam with dolphins and learned all about the area and got to hunt a few dozen scallops as well. All in all it was a blast. We’ll be back for sure.

10/10 Excellent

Laura K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Dreamy!

This place was just amazing. Our family of 5 (big kids age 19, 16 and 13) had plenty of space to spread out. Very comfy beds and excellent bathrooms - outdoor shower was super handy too! The best part is the location…we couldn’t have known that we would be a short kayak trip away from crystal blue water and manatees! The state park (“sanctuary”?) was right around the corner from the house, so we took the kayaks and paddle boards out several times to wade, explore and even swim pretty close to manatees! Folks from an overlook at the Homosassa State Park (which I also recommend!) were watching us in the water with the beautiful creatures…pretty cool. Thanks so much for providing kayaks, a great game room and awesome fire pit for the evenings. This place is wonderful. Great family memories!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

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