Why book direct instead of through Airbnb, Vrbo, or Booking.com?

Same house, same calendar, same hosts. Direct skips the guest-side fee every platform tacks on. Airbnb charges guests ~14% in service fees. Vrbo charges 6 to 12%. Booking.com varies by listing, typically 0 to 15%. On a typical $2,500 week with us, direct saves you roughly $200 to $400. The booking engine on this site is wired straight to Hostaway, the same backend that powers our Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com listings. We're routing it through our own domain so we don't have to pay the platform tax.

Is the calendar real-time?

Yes. Availability and pricing on this site pull live from Hostaway. If a date shows available here, it's actually available everywhere.

How many people does it sleep?

Eleven, across five real bedrooms. King primary suite on the main floor. Two queen bedrooms with private baths on the third floor. A queen-twin bunk room on the third floor. A fifth bedroom on the ground floor with its own full bath. Six beds total.

What do guests have access to?

The full home, driveway parking, outdoor living areas, balconies, heated dip pool, dock, game room, bar kitchen, tiki bar, fire pit, putting green, dog turf area, and waterfront spaces. You also have full use of the washer and dryer, both kitchens, the elevator, and the entertainment level (ping pong, arcade games, darts, board games, the four-TV wall). Three small areas are locked for owner storage: one closet in the master bedroom and two downstairs storage closets. Everything else is yours.

How do check-in and check-out work?

Self check-in via a Yale smart lock. You'll get a door code 24 hours before arrival that works for your entire stay. Check-in 3 PM, check-out 10 AM. We almost always say yes to a late check-out if the calendar allows. Just ask.

Are you available during our stay?

We want guests to have a smooth, private, relaxing stay. You won't see us, but we are available by message before and during your stay. If something comes up at the house, message us right away and we'll handle it quickly.

Yes. Maximum two small dogs, 25 lbs each. $150 pet fee per stay. No cats or other animals without prior written approval. We have a dog-friendly artificial turf area with bags, an outdoor trash can, and a hose for cleanup. Please supervise pets, keep them off furniture and beds, and clean up after them. Guests are responsible for pet-related damage or extra cleaning.

When can I see manatees?

Manatee season runs roughly November 15 through March 31, peak January and February. They gather in Crystal River specifically because the springs hold 72° while the Gulf drops into the 50s. From May through October you'll occasionally see a year-round resident, but for the postcard experience, book in winter.

Are kayaks, paddleboards, or a boat included?

No. We do not keep kayaks, paddleboards, or a boat at the house. You're welcome to bring your own and use our boat lift and jet ski lift. To rent: Hunter Springs Kayak Rentals, River Ventures, and Crystal River Watersports rent kayaks and paddleboards. Plantation Marina, Crystal River Watersports, and Pete's Pier rent pontoons, center consoles, and jet skis. All five to fifteen minutes from the house.

Can I launch a kayak from your dock?

We don't recommend it. The canal bottom near the dock is rocky and oyster-edged. Use Hunter Springs Park's free public launch or any of the rental shops downtown. Better water entry, no risk to feet or boards.

Can I use the boat lift and jet ski lift?

Yes, with care. The lifts must be operated correctly to avoid misalignment or damage. We'll provide written instructions before arrival, and we ask that guests follow them exactly. Press both buttons simultaneously when raising or lowering. The canal is tidal and gets shallow around low tide, especially in winter. We recommend boats 27 feet or smaller for the canal; guests are responsible for checking tide charts, confirming their boat's draft, and planning both departure and return windows.

How does the elevator work?

Three stories, fully operational, available for guests who need help with stairs or for moving luggage and groceries between floors. Three rules: maximum two people at a time, every elevator door on every floor must be fully closed before it will move, and children may not use the elevator without adult supervision. If the elevator won't move, walk each floor and confirm every door is shut.

Yes, but the heater takes time to warm up. If you want the pool heated for arrival, message us a day or two ahead so we can run it in time.

Anything I should know before arriving?

A few practical notes. (1) On the ground floor, only the middle sliding doors open; the side sliders are decorative. (2) The ground-floor mini-split remote must be pointed directly at the unit to change settings, it looks like a thermostat but it's a remote. (3) As with any Florida waterfront home, mosquitoes and no-see-ums are around at dawn, dusk, and after rain. We provide bug spray; bring your preferred repellent if you have one. (4) Please do not flush wipes, feminine products, paper towels, or anything other than toilet paper.

Are there security cameras?

Exterior cameras only, located outside the property for guest safety and property protection. There are no cameras inside the home or in any private guest areas.

What's the cancellation policy?

Flexible. Full refund up to 14 days before check-in, partial refund within 14 days. Specifics confirmed at booking.

Minimum stay varies by date and season. The booking calendar pulls the live Hostaway minimum-stay rule for the arrival date you choose, including PriceLabs seasonality and orphan-night settings, before it shows a quote.

Driveway parking is included. The converted ground-floor game room is open for guest use but is not available for vehicle parking. If you have extra vehicles, ask us before arrival and we'll point you to overflow.

On the water

Boat rentals in Crystal River

Crystal River is a boat town. Kings Bay, the springs, the islands, and the Gulf scallop grounds are all reachable from the same canal system the house sits on. Whether you rent locally or bring your own, the question is what kind of boat fits the trip.

The dock at Bayshore Getaway has a working boat lift and a jet ski lift, sits in a no-wake zone on the Navarre Canal, and connects directly to Kings Bay in about fifteen minutes at idle. You can leave from the property every morning.

What kind of boat for what trip

Pick the boat for the activity, not the brand. Most rental fleets in Crystal River are pontoons and small center consoles. Both have a place.

Pontoon (22 to 24 ft) · Best for manatee viewing, springs touring, lazy afternoons with kids. Shaded, stable, easy to pile coolers on. Slower in chop.

Center console (18 to 22 ft) · Best for scalloping July through September, near-shore fishing, running out to the islands. Faster, less shaded, better in Gulf chop.

Skiff or flats boat · Best for fishing the flats and shallow grass for redfish and snook. Specialist setup, usually a guided charter.

Jet ski · Best for short rips around Kings Bay and the islands. Faster than a pontoon, two-up only, not ideal for families of four or more on one boat.

Where to rent

These are the rental outfits we send guests to. All within ten minutes of the house. Book ahead in peak season (Christmas to mid-February and July scalloping).

Plantation Marina · 5 minutes. Full-service marina with pontoons and center consoles. Same dock as the Plantation manatee tours. Easiest one-stop for a non-boater family.

Hunter Springs Kayaks · 10 minutes. Kayaks and SUPs, not powerboats. Right at the spring entrance. Good for a calm morning paddle with manatees in the water below you.

Crystal River Watersports · 5 minutes. Pontoons, center consoles, and jet skis. Newer fleet, walk-up rentals if you don't book ahead, weather-dependent.

Three Sisters Boat Rentals · 7 minutes. Pontoons specifically configured for manatee snorkeling, with ladders and shaded seating.

Bringing your own boat

If you trailer in, the house dock has a boat lift and an additional jet ski lift. Boats 27 ft and smaller are recommended for the canal. The canal is a no-wake zone, so keep speeds to idle until you clear into Kings Bay. The closest public launch is at Hunter Springs Park (5 minutes) and the largest is at Pete's Pier (also 5 minutes). Trailer parking is allowed at both.

Fuel up at Plantation Marina or Twin Rivers Marina before you head out. Gulf range from the house is about 15 miles to the scallop grounds at the back of Crystal Bay.

Safety and the regulations

Kings Bay and Three Sisters Springs are federally protected manatee habitat. The whole area is no-wake zone speed-restricted, and parts of Three Sisters are closed to entry during manatee season. Rangers do enforce. Stay outside the marked sanctuary buoys.

If you scallop, the season is fixed by the state (typically July through late September). Limits are 2 gallons of whole scallops per person per day, capped at 10 gallons per boat. Bring a divers-down flag, it is required when anyone is in the water.

Manatee season in Crystal River

Crystal River is the only place in the U.S. you can legally swim with wild manatees. Season runs mid-November through March. Here's how to plan it.

Read →

Three Sisters Springs, what to know before you go

Three Sisters Springs is the centerpiece of the Crystal River manatee refuge. Here's how to access it, when to go, and what to bring.

Read →

A family trip to Crystal River with kids

Crystal River is built for family vacations. Here's a kid-friendly itinerary plus what's at the house: pack and play, baby monitor, highchair, game room, pool.

Read →

Got the dates? We'll send the boat-rental playbook

After you book, we'll send the current rates and contact numbers for Plantation Marina, Crystal River Watersports, and the local scalloping captains.

Book direct →

Boat rentals in Crystal River

What kind of boat for what trip

Where to rent

Bringing your own boat

Safety and the regulations

More Crystal River guides

Manatee season in Crystal River

Three Sisters Springs, what to know before you go

A family trip to Crystal River with kids

Got the dates? We'll send the boat-rental playbook