hi sumiology! my husband and i did both our tours in homosassa. i honestly would say it just depends on what type of experience you're looking for... we much prefer more intimate tours, lesser crowds, and as much of a... More
hi sumiology! my husband and i did both our tours in homosassa. i honestly would say it just depends on what type of experience you're looking for... we much prefer more intimate tours, lesser crowds, and as much of a natural encounter in as natural of an environment as possible. homosassa was it for us for those exact reasons.
crystal river (in comparison) is very popular and where majority of the tours are based out of... so you'll have bigger crowds and much more boats, some offering private tours and some with as many as thirty people on them.
and as for the manatees, themselves, well... it's nature and they're wild so they do what they please. you're very likely to see manatees in either place during the winter months because they like the warmer waters compared to that of the gulf. however, if you're planning your trip in spring or summer... crystal river will be a better bet as they have a few who are residents in the river. i don't believe homosassa runs tours during those months, strictly winter.
i hope that helps! :o)