The St. Johns Rivers is Florida's longest river; it flows north, before emptying in the Atlantic Ocean. River cruises depart for Jacksonville and cities in central Florida. The St. Johns River boasts a diverse ecosystem that includes marshes inhabited by turtles, feral pigs, deer, armadillos and alligators. The population increases in the winter, when migrating birds and manatees make it their home.

St. Johns River Cruises

St. Johns River Cruises at Blue Spring State Park offers two-hour, narrated daily tours of the nature and wildlife park. The 2,600-acre state park is designated as a Manatee Refuge and winter home of Indian Manatees. The Native II is designed for traversing the rivers shallow waters, only averaging speeds of six miles per hour. The 50-foot-long, 12-foot-wide boat carries up to 49 passengers and features an open-air design with seating along the sides for unrestricted viewing. It is also wheelchair accessible. The boat has a bathroom behind the captain's station. The US Coast Guard inspects this vessel each year to make sure it has safety equipment, including two fire extinguishers, life rings, cell phones and first-aid kits. All captains have CPR and first-aid certification. St. Johns River Cruises also offers night cruises, sunrise birding tours and private event charters. St. Johns River Cruises Blue Spring State Park 2100 W. French Ave. Orange City, FL 32763 407-330-1612 sjrivercruises.com

St. Johns River Eco Tours

St. Johns River Eco Tours depart from the Highbanks Marina & Camping Resort, located in Debary. It gives tours of the area around Goat Island, a popular winter feeding area for manatee. Its boats provide one-hour and two-hour tours Tuesday through Sunday. Tourists need a reservation for 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. tours, as well as late afternoon and sunset cruises. The company also well-behaved pets less than 40 pounds on its boats. The Naiad is an electric/gasoline hybrid catamaran that accommodates up to 27 passengers. The boat has a chart plotter and sonar. Its 20-foot Sweetwater pontoon accommodates private tours, wedding and social events. Captains piloting the boats have received US Coast Guard licenses. The Highbanks Marina features 72 boat slips, a country store and the Swamp House Grill Restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner. St. Johns River Eco Tours Highbanks Marina and Camp Resort 488 W. Highbanks Rd. Debary, FL 32713 386-626-9004 stjohnsriverecotours.com

Rivership Romance

Rivership Romance offers St. Johns River dining cruises that depart from Monroe Harbor Marina, located in downtown Sanford. It provides lunch cruises seven days a week and dinner cruises on Saturday nights. The ship has decorative metal smoke stacks and three decks. All meals are prepared on the ships. The company welcomes children on day cruises; however, evening cruises only allow passengers 14 years old and older. Menu items include seasonal seafood, tilapia, tango mango pork tenderloin, summer citrus chicken, beef, vegetarian items, fruit, cheese and desserts. The Moonlight Dining & Dancing Cruise consists of hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and live music. Family Fun Day features family entertainment, kid's activities, animals and meal discounts. The company offers reservations for wedding and social events; it features holiday specials. Rivership Romance 433 N. Palmetto Ave. Sanford, FL 32771 800-423-7401 rivershipromance.com