HOMOSASSA FLORIDA | Citrus County | Exploring the Nature Coast | Ep. 1

Located in Citrus County and the heart of Florida's Nature Coast, Homosassa Florida is home to the amazing crystal clear springs. The springs feed into the Homosassa River, which is frequented by manatees and other wildlife.
In this video, we show you around the Ellie Schiller Wildlife Park, a 210-acre wildlife facility located on the Homasassa springs in Homosassa Florida. In addition to giving you a complete tour of the park and its animals, we also provide you with information on accessing the park along with a few great places to eat and drink in the Homosassa area.
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Recommended Videos:
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For more Florida travel ideas check out our playlist:
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#florida #explorcation #stpetersburgfl
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Timeline:
00:00 - Intro
1:03 - #1 Coffee & Donuts
1:57 - #2 Arrival at East Entrance
3:38 - #3 Arrival at West Entrance (via Pepper Creek Trail)
4:25 - #4 Lu the Hippo
5:20 - #5 Gators!
6:37 - #6 Wildlife Walk
9:32 - #7 Bears & Big Cats
11:35 - #8 Manatees
12:52 - #9 Underwater Observatory
14:14 - #10 Food & Drinks
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Websites from video:
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park - www.floridastateparks.org/par...
The Bean Barn - / thebeanbarntampabay
www.visitstpeteclearwater.com...
Florida Cracker Monkey Bar - www.floridacrackerkitchen.com...
The Shed - www.macraesofhomosassa.com/ind...
Old Mill Tavern - www.oldmilltavern.net/
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Explorcation consists of Jamie and Skylar, a couple who typically shares their experiences traveling and staying active via blogs and travel videos.
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Explorcation can be contacted at explorcationblog@gmail.com

Пікірлер: 97

  • @Explorcation
    @Explorcation3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much for watching, the Homosassa Wildlife park is something we didnt even know existed until recently. It would be a great destination for a day trip from the Tampa Bay area. What animals would you be most excited to see?

  • @bonesaw3806

    @bonesaw3806

    3 жыл бұрын

    I live off of that homosassa river and I go to the wildlife park so much

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@bonesaw3806 that is wonderful to hear, it is a special place :)

  • @auroranite
    @auroranite2 жыл бұрын

    Nice tour. Tks sharing👍

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching. We're glad you enjoyed it!

  • @garysemeniuk6350
    @garysemeniuk6350 Жыл бұрын

    Being going to Homosassa for years. Amazing spot. Swimming with the manatees and fresh steamed shrimp at the freezer.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    Жыл бұрын

    We had the Freezer on our list of places to visit, but never made it. It's going to be on top of our list for next time. Thanks so much for watching!

  • @lisapolanski9379
    @lisapolanski93799 ай бұрын

    Excellent vdeo. I definitely want to go there after watching this.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    9 ай бұрын

    We hope you get a chance to, Lisa. It's an awesome place!

  • @cherylmartin-bp5gy
    @cherylmartin-bp5gy Жыл бұрын

    awesome place!

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    Жыл бұрын

    We agree, Cheryl. Thanks for watching!

  • @00asaenz
    @00asaenz2 жыл бұрын

    You guys are pretty cool. We love Homossa too.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    2 жыл бұрын

    Well anyone who is a fan of Alf is cool in our book! Can't wait to get back to Homosassa sometime soon. It's just such beautiful, laid back place. Thanks for watching!

  • @CallunaTrip
    @CallunaTrip3 жыл бұрын

    Very nice👍👍cheers from Poland

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! Cheers!

  • @tracyh2421
    @tracyh24212 жыл бұрын

    herb was out of luck lol! great video!

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    2 жыл бұрын

    LOL yes he sure was. Poor Herb can never catch a break 😅. Thanks so much for watching, Tracy!

  • @TideKnotTravellers
    @TideKnotTravellers3 жыл бұрын

    That sneaky alligator was definitely playing games with you Jamie! 🤣🤣 smoking is bad for you manatee!

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    I know... who would have thought that smoking was such an issue in the manatee community 😅

  • @TideKnotTravellers

    @TideKnotTravellers

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Explorcation 😂😂

  • @DeannaMaasbach
    @DeannaMaasbach2 жыл бұрын

    We are.looking to move there from Raleigh NC beautiful video.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for the kind comment, Deanna. We just love the Florida nature coast area and may consider moving there ourselves someday!

  • @EW-cq6yv
    @EW-cq6yv3 жыл бұрын

    Such an excellent video as always and reminds us FL is more than just beaches. Thanks for taking us all along with you.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for the kind comment. We do love our beaches here in FL, but agree that the state has so much more to offer!

  • @matthewpetersen4417
    @matthewpetersen4417 Жыл бұрын

    what a beautiful area, I can dream in that place all day long. Given the chance I'd explore that whole coast.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    Жыл бұрын

    We hope you get a chance to someday, Matthew! It really is a beautiful coast and so empty and laid back compared to some of the busier coastal areas in Florida. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!

  • @ScullyPopASMR
    @ScullyPopASMR3 жыл бұрын

    There's certainly an abundance of wildlife in Florida. One night in Destin I ran into a tuxedo bob cat. It was scary. He took off in the dunes, caring less about me, I guess. I was nervous because I'd just come through the gate at the condo and headed down into the dunes, where he stood atop one of them, locking eyes with me for two seconds, then scurrying off.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Wow that had to have been quite the experience. I would love to see a Florida bobcat in the wild, but from a safe distance of course!

  • @scamonehiphop1894
    @scamonehiphop18942 жыл бұрын

    Love this place.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    2 жыл бұрын

    It really is an amazing place. We love it too!

  • @Lanainvestor
    @Lanainvestor Жыл бұрын

    subscribed

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much for the support, Lana. We appreciate it!

  • @TravelInteresante
    @TravelInteresante3 жыл бұрын

    24oz of coffee is definitely the way to wake up in the morning and what a cool little set up they have at the barn! Its really beautiful that they help rehabilitate and take care of wounded animals like the hawk at the wildlife park and oh man that is one old hippo, can't believe it has been there since 1964 wow! What a cool way to the end the day though, love how the monkey have their own little play lighthouse! 😂

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    It really was an awesome place, and yes, we couldn't believe how old that hippo was either!

  • @6431harry
    @6431harry9 ай бұрын

    I love going there when we come to Florida. Such a beautiful area and old school Florida area. You do such a great job!

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    9 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much! We love going there as well. Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment!

  • @FollowThomas
    @FollowThomas3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the great video 😊

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching, Thomas!

  • @interlude44
    @interlude443 жыл бұрын

    I’ll be here in a few days . Interesting!!

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    That's great to hear. We hope you have an awesome time and get a chance to visit the park!

  • @1212wolverine
    @1212wolverine Жыл бұрын

    Great video. We are planning a trip to this park this weekend and your video really set our expectation. Many thanks for posting it.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much for watching, MIthra. We hope you enjoy the park as much as we did!

  • @LucasWorldTravel
    @LucasWorldTravel3 жыл бұрын

    Wow! Lou is a big boy! 3000 lbs! Wow! So interesting that they can sleep underwater. Wow, that's a lot of gators. Definitely an interesting park! It's so nice to hear how these animals were rescued. I've actually never seen a manatee before so thanks for sharing the experience!

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    I know. It's mind boggling how big he is! We were lucky enough to see several manatees on this trip. They are really cool animals.

  • @LetNewAdventuresBegin
    @LetNewAdventuresBegin3 жыл бұрын

    Really enjoyed the video- we will have to check out this area next time we get to visit Florida! Thanks 👍😀

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching, guys. We hope you get a chance to make it there!

  • @TiaandAndy
    @TiaandAndy3 жыл бұрын

    Omg the bean barn is sooooo cute, we would totally drive through for some coffee. This looks like such a cool day trip! Looks like Homosassa Florida has some great walking trails and so many awesome animals to see!

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yes, Bean Barn was the cutest. No way we were passing that on one up!

  • @LeBoof
    @LeBoof3 жыл бұрын

    Such a great showcase of this place. Also Skylar you continue to amaze me with being an owl lover and goat 🐐 speaker Laughing out load on Herb calling.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much! No lie, when Skylar was a kid, he actually wanted to be an owl when he grew up 😂 He is quite the animal/nature lover. Poor Herb, bless his heart 😅

  • @KelbyAdamOurLifethroughalens
    @KelbyAdamOurLifethroughalens3 жыл бұрын

    What a cool day out guys. Those white pelicans are so beautiful and those those pink flamingos are Adams most favourite, we've been looking for them in Plettenberg Bay here in South Africa but couldn't find them. Hahaha how cool was that laugh from the kookaburra. Ah little Maximus is so cute and it seems the park is really taking good care of them. We've never seen a Manatee before, they very interesting looking mammals. Homosassa Florida really looks like such a treat.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, we were starting to think that the type of kookaburra at that park didn't actually laugh, but thankfully we got some good ones out of them right before we left! We love seeing manatees too, and lucky for us, these were just the first of several that we saw during our vacation!

  • @TideKnotTravellers
    @TideKnotTravellers3 жыл бұрын

    Loved the music change up for alligator lagoon🐊 they’re sneaky! 😂 Maximus looked like he had a great enclosure! 🐻 We saw a manatee in the bay while we were kayaking in Key Largo and it had big propeller marks on it. So good to see this place cares for the sealife in Florida.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yes unfortunately we've seen marks on some of the manatees in our area as well, but thankfully it is not too common. I've been waiting a while for the right time to use that song. The alligators scaring Jamie seemed appropriate 😂

  • @MillieMoments
    @MillieMoments3 жыл бұрын

    What an awesome way to start the day...with a coffee and a donut!! Ahhhh that Alligator lagoon is creepy hahaha, the music you put with that bit was perfect lol! I'd love to do that wildlife walk! The underwater observatory is really cool!

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Coffee and a donut is without a doubt Jamie's favorite way to start any day. We thought the music matched the lagoon well, so glad to know you thought the same!

  • @SuiteLifeSanburg
    @SuiteLifeSanburg3 жыл бұрын

    This is an area we haven't gotten to yet and it's the second time I've seen it pop up today! I guess we need to get up there! 😊

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    We would highly recommend it. It's a pretty short drive from Tampa/St Pete and absolutely worth the price of admission!

  • @stv1_channel
    @stv1_channel3 жыл бұрын

    Great job 👍👍👍

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @laurenandseth
    @laurenandseth3 жыл бұрын

    WOW! So much wildlife to see there. I love all of the manatees and that cute little squirrel that came to greet you. I like to watch alligators but I get a little out of my comfort zone when I get too close to them lol. I think it's really amazing how they tell you why the animals are there. When I visit nature reserves I like to know the history of the animals and if they're ever planning on be released back into the wild or not. It also feels nice to support businesses and organizations that provide nice habitats for the animals as well! I had never heard of Homosassa but I'd love to visit next time I'm in the area! :)

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, I think it's safe to see that Jamie gets a little out of her comfort zone when close to alligators as well 😅 We would definitely recommend visiting Homosassa and the rest of the Florida Nature Coast when you have an opportunity to do so.

  • @TheRetirementality
    @TheRetirementality3 жыл бұрын

    They need a "hug a manatee station". Looks like a fun place.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Haha that would no doubt be a HUGE attraction.

  • @BobCarlson
    @BobCarlson3 жыл бұрын

    I had to really look back through my photos. I was at the wildlife park over 10 years ago. This was a great reminder of how much I liked it. I think I spent too much time in the underwater observatory to realize there was a board walk. I won't mind revisiting. I vividly remember staying at a place in view of monkey island. By the looks of it,,,, you may be having the same experience. At least you found better food.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    We were really impressed with the park. This was definitely a day where it would have been nice to have a really high quality camera. So many great photo opportunities with all of the animals. We never seem to have too much trouble finding good food these days thanks to Google reviews & TripAdvisor!

  • @BeingBedingfield
    @BeingBedingfield3 жыл бұрын

    Beautiful day spent in nature 😌 Hahah, what you did with the gator scaring Jamie and the kookaburra laughing 🤣🤣🤣 Love the fish bowl and also the spring with the manatees. The tiki bar looks amazing! Oh my gosh, that phone in your room! I think poor Herb has the wrong number 🤣🤣🤣

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks guys, it was a great day. And yeah, poor Herb can't catch a break😂

  • @waynerumambi3024
    @waynerumambi30243 жыл бұрын

    New subscriber here. This is awesome! the way you guys explain things are very clear and better than Netflix! Thank you for sharing.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for the kind comment, Wayne. We try to make our videos equal parts entertaining and informative, and we're so glad that you enjoy them!

  • @annmcavoy
    @annmcavoy2 жыл бұрын

    Did you two ever review the Florida Cracker Kitchen in Brooksville in any of your videos? We were so excited to go there, then so disappointed in their food.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    Жыл бұрын

    Hi Anna. We never did make it to that particular spot, but we're really sorry to hear that you had a negative experience there, as we had heard good things about it. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment!

  • @laurenandseth
    @laurenandseth3 жыл бұрын

    That admission price isn't bad at all! On our last trip to Florida, we kept visiting different parks and attractions and wanted to stay longer at each one. I could definitely spend an entire day at Homosassa. That tavern looked like a great place to eat 😋somebody put a cigarette in the fake manatees mouth lmaooo SMH ;D tell Herb I said hello! ahaha

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    The "cigarette" was actually a tube for water to come out of, but when the fountain is not on it definitely looks like a cigarette 😅. I don't think we'll be hearing from Herb again, but if we do, we'll be sure to pass along your greetings!

  • @TheAverageTourist
    @TheAverageTourist3 жыл бұрын

    Always a good start to the day with donuts and coffee. I can't believe that hippos was so heavy!! That's huge. Those gators are huge too. I've only seen alligators at a zoo. That seems like a really nice park to explore. I've always wanted to see a manatee - the water is so clear there to see them so well. The monkey island looked neat - do they have caretakers bring them food out there? I'm just dying to get to Florida. Looks like a great spot there.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, it's hard to even wrap your head around how big hippos are. It's mind boggling. All we got to see was the hippos head, but we're pretty sure its head alone weighed more than us combined! We really weren't able to get too much info on the monkeys, but we are pretty sure that someone brings them food, given there are no fruit trees on the island that we could see.

  • @AquariusTraveller
    @AquariusTraveller3 жыл бұрын

    Very cool guys - Looks like a place I would like to visit. The Manatees are a favourite of mine, but something I have been trying to see in the wild for sometime. There are some areas around here, but really want to visit your Crystal river for paddling boarding one day. I never knew that Hippos could sleep under the water, it's cool fact that they can resurface to breath and not wake up....I wish I could do that HAHA That fox squirrel was just the cutest ever ....We don't have squirrels in Australia, but I see them in nearly every country I visit. Those black bears just make you want to cuddle...LOL Nice video guys and looks like you had a great day - Thanks a bunch for sharing !

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    Wow that's crazy that there are no squirrels in Australia. I honestly thought you could find them everywhere. I guess Australia is kind of its own world when it comes to wildlife.

  • @AquariusTraveller

    @AquariusTraveller

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Explorcation yep... I guess having 7 out of the top 10 dangerous snakes in the world.... maybe the squirrels wouldn't survive here 👍

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@AquariusTraveller well...that probably has something to do with it!

  • @AquariusTraveller

    @AquariusTraveller

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Explorcation 🤣🤣🤣🤣

  • @dru4135
    @dru4135 Жыл бұрын

    How accessible is the park for someone in a wheelchair?

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    Жыл бұрын

    The Wildlife Walk within the park does consist of elevated boardwalks that are accessible for visitors in wheelchairs or with strollers!

  • @lailai2997
    @lailai29973 жыл бұрын

    Trying to move to st pete what are the best areas around there..

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    We live downtown and love it, but it can be expensive. Some other neighborhoods that we enjoy are Grand Central District, Kenwood, and Roser Park, but I'm sure there are many other great neighborhoods in St. Pete.

  • @floridaysunsets8086

    @floridaysunsets8086

    3 жыл бұрын

    Cant go wrong near the beaches either! The islands can be expensive but plenty of neighborhoods near that are more economical- you’ll love it when you arrive

  • @alejandromaldonado608
    @alejandromaldonado6088 ай бұрын

    Just in case, the birds shown on the video are not kookaburra.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    8 ай бұрын

    Thanks. We realized this shortly after making the video. Apparently the birds were placed in an area where they previously kept as Kookaburras and they forgot to change the sign. Very cool birds none the less!

  • @brian7224
    @brian72242 жыл бұрын

    did you know?....lou the hippo is not a native resident of florida...state law dictates any animal n it's parks must be a florida species!! so lou was given "almost citizenship" to the state of florida...so he could remain a resident of the park !!! well...how about the WEST INDIAN MANATEE????

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    2 жыл бұрын

    Wow... how interesting, Brian. Thanks for sharing!

  • @lisapolanski9379
    @lisapolanski93799 ай бұрын

    Oh good grief. What's the name of that hotel? I need to make sure I don't stay there.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    9 ай бұрын

    It was a Quality Inn. It's a budget hotel so we were kind of expecting it to not be too great, but the phone situation still caught us a little off guard 😂

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    9 ай бұрын

    @@lisapolanski9379 😆we are also glad you are not staying in the same place, it was pretty sketchy! We hope you have a great time when you visit.

  • @bassmonk2920
    @bassmonk29202 ай бұрын

    Eat healthier so you make many more videos

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    2 ай бұрын

    We can assure you that we do not eat like this on a regular basis, but we really do appreciate your concern for our health! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.

  • @renny6151
    @renny61513 жыл бұрын

    Why isn’t there a Heterosexualsassa Springs lol.

  • @Explorcation

    @Explorcation

    3 жыл бұрын

    It's an interesting name no doubt. The word actually comes from a Seminole Indian name meaning either "river of fishes" or "pepper ridge".

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