An Endless Source of Fascinating Stories
Citrus County, The Water Lover’s Florida, offers a nearly endless stream of reader and viewer interest topics. Here’s just a sampling of the many stories that Crystal River, Homosassa and Inverness have to offer.
Gentle Manatee Giants
Few can resist the charm of manatees, and Citrus County has them in great numbers. In fact, the County’s relatively warm, spring-fed waters attract North America’s largest manatee gathering each winter. The largest concentration can be found in the Crystal River. There is also a significant number in the Homosassa River. They react to the close-at-hand presence of swimmers, divers and waders with characteristic good nature. A thousand pound manatee in the wild, often with a baby or two alongside, is an unforgettable sight. And Citrus County is the only place in North America where nature lovers can legally swim and snorkel with these docile giants. Say what you will about the story potential of manatees, but you’ll never find one in Arizona!
Bountiful Birding
Birding is one of the world’s fastest-growing sources of outdoor recreation. And birding in Citrus County is always an extremely rich experience. Consider the unusual sight of a flock of whooping cranes following an ultralight aircraft to winter quarters in Citrus County. Or enjoy the constant presence of waterfowl in the salt marshes. Many Citrus County public parks and preserves have huge avian populations. Twenty-three of the Great Florida Birding Trail’s 445 official sites in the state lie within Citrus County. Get started on this story at the official website,
FloridaBirdingTrail.com
A Long History of Visitors
President Grover Cleveland, who served two terms in office in the late 1800s, liked Citrus County well enough to designate the place he stayed as “the Winter White House.” Other notables include Winslow Homer, Ted Williams and a great many other professional sports stars. In addition, Elvis Presley filmed Follow That Dream in the Historic Citrus County Courthouse. But all of those fine visitors were latecomers compared to the Native Americans who drifted into Citrus County starting around 200 BC, for trading, gathering wild plants, collecting shellfish and exploring.
The long-ago history of Citrus County is on display at Crystal River State Archaeological Site—a Florida state park, six-mound complex that is the largest of the Deptford Period in the southeastern United States and is designated a National Historic Landmark. Visitors can take a trail through burial and temple mounds and shell middens. An unusual feature of the site are two upright ceremonial stones or “stelae,” one with the likeness of a human head carved on its surface. The visitors center/museum displays artifacts excavated at the site and links this with other mound building groups.
It is located one mile west of US 19, two miles north of Crystal River, on North Museum Point. For more information, contact the Crystal River State Archaeological Site at 352-795-3817.
Easy Pickin’s for a Seafood Supper
Ever since some bright scientists at the University of Florida figured out how to have a sustainable annual scallop harvest, folks have been coming to Citrus County from hundreds of miles away to scoop up these tasty little shellfish in the shallow Gulf Waters during the recreational season that runs from July 1 through September 10. The meat from a Bay Scallop is small, white and tender. But because you have to know how to collect scallops, where to find them and what the harvesting limits and regulations are, your introduction to the sport is best done by with a local guide. Story possibilities include the usual W’s plus recipes and beachfront cookouts.
If you are a journalist interested in covering Citrus County scalloping season, please call the Visitors Bureau at 1-800-587-6667 for assistance in finding a guide.
Driftin’ and Dreamin’
Countless miles of little channels, larger streams and impressive rivers punctuate the Citrus County shoreline where land and Gulf of Mexico saltwater meet. Canoe and kayak trips reveal a world unknown to landlubbers, where the serenity is unprecedented. The opportunity for stories about boating and kayaking is nearly endless.
Florida’s Fabled Fishing Grounds
Nobody really knows all the creatures that fishermen and fisherwomen might catch out on the Gulf of Mexico. The charter captains are accomplished at finding concentrations of fish, but even they are often surprised by the size and variety of catches. Folks who live close enough to trailer their own boats find excellent launching ramps and a good assortment of waterside restaurants, fuel stops and boatyards. It’s only a short run to the open waters of the Gulf and as much adventure as you like. But for those visitors who want the best that this area can offer, a charter with an experienced guide provides the biggest thrills.
And anglers seeking freshwater adventure have a very good chance of landing a bass that will look like a whale in the photograph if you hold it in front of your body at arm’s length. The Tsala Apopka chain of lakes near Inverness is a great place to begin.
Any journalist looking for an exciting fishing story is sure to reel one in here!
On and Off U.S. Highway 19
The stretch of U.S. 19 that runs the length of Citrus County offers a great mix of essentials and entertainments. Two clusters of citified commerce, one in Homosassa Springs and the other one in Crystal River, contain big grocery stores, drug stores, produce stands and more. But keep an eye out, and you’ll spot a huge flea market, a great wildlife preserve, some good mom-and-pop cafes, a large indoor shopping mall, several boat sales lots and many other attractions. Pick a road that runs westward from U.S. 19 and follow it. Chances are you’ll find some unexpected places to eat, pretty little parks, boat launches, and finally, the end of the road at the waters of the Gulf.
Then drive into Inverness and enjoy a city with a long history and a courthouse that now serves as a museum. The downtown area still has interesting shops. And when you continue on to Floral City, you will find beautiful ranches, some with native Florida cattle, and many freshwater fish camps with reasonably priced overnight lodgings.
The allure of the open road has inspired many writers, and Citrus County offers the opportunity for back road travelogues that capture a unique vision of the Sunshine State.
Please direct media inquiries to Mary Craven, director of the Citrus County Visitors & Convention Bureau at 352-628-9305 or mary.craven@visitcitrus.com or Keith Gold at GOLD & Associates at gold@strikegold.com or 904-285-5669.
