Crystal River, Florida
Crystal River is a city of 3,638 people in Citrus County, Florida.
Why visit Crystal River
Townapedia lists 16 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 40 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Regal Crystal River Mall, Three Sisters Springs Trolley, Crystal River Archaeological State Park and Crystal River Old City Hall.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 43°F.
Weather in Crystal River
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Crystal River
Crystal River is a city in Citrus County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,396 in the 2020 census, up from 3,108 at the 2010 census.
From the Wikipedia article Crystal River, Florida (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Three Sisters Springs Trolley
Zoo and aquarium · 0.5 mi
This is where to buy tickets to, and embark the trolley, to visit the Three Sisters Springs, where manatees come during cold weather.
Museums and landmarks16
Crystal River Archaeological State Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Place in Florida listed on National Register of Historic Places
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Crystal River Old City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Rathaus in Florida, United States of America
Roberts Island complex
Monument and historic site · 2.5 mi
Archaeological site in Florida
4 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
Three Sisters Springs
Hiking and trails · 0.9 mi
A part of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge System
601 Three Sisters Springs Trail, Crystal River
Restaurants and cafes40
BubbaQueue's BBQ - Crystal River
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.6 mi
631 North Citrus Avenue, Crystal River
We-Mo 11:00-21:00
Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Pastry · 0.6 mi
638 North Citrus Avenue, Crystal River
Mo-Su 07:00-18:00
Kane's Cattle Co.
Restaurant · Steak House, Chicken, Burger · 0.6 mi
508 North Citrus Avenue, Crystal River
Tu-Su 11:00-20:00
Riviera Mexican Cantina
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.6 mi
1935 Southeast US Highway 19, Crystal River
Mo 11:00-21:00; Tu-We 11:00-21:00; Th-Fr 11:00-22:00; Sa...
Aggregation Distilling Company
Brewery and winery · 1.1 mi
255 SE US Highway 19, Crystal River
Th-Sa 15:00-21:00
Codys Original Roadhouse
Restaurant · American, Comfort Food · 1.1 mi
305 Southeast US Highwy 19, Crystal River
Mo-Su 11:00-22:30
Grannie's Country Cookin' Restaurant
Restaurant · Breakfast · 1.5 mi
1712 Southeast US Highwy 19, Crystal River
Mo-Su 07:00-15:00
Norton's Riverside Sports Bar & Grill
Bar and pub · 0.6 mi
16 Northeast 5th Street, Crystal River
Mo-Su 11:00-00:00
Pho 84
Restaurant · Vietnamese · 2.3 mi
374 Suncoast Boulevard
Mo-Sa 11:00-20:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Sara’s Diner
Cafe · Breakfast · 1.0 mi
216 Suncoast Boulevard
Tu off; Mo-Su 06:00-14:30
28 more on the map.
History
In the Pleistocene era, the land on which Crystal River is located was vastly different from today. The west coast of Florida is thought to have extended an additional 50 to 60 miles (80 to 97 km) into the Gulf of Mexico. During excavations for the Crystal River Nuclear Plant in 1969, scientists discovered rhinoceros and mastodon bones, as well as the shells of an extremely large armadillo and a large land tortoise.
Around 500 BCE mound-building Native Americans (possibly Deptford culture) built a settlement along the Crystal River, which in the present day is the Crystal River Archaeological State Park. It was abandoned prior to European colonization for unknown reasons. The Native American name for Crystal River was Weewahi Iaca.
Following the Second Seminole War, settlers were encouraged into the area due to the passing of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842 by the United States federal government. Twenty-two men filed for patents for land in Crystal River. By the mid-1800s, families began to settle in the Crystal River area.
Mail was delivered by horse and buggy, and a stagecoach came from Ocala (Fort King) to Crystal River, stopping at the Stage Stand, which today is the Stage Stand Cemetery in Homosassa.
From the History section of Crystal River, Florida on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Churches and places of worship11
Shopping14
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Academy of Environmental Science
School · 2.7 mi
12695 W Fort Island Trl, Crystal River
Citrus County Library - Coastal Region
Library · 1.6 mi
8619 West Crystal Street, Crystal River
Map of Crystal River
120 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°F | 43°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 72°F | 46°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 77°F | 49°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 82°F | 55°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 88°F | 62°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 90°F | 69°F | 8.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 71°F | 7.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 71°F | 8.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 89°F | 69°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 84°F | 61°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 77°F | 52°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 72°F | 46°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Inverness 3 Se Hcn (19 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Citrus County has had 34 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-10-09: Hurricane Isaias (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-10-11: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-10-07: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-28: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-24: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-10: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ocala International Airport (OCF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 30 miles away.
- Homosassa Springs 7 mi southeast, about 11 min by car
- Black Diamond 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Lecanto 8 mi southeast, about 12 min by car
- Pine Ridge 8 mi east, about 13 min by car
- Homosassa 8 mi south, about 12 min by car
- Beverly Hills 9 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Citrus Hills 10 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Citrus Springs 11 mi northeast, about 18 min by car
- Sugarmill Woods 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Hernando 13 mi east, about 21 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Crystal River - panoramio (4), qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- Sunset in Crystal River, Florida near Crab Plant Restaurant, The Eloquent Peasant, CC BY 4.0
- Crystal River near Hunter Spring Run - panoramio, qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- Crystal River Manatees - panoramio, Art Anderson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Crystal River - panoramio (2), qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- Uncle Louie G Italian Ices & Ice Cream, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Johns Tavern, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- BubbaQues, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Crystal River - panoramio (3), qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- First Baptist Church of Crystal River, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Brannen Bank, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rich Food Mart, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Independent House of God Church of the Living God, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Redemption Center Church, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Church of Christ, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fancy's Pets, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marco's Pizza, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Crystal River NWR 2, LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Crystal River Cemetery, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Crystal River - panoramio, qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- Near by Three Sisters Spring at Crystal River - panoramio, qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- McDonald's, Crystal River, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Crystal River City Hall06, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Crystal River Mound A11, Operator 16, CC0
- House - panoramio (49), qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- ISS023-E-32389 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-86047 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-74059 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS030-E-55629 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS030-E-77865 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-86046 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-86048 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS023-E-32388 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS030-E-42002 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Bird's Underwater - panoramio, qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- Sunken boat in Kings Bay, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sunrise - panoramio (76), qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- KingsBayRiverwalk, Seadooken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Looking direction Kings Bay - panoramio, qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- Trees - panoramio (46), qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
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