Climb aboard Latitudes Tours for a glimpse of Florida’s natural, unspoiled habitat

Ruskin isn’t usually the first place Bay Area boaters usually think of when it comes to setting sail, but a trip on the Little Manatee River provides a view of unspoiled, pristine, natural Florida habitat.

Latitude Tours allows guests to see wildlife along the Little Manatee River and the Tampa Bay estuary.

Boaters typically see dolphins, manatees and osprey along the river. If the boat goes into Tampa Bay, guests may see stingrays, seahorses, jellyfish and pufferfish.

The boat also makes a stop in front of a unique home that sits along the river.

The home was built in 1910 and used to sit 25 miles south in Palmetto. In 2006, the home was supposed to be demolished, but the owners paid $1 for it, put it on a barge and moved it to its current location.

It took seven years and $1 million to restore the home, in addition to the $250,000 it cost to put the house on the barge and move it to the property it's on now.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the boat is cleaned and sanitized every morning. Plus, everyone who climbs onboard is given a squirt of hand sanitizer.

The boat used to have a 24-person capacity, but now only allows 10 people at a time. Those people are seated throughout the boat for social distancing.

Though Latitudes Tours allows for walk-ons, they do recommend reservations.

LINK: Learn more about Latitudes Tour here.