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A year on the Nature Coast: seasons, fishing dates, and festivals in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco

Manatees in winter, scallops in summer, stone crabs from fall into spring, and storms from June through November. This page walks through the year one season at a time, with the festivals that have posted their dates.

Checked against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the National Weather Service, county tourism offices, and the event organizers listed at the bottom. Dates change, so check the linked page before you go. Last reviewed: October 5, 2026.

The short version:

The year at a glance

Fall: September, October, November

Hurricane season is still on. The National Hurricane Center says the peak is September 10, with most storms between mid-August and mid-October. Our hurricane prep page covers what to do before one comes.

The rains ease off in fall. The weather service says the rainy season winds down from mid-September through early October.

What festivals happen in Crystal River each year?

Dates change each year. These are the dates posted for the 2026 to 2027 season, as of October 2026. Citrus County's tourism office lists the fall festivals on its fall festivals page.

Where can I find events happening in Hernando County?

Check Hernando County's tourism office, which keeps a running events calendar for every weekend. Here's what it listed for fall 2026, as of October.

For Pasco, the county tourism office keeps its own events calendar.

Winter: December, January, February

This is manatee season, and stone crab season runs all winter.

When does Crystal River have manatees?

Manatee season at the refuge runs November 15 through March 31. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says more than 600 manatees come to Kings Bay each winter.

They come for the warm water. The Southwest Florida Water Management District says the springs stay at 72 degrees year-round, while the Gulf can drop to around 50 degrees in winter. The city's Three Sisters Springs page says cold winter days bring hundreds of manatees into the springs.

The easiest place to see them without getting wet is the Three Sisters Springs boardwalk, 917 Three Sisters Springs Trail. It's open daily 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with no entry after 3:30 p.m. As of October 2026, part of the boardwalk is under construction, so call 352-586-1170 before you go.

What are the rules for seeing manatees in Crystal River, Florida?

You can watch, but you can't bother them. The refuge's activities page says that during manatee season, November 15 through March 31, the sanctuaries are "closed to all activity."

The refuge lists what's against the rules:

The refuge doesn't run its own boat or swim tours. It gives permits to local businesses instead, and it asks everyone to watch its "Manatee Manners" video before getting in the water. If you see a hurt or stranded manatee, call FWC's wildlife hotline at 1-888-404-3922.

Winter festival:

Spring: March, April, May

Manatee season ends, snook opens for two months, and the big spring festivals in Hernando and Pasco both land in April 2027.

Which month is best for snook fishing in Florida?

We can't tell you which month the fish will bite. What we can tell you is when you're allowed to keep one along our coast.

Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco are in FWC's Big Bend region. There, snook is closed December 1 through the end of February and May 1 through August 31. That leaves March, April, September, October, and November.

When it's open, you can keep one snook a day, between 28 and 33 inches long. Florida residents 65 and older don't need a fishing license or the snook permit, per FWC's "Do I need a license?" page. Most other adults need both.

Spring festivals:

Summer: June, July, August

Summer is hot and wet. The weather service says the rainy season peaks from July through early September, with heavy rain and frequent lightning.

Bay scallops. Scalloping is a summer activity. In 2026, the Citrus and Hernando season ran July 1 through September 24, per FWC's bay scallop page. FWC sets those dates each year, so check that page in late spring for 2027.

Pasco's season is set by rule at July 10 through August 18 each year. In 2026 it closed early, on August 6, after FWC found toxin-producing algae.

The limit is 2 gallons of whole scallops in the shell, or 1 pint of meat, per person. Our fishing page covers licenses.

When's the best time to go to Weeki Wachee?

It depends on what you want to do. The Buccaneer Bay slides and lazy river are seasonal. The springs beach and swimming area are open daily all year.

In 2026, the park's Buccaneer Bay page listed this schedule for the slides and lazy river:

The 2027 dates aren't posted yet. Florida State Parks lists Weeki Wachee Springs State Park as open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at $13 for adults. The address is 6131 Commercial Way, and the phone is 352-610-5660.

The Wilderness River Cruise has been paused during the day since December 12, 2025, because of low water. The state says it can't give refunds for weather cancellations.

When is the mermaid show at Weeki Wachee open?

Show times vary, so call before you go. The park's mermaid show page says show times "are subject to change due to many factors" and asks visitors to call ahead. The number on that page is 352-597-8484.

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