Crystal River and Homosassa Springs are the perfect places for outdoor escapades

Crystal River and Homosassa are home to an abundance of family-friendly activities that will help everyone disconnect from technology in favor of outdoors adventures — from exploring a wildlife state park to snorkeling with manatees and scavenging for scallops.

A walk on the wild side

Combination state park and wildlife park, Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park has plenty to entertain and educate families during a day spent with nature.

The Wildlife Walk cares for about 300 animals, including shorebirds, Florida panthers, bears, foxes, red wolves, a hippopotamus and manatees — which can be seen year-round. While the animals have diverse backgrounds — some were injured and others orphaned — all have a common ending to their stories: Each is unable to survive in the wild, so they reside in the park, where they serve as ambassadors for their species.

Wildlife Encounter programs, where guests meet native Florida wildlife, take place at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. An alligator and hippopotamus program occurs at 12:30 p.m., and manatee programs are offered at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

There’s also the Fish Bowl observatory that gives a look at what goes on beneath the water’s surface.

In addition to the Wildlife Walk, the park also features boat tours, geo-seeking, birding opportunities, hiking, picnic pavilions, the Wildside Cafe and a visitor center.

If you go: The park is open 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily. The Wildlife Walk entrance is 9350 W. Fishbowl Drive in Homosassa and the general park entrance is 4150 S. Suncoast Blvd. in Homosassa. Tickets cost $13 for ages 13 and up, $5 for ages 6-12 and free for ages 5 and under. For more information, call 352-628-5343 or visit the park’s website.

Swimming with sea cows

Don a wetsuit, put on goggles, grab a snorkel and jump into the water in Crystal River or Homosassa, the only places to legally swim with sea cows in the United States.

Families looking for a more guided experience are in luck: There are a plethora of tour options that take guests out on a boat, explain how to swim around these animals and help locate manatees.

If you go: For more information on manatee tours, go to discovercrystalriverfl.com or homosassaflorida.com.

Go on an Easter egg hunt, Florida-style

You slip on your snorkel mask, grab a mesh scalloping bag and jump in. You float along the top of the water until you spot the scallop shells nestled along the grassy bottom. Sometimes you will even see the scallops’ eyes, tiny blue gemstones shining up from around the mouth of the shell. Take a deep breath and dive down to scoop up the scallop.

Scalloping can best be described as an underwater Easter egg hunt.

Homosassa and nearby Crystal River are among the most popular destinations for recreational scallopers because the Florida bay scallop grows and lives in the shallow seagrass beds common to these areas. Scalloping season usually starts the last Saturday in June and runs through early September every year.

Those interested in scalloping should hire a charter captain or go on a tour. Participants will need a saltwater fishing license and a dive flag, both of which most boat captains provide.

If you go: For more information about scalloping in Crystal River and Homosassa, go to discovercrystalriverfl.com.