Riverhaven Village Florida
Homosassa Florida at the southern end of Citrus County is comprised of several communities including Homosassa Springs, Sugarmill Woods, Old Homosassa and Riverhaven Village among others. “Old Homosassa” gets its name due to its long and colorful past.
Homosassa is steeped in history, from the original Native American Indians to the Spanish explorers of the 16th and 17th century to the more recent Yulee family that founded the Yulee sugar mill plant, a sugar cane processing facility during the Civil War era. The Yulee sugar mill supplied molasses, syrup and sugar to the confederate troops during the Civil War. Ruins of the old mill still exist today and it served as the inspiration for the naming of the Sugarmill Woods community.
Celebrities from Babe Ruth and “Dazzy” Vance to President Grover Cleavland have claimed Homosassa, Florida as their home at one time.
Homosassa Springs is home of the Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park and the world-famous Florida manatee. The Wildlife Park is an open environment zoo of animals native to the area with one exception, Lucifer the hippo was officially granted citizenship by the Mayor. You can observe black bears, cougars, otters, gators, flamingos, wild turkeys, and bald eagles here, but the main attraction are the gentle, giant manatees. Residing in the Homosassa River, which flows through the middle of the park, people trek from around the world to this unique location to experience a wondrous encounter with the graceful, endangered manatees. Once mistaken for mermaids by early sailors, the manatees are best observed from inside the parks “fish bowl”, an underwater 360-degree glass enclosure that you walk around in. There is no other experience like it in the world.
A little further down the road, Halls River Road to be exact and off the beaten path is “Old Homosassa”. Here you can rub elbows with a few salty dogs at places like the Monkey Bar, the Yardarm, Mac Rae’s, the Crab House, or find excellent accommodations at the Homosassa Riverside Resort. There are several art, craft and antique shops, dive, snorkel, manatee tour and boat rental establishments as well as excellent seafood dining including the annual Homosassa Seafood Festival.
Riverhaven Waterfront
At the very end of the road, literally, is the Village of Riverhaven. Riverhaven is an upscale waterfront community on the Homosassa River. Most homes here have their own dock. Powerboats, sailboats and personal watercraft are abundant in Riverhaven. It is not uncommon to watch Osprey devour their catch from your backyard or veranda. Herons, egrets, and a great variety of other wildlife and waterfowl share this pristine and tranquil oasis.
With easy access to the Homosassa River and the Gulf of Mexico, fishing is only a throttle away. Freshwater fishing as well as record-setting saltwater tarpon fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is legendary here.