Manatee Manor/The Harvey House

A private cabin located in a vast wildlife conservation area inside Blue Spring State Park near Orange City, Florida. This is the perfect spot for a truly unique and secluded Florida experience with the nearest private residence being almost a mile away. Enjoy panoramic views of the St. Johns River from the entire property and watch manatees swim by from the private dock. Great for outdoor activities, observing wildlife and fishing. The perfect place to relax and get in touch with nature. The space The property is .25 acres surrounded by Blue Spring State Park. The cabin is approximately 1000 square feet with a screened in porch and large patio. It was built in 1936 and some of the original pieces are still there including the bathtub and toilet. We have made many upgrades, but we tried to keep as many original things as possible. Guest access You will have access to the whole cabin and property as well as part of the outbuilding. There will be a 3 seater canoe with easy launch spot in front yard. The outbuilding includes a laundry room with washer and dryer. It also includes access to snorkeling and some fishing gear, as well as other miscellaneous items you may find useful. You can take a short paddle and beach the canoe at the park to rent kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and sometimes bicycles.There are endless hiking trails, bike trails, and waterways to explore. Other things to note November through April is Manatee season. During this time and sometimes during the summer, there may be long lines of cars waiting to get in the park. This may cause a slight delay on getting to and from the house. Just do your best to go around them and if the park rangers stop you, just tell them you are going to the end and not in the park. During non manatee season or mainly the summer the park is a local swimming hole . You can rent tubes from the park and float down the spring run and swim in the springs .You may see manatees during the summer time, but there aren’t as many. There is a public boat ramp near the gate entrance approximately 200 yards away. It is a local hangout and sometimes you can hear their music. It rarely ever last long and usually dies down after dark. It has never caused any issues, just letting you know. If it bothers you, the park instructed me to call 911. We also have a Rv hookup on the outbuilding for add on possibilities and there may be exceptions to some of the rules if you ask me.