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River Rat's Rest

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Photo gallery for River Rat's Rest

Outdoor dining
Exterior
Property grounds
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Smart TV, DVD player, books

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 121960 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

View in a map
Homosassa, FL
  • Place, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Three Sisters Springs
    ‪8 min drive‬
  • Place, Weeki Wachee Springs
    ‪27 min drive‬

Room options

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The Gator Den Motel
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  • Pet friendly
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
4.6 out of 5, Wonderful, 560 reviews
$120 nightly
The price is $134
Jun 21 - Jun 22
Total with taxes and fees
The Gator Den Motel

About the neighborhood

Homosassa Springs

With a stay at this vacation home in Homosassa, you'll be within a 15-minute drive of Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park and Three Sisters Springs. .This vacation home is 14.4 mi (23.2 km) from Fort Island Gulf Beach and 1.4 mi (2.2 km) from Citrus County Dog Park.
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What's nearby

  • Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Three Sisters Springs - 8 min drive - 7.3 miles
  • Fort Island Gulf Beach - 23 min drive - 17.9 miles
  • Weeki Wachee Springs - 27 min drive - 26.5 miles
  • Rainbow Springs State Park - 43 min drive - 29.1 miles

Getting around

  • Tampa Intl. Airport (TPA) - 65 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪RaceTrac - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters - ‬14 min walk
  • ‪Grumpy Gator's - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪El Mezcal Mexican Restaurant - ‬14 min walk

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

River Rat's Rest

This is where you can experience wild Florida while enjoying all your favorite comforts. Our completely remodeled home is on a canal just 200 feet away from the Halls River. Located in a friendly residential neighborhood, this immaculate 3 bedroom 2 bath (plus loft upstairs) home is perfect for your year-round getaway. The open concept living, dining and kitchen areas overlook the canal, with ample opportunities to watch otters, manatees, and birds as you drink your coffee.
Make yourself comfortable in this air-conditioned vacation home, featuring a kitchen with a refrigerator and an oven. A Smart television and a DVD player are provided for your entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Conveniences include a desk and a microwave.
Take in the views from a garden and make use of amenities such as barbecue grills.
Guests will find features like onsite parking.

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach towels

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Onsite parking options include a carport

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 4 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Bathtub
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Shower
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room
  • Separate dining area

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Smart TV

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Dock
  • Garden

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Work spaces

  • Desk

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming dogs only
  • One pet total (up to 50 lbs per pet)

Suitability/Accessibility

  • 20 steps to reach entrance
  • Smoking not allowed

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Things to do

  • Kayak

Safety features

  • No carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is no carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 1,960 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Rules

Booking this home indicates your consent to be bound by our Rental Agreement. Please read this document *in full.*
This is a waterfront home with no fencing. Various animals including alligators and snakes may be present. Boat and swim at your own risk.
There will be a $250 damage deposit hold placed on your credit card at the time of booking. After checkout, this money will be promptly returned.

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
1 total (up to 50 lbs per pet)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is no carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

Property is also known as

778291

River Rat's Rest Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 37 out of 38 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 38 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 38 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 38 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 38 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heather A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy
We had a great stay! The house was a perfect fit for our family and a great location for all the manatee fun! Thank you.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Bobby B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very clean and nice great atmosphere will be back
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heather D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

This house was very nice and comfortable for our group of 12

Definitely would recommend this property
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kay C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful spot!

Great location and lovely rental! Had everything you would need - to cook in, or good places to eat out!! Home was really comfortable!
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Diane J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place to relax

We all totally enjoyed our stay. We got to see manatees, bald eagles, hawks, we caught fish! Great place for relaxation!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Wendi S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Spring Break 2025

As advertised! We enjoyed everything about our stay. Manatee visited us daily on the floating dock. The house was on a quiet road with 4 houses. The nature that surrounded us was amazing!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Janet W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing host~!

Host was so accommodating, answered fast and timely, really made our stay! It was a nice place, so thankful it had the amenities, it was close to everything as well! House was very nice and cozy!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robin H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent, short stay!

This home was perfect for our family of 5! Very clean, nicely decorated, and very comfortable. We LOVED using the kayaks and the canoe in the calm waters around their home. You will ot be disappointed staying here!!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Randolph H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great floor plan and location

We loved the openness of this property. It let us enjoy visiting and talking while giving privacy to those who needed it. The covered parking was very helpful especially during summer storms. We enjoyed our stay very much!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lea W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing

What a place!! So comfortable. Beautiful location. The town is just lovely. We loved every moment there!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Chris M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Magical Wildlife Location

Saw lots of manatees…and one juvenile hung out by the house dock for a day. Lots of great bird watching as well.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Patricia P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Homosassa retreat

Beautiful house on the river. Very spacious and clean. Nice dock with a canoe and kayaks. Quiet neighborhood yet close to everything.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cheryl S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

This lively place had everything!

From age 5 to age 68, we all had fun! Kayaking, manatees, fishing, and a large open homey place offered the perfect grt-together place. Convenient to stores and restaurants, it was a lovely place and area.
Stayed 12 nights in Feb 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

April K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

At peace with nature

Our stay was wonderful. Perfect space for 9 adults and 2 children. The outside was so peaceful and our two grandchildren looked forward to a kayak ride every evening.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Hollie A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay!

Such a beautiful home and property! A great coastal vibe to the home. Clean and well laid out. My family and I come to this area every year and this has been one of our favorite houses. We also loved kayaking the beautiful river on property!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Edward C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

great property

we had a magmificent time.The master suite and other bedrooms on the main floor worked great for the adults and the kids loved the loft.The place was very clean an well equiped.What a nice surprise seeing a mother and baby Manatee come right up to the dock.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jason H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great spot to see manatees

Our family enjoyed our time celebrating Thanksgiving together. We really enjoyed seeing all the cool fish and even manatees come up to the dock. The house was very close to stores and restaurants. Kitchen was big and had everything we needed to cook some great meals. Lots of fun. I really enjoyed the fire pit outside.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice hideaway

Had a real good time here. Place was really spacious. Everything here to cook great meals and kayaks and canoe were awesome. Only problem we had was couldnt figure how to get the light to come on until you were at bottom of stairs. Thank you for letting us stay. Wud highly recommend.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Laura O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

River Trip

Home is wonderful and clean plenty of room for my family and our dogs! Kayaks and canoe for use are an awesome bonus! We saw a family of manatees right off the dock. Very relaxing stay. The check in and out process were very simple. Owner does not leave you a huge list of chores to do before checkout which is a big bonus for me! I would recommend and will be back 😊
Stayed 6 nights in May 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tine N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect hideaway

It is the second time we stayed at this lovely home and it won’t be the last. It really feels more like a home than a rental with fluffy towels and soft comforters. We love being on the water and they provide good quality kayaks and paddles. The house is situated on a quiet canal and within a few minutes on the water you are surrounded by nature and, if you are lucky like we were, dozens of manatees. Our stay was perfect and we will come back next year!
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jay T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Incredible Place!

Our stay at this river house was absolutely amazing. The beds were comfy, and the air was nice and cold. The home had such a peaceful setting. We made many memories as a family kayaking and canoeing. We loved visiting the state parks and local springs. Grocery shopping and restaurants were all close by. The host was amazing. They were helpful and always available. We are blessed to travel often and experience many different properties, and this property is at the top of our list. We look forward to return!  
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jackie H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Homosassa hidden treasure

Everything about the house was perfect. It was in a very quiet area. It had everything we needed for an extended stay (30 days). We kayaked often and saw manatees every time except one time. The kayaks that were provided were nice too. The master bed was very comfortable and having the bathroom in the bedroom was very convenient. We loved our stay and are considering renting again in the future.
Stayed 28 nights in Feb 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sarah P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Vacation Spot!

This was a great place to stay, central to a ton of things. We were a large group (12 people) with young kids and had plenty of space in the house. The dock was a hit for fishing and kayaking/canoeing. Restaurants are close by, up to 15 min drive for some of them which provided nice views of the salt marshes. There are springs for swimming just up the road in Crystal River and beach access about 10 min away in the gulf. The kitchen was well stocked, plenty of towels and blankets for when we needed them, and a nice firepit outside for s'mores nights with the kids. Definitely hit up the Ellie Schiller park just a few miles down the road to see manatees and other local wildlife! This was an ideal HQ for our vacation and we would definitely stay again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tine N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect for a quiet retreat

We go to Homosassa every year and love the location on Halls River. We bring paddle boards but the kayaks were a big plus. We love that it has little boating traffic so nothing disturbs the wildlife and there were about 13 manatees right around the bend. It was the coldest weather we e er had up there which was great for watching manatees and there are always a couple hanging around the dock in case the weather is not inviting enough to venture outside. The house itself is beautifully decorated, more like a home than a rental property. And has everything and more than you could wish for. Even the instructions are written in such a friendly and welcoming tone that you feel right at home. Had the weather been better I think we would have missed outdoor seating/eating option but as it was I was happily watching manatees from inside! We already booked for next year!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Alexa W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A riverside retreat to remember for the ages!

We had an all-girls nature retreat at this amazing home and I can’t imagine having spent such a magical weekend anywhere else. The house comes with some kayaks and a canoe, which was so helpful. We had additional yaks dropped off by a local company called Sassa Style Rentals. We saw so many manatees on the water, enjoyed emu island, fishing, campfires, yoga by the river, and we experienced some incredible sunsets while exploring the marshes. The best surprise of all was the bioluminescence off the dock on our last night - it was truly a once in a lifetime experience watching glowing turtles and fish swimming through the dark waters. As for the space itself, there was enough indoor space for everyone to be comfortable and the outdoor space was plentiful and private. I can say without a doubt everyone will always cherish this special slice of paradise and the memories we shared here. Needless to say, I can’t recommend this place enough :)
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024