By Kellilynn Hann

Florida has more than 65,000 square miles of water and shorelines, so why not dive in and see the world from a different angle?

From freshwater springs to the crystal-clear waters of the Keys, here are some exciting underwater adventures for divers and non-divers.

Kid waving, Diving the USS Oriskany

 The Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail off the coast of Pensacola has 20 shipwrecks to explore, including the USS Oriskany, an aircraft carrier that was sunk to create the largest artificial reef in the world.
-Barry Shively

 

NORTH FLORIDA

Swim with Manatees

Florida is the only place in North America where you can swim with manatees. It’s legal to swim with them only in Citrus County, in the Crystal River and Homosassa area. They are federally protected and there are a lot of rules, so go with a guide. Tour operators include Plantation on Crystal River, Crystal River Watersports, River Ventures, and Fun2Dive.

Go Scalloping

Florida’s Gulf coast between New Port Richie and Port St. Joe is blessed with warm, shallow waters. This means sea grass, which means scallops-- and you can catch some for dinner. Legal to harvest from July to September, all you need is snorkel gear, a mesh bag, and a saltwater fishing license; if you go with a tour company, they’ll provide all that for you. Try Swift Fish Charters, Bird’s Underwater Dive Center, and Homosassa Scalloping Charters.

Snorkel in Natural Springs

Northern Florida is home to over 700 natural springs with crystal-clear water and tons of wildlife. You can bring your own snorkel gear or simply float face-down— the visibility is that good. The most popular for snorkeling north of Gainesville are Ichetuckne Sprigs, Ginnie Springs, and Gilchrist Blue Springs. South of Gainesville, try Manatee Sprrings, Three Sisters Springss, Rainbow Springs, Homosassa Springs, and Devil’s Den Spring, a spring in a cavern with light shining from above.

Explore Under the Waves

SNUBA®, a combination of snorkeling and scuba diving, lets you see more marine life than snorkeling alone. You breathe through a tube that has air piped in from the surface so you can go deeper without needing an air tank (or diving certification). Destin Snorkel has professionally guided SNUBA® tours for participants over eight years old.

Make Friends with Fish

If you’ve ever been to an aquarium and wished you could swim with the fish, here’s your chance. The St. Augustine Aquarium lets you join a marine biologist and snorkel right in their Florida Reef habitat where you’ll interact with cownose rays and hundreds of reef fish. They provide all the gear.

For certified divers…

Visit an Underwater Art Museum

A mile offshore of Grayton Beach State Park and 58 feet down is the Underwater Museum of Art. The sculptures are installed for the enjoyment of divers and the protection of marine life as they form an artificial reef. The sculptures change as the marine life grows, so it’s always a unique diving experience.

Go Cave Diving

Did you know Florida has some of the most extensive freshwater cave systems in the United States? Clear water at a constant 72 degrees makes for great diving all year long. The most popular are the Devil’s Cave System at Ginnie Springs with 30,000 feet of mapped passages, Morrison Springs County Park, and the Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park which is a draw because of its low flow. Advanced dives are Blue Grotto, Little River Springs, and Cow Springs (cave diver certification required).

Explore Shipwrecks, Sunken Planes and Natural Reefs

The Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail off the coast of Pensacola has 20 shipwrecks to explore, including the USS Oriskany, an aircraft carrier that was sunk to create the largest artificial reef in the world. Off the coast of St. Augustine, you can explore A-6 Intruder planes and sunken culverts teeming with marine life. There are dozens of natural and artificial reefs near Jacksonville and St. Augustine— TISIRI, a non-profit focused on artificial reefs, has an excellent map.

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Swim with Wild Sharks

Florida’s Atlantic coast has one of the highest concentration of sharks in the world, with more than a dozen species present. You can see them up-close in a cage or get right in the water with them! No diving experience is needed. Check out Florida Shark Diving or Shark Safari in Jupiter, or Shark Tours in Riviera Beach.

Walk Under Water

Want to see fish up close but you’re not into open-water snorkeling? Discovery Cove has a solution. With the SeaVenture experience you just slip on a wetsuit and dive helmet, step into the aquarium, and walk among schools of fish. A trainer will take you on a tour where you can touch and feed all sorts of marine life.

Go to Mermaid School

If you’re a guest at one of these resorts in Orlando you can attend the Mermaid Academy and Shark Finstitute. You and your kids can wear a mermaid tail or shark fin while an instructor teaches you how swim through hoops and look for treasure.

Fans of everything mermaid will also not want to miss Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. For over 70 years, they’ve been putting on a mermaid show that has achieved world-wide fame. They also have a Junior Mermaid Camp for kids and a Sirens of the Deep Mermaid Camp for adults.

For the Little Ones

Disney creates magic so, yes, little kids can have an underwater experience without getting wet! At Disney World go to Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid where you’ll ride through a tunnel full of wonderful animation and sculptures. At EPCOT, head to The Seas with Nemo and Friends for a similar magical experience.

Sea World has many below-the-surface viewing opportunities where you won’t get wet: interact with dolphins at Dolphin Cove, watch orcas and beluga whales, and travel beneath the sharks in the Shark Encounter tunnel. Truly breathtaking exhibits are the Manta Aquarium with its pop-up viewing domes and Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin where you will marvel at penguins diving full speed in a 58,000-gallon tank.

When you’re ready to refuel, take the little ones to an aquarium restaurant! There’s  Sharks Underwater Grill at SeaWorld, Coral Reef Restaurant at EPCOT, and RumFish Grill in St. Pete Beach.

For certified divers…

Explore Shipwrecks and Reefs

Both the Atlantic and Gulf sides of central Florida have excellent diving opportunities. On the Atlantic side, try Kyalami Charters; they have more than a dozen dive sites to choose from, including the Jupiter Wreck Trek. In Singer Island, Pura Vida will take you on a tour of natural and artificial reefs. On the Gulf side, you can hunt for Megalodon shark teeth with Calypso Divers; Florida Underwater Sports will take you to all the hot spots near Sarasota or put together a customized trip.

diver restoring coral underwater

If you’re going to be in Key Largo for at least three weeks, the Coral Reef Foundation offers voluntourism opportunities where divers can join scientists in planting coral, monitoring reef health, and removing harmful debris.
-Tim Grollimund

 

SOUTH FLORIDA

Go Snorkeling

South Florida is a snorkeler’s paradise-- in fact, it boasts the best snorkeling spots in the continental United States. Don’t miss Dry Tortugas National Park, where you can wander through the country’s largest all-masonry fort and swim in the warm, shallow water. The park is accessible only by ferry and is therefore blissfully uncrowded. Other popular snorkeling destinations are San Pedro Underwater Archeological Preserve State Park, Biscayne National Park, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and Bahia Honda State Park, which rents snorkel gear.

SNUBA® Natural Reefs

Get the benefits of diving without the equipment or certification; you don’t even need a wetsuit or helmet. Simply jump in the water, grab an air hose and start exploring. SNUBA Key West will take you by boat to a prime location; they provide all gear plus drinking water and restrooms.

Swim with Alligators

You’re under the water. So is a 10-foot alligator, literally inches away. Luckily, “Crocodile Chris” is also in the water with you, and you’re behind a hardly-visible-but-still-there mesh net. The Underwater Alligator Experience in Homestead Florida is the best way to view these amazing creatures up close without putting yourself in danger, so if you love gators (and you’re 18 or older), definitely add it this your bucket list.
 

For certified divers…

Sleep Under the Waves

The only underwater hotel in the United States and the only dive-in hotel in the world, Jules Undersea Lodge is a research laboratory that was converted into a two-bedroom guest house. The entrance is 21 feet down, and you enter through a pool in a wet room. There’s air conditioning, Internet, and your stay includes underwater pizza delivery. It really doesn’t get more awesome than that.

Get Married Underwater

If you want to get married with fish as your witnesses, south Florida is the place to go. For a wedding package that handles all the details, try Captain Slate’s Scuba Adventures or Sea Dwellers Dive Center. Another option is to have a destination wedding at a dive resort or on a boat, then have a scuba/snorkel reception. Amoray Dive Resort can put together a custom package for you and up to 60 guests.

Save Coral Reefs

Now you can do more than observe gorgeous coral reefs— you can help protect them. If you’re going to be in Key Largo for at least three weeks, the Coral Reef Foundation offers voluntourism opportunities where divers can join scientists in planting coral, monitoring reef health, and removing harmful debris.

Go to an Underwater Concert

The Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival held in early July, is exactly as weird and wonderful as it sounds. Costumed divers “play” artistic instruments to music broadcast through underwater speakers. (Think air guitar under water.) You can view the action by snorkeling, but diving provides the best experience. Special care is taken so performers don’t damage the coral reefs.

Explore Reefs and Wrecks

There are so many amazing diving sites in south Florida you’ll need a lifetime of vacations to see them all. If you like shipwrecks and artificial reefs, check out the nine ships on the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Shipwreck Trail, the Biscayne National Park Maritime Heritage Trail and the San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State Park, which features a Spanish treasure ship that sunk in 1733 and is surrounded by white sand, waving turtle grass, and marine life. Another fun dive is the Miami Wreck Trek, a string of artificial reefs that includes radio towers, a sonar dish, a tug boat, barges, planes, and other scrapped items.

To see natural reefs, head to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the country’s first underwater park with over 70 nautical square miles of protected waters. Other hot spots are the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Looe Key, and the much-visited Molasses Reef.

Overwhelmed by all the options and don’t know where to start? Try the Florida Keys Reef Explorer trail or take a guided trip with outfitters like Sea Dwellers Dive Center or Florida Keys Dive Center.