Florida vacation OW training destinations

[bradlw]

Know of any South Florida destinations for OW training.......Something sortof all inclusive (not price but location)?

Park the car, nice hotel, training dives in the hotel pool or right next door, checkout dives right there too.​

Nice hotel in a nice area where there are other non diving things to do for the part days and evenings.... vacation type destination....

I'm interested in taking my family on a "vacation with a purpose"...or call it an "adventure vacation"
where we have some shared experiences, learn a thing or two together, and open up possibilities for the family

The purpose is get my wife + 3 kids open water certified
I'll either audit the class or just take the class or incorporate a "Scuba Refresher" class with their class...depending on how the instructor would want to play it out. My desire is to go through the whole thing with my kids just watching not "helping" so I can see what they are taught, etc...

My wife doesn't want to spend "the whole vacation" in class or even doing 100% dive stuff (and that statement tells me she's not that interested, but still....shared experience and memories)

I'd look outside of FL or even international, but we've got some other big trips coming up so close and driveable makes sense to keep the time shorter and the cost down a bit.


I've just about settled that it makes the most sense to just take the training locally through a local shop. Prob Diver's Supply or maybe a different one.
Pool dives on a weekend and then spring dives a following weekend
but
I thought I'd throw it out here in case there's a location I haven't found.

 

[hehatemefrisbee]

Really not many all inclusive options that I'm aware of. If you end up in the keys I'd recommend rainbow reef

 

[bradlw]

I mean "all inclusive" in air quotes....
not all inclusive price for hotel and food and everything
and not necessarily on location...although that's a plus
next door sort of thing is ok.
Just looking for smooth and easy, not wasting a lot of time driving to and from, etc....

 

[quietlife4me]

This weekend I’ll be doing my OW checkout dives with Sea Dwellers and staying at the Courtyard Key Largo, that according to YouTube and Google Maps shares the same dock area. So I’ll be able to tell you if that’s an option next week. Wife isn’t a diver so doing the tourist stuff for 2 days after (Key West, etc)

 

[FishWatcher747]

I've just about settled that it makes the most sense to just take the training locally through a local shop. Prob Diver's Supply or maybe a different one.
Pool dives on a weekend and then spring dives a following weekend

This.

Getting certified is not the fun part of diving. Better to do it locally as your children and wife may take to it at different speeds (or not at all).

Then take a road trip to Key Largo to do fun 30 foot reef dives appropriate for beginners. Hit Blue Heron Bridge on the way down and back if slack tide aligns with your road trip.

 

[Damselfish]

Not wanting to spend a whole trip on dive stuff actually seems pretty common among new divers. The thought of going someplace and doing 4-5 (or even 2) dives a day every day seems like a lot, too much, and is not appealing - a few days of 2 dives a day spread over a week then do other stuff sounds more logical at first. Some people will continue to be happy with that, some will get hooked, and not always easy to predict. You don’t want to push someone, but you never know.

I can certainly get not wanting to send all of vacation in class, doing class and pool at home and referral dives someplace warm with pretty fish makes sense for many folks.

 

[mac66]

Since you're already in Florida how about a cruise? Cruises are pretty much all inclusive with food, activities, shows, food...did I mention food? Plus you're going from island to island/countries. And...you can do cruises for about the cost of a nice hotel per night. Yes you can spend a lot on a cruise but you can also do it fairly cheap without paying for all the extras.

Many cruise ships offer PADI dive training. You do the online stuff at home and then the confined water dives/skill testing in the pool on board. Usually in the morning. Then you do the OW dives on the various islands that you stop at.

I know the Oasis class ships on Royal Caribbean have dive training. I assume other cruise lines like Carnival do as well. Not only that a cruise is a nice vacation in itself. It would be nice to do it with family. Dive training on board is pretty much the same cost as on land when you figure the added costs of OW dives. Not counting the cost of the cruise of course.

I was looking to do my PADI training on RC back in 2018 but instead did my confined pool stuff at home (Nov '18) and my OW dives on a cruise through private dive shops. I did my first 2 OW dives in Curacao and then 2 in Aruba where I got certified in Feb 2019. I've since done 20 more dives on cruises.

Just was on an early Dec cruise back to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacoa where I dived on all three islands. Got another cruise in Feb* this year, going to and diving in Cozumel, Mahahaul/Costa Maya, Mex and Roatan.

*Cheapest times to cruise is between Thanksgiving and Christmas and then early January to about mid Feb.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @bradlw

Nothing like diving with your family, I have been diving with my son for 25 years and with my wife and daughter for 20 years. Here's the whole family in 2019, and my wife, me, daughter and her boyfriend last August:

I don't think you said when you intend on taking your family scuba vacation. Wind and sea conditions tend to be unpredictable in SE FL and the Keys in winter and early spring, dive days may be lost. Having the flexibility of a few extra days is desirable. Your plan for your wife and 3 children to do their didactic work with eLearning and confined water at home is a good one. The 4 OW checkout dives will take 2 days. Unless you plan on getting recertified and taking the entire course, I might reconsider being present at the OW checkout dives so as to not affect the experience.

I have not spent much time in Key Largo since buying a townhouse in SE FL in 2011. I would consider using Rainbow Reef. Their size might allow more flexibility for dealing with your family. Ater finishing OW, their guided, shallow reef dives would work out well. They have accommodation agreements with Courtyard Marriott, Holiday Inn, and Marina del Mar. There are many restaurants, including Sharkey's Pub and Galley Restaurant on the same canal, next door to one of the Rainbow Reef locations.

Best of luck with your adventure vacation. I hope to read all about it here.

 

[hehatemefrisbee]

Hi @bradlw

Nothing like diving with your family, I have been diving with my son for 25 years and with my wife and daughter for 20 years. Here's the whole family in 2019, and my wife, me, daughter and her boyfriend last August:
View attachment 763253 View attachment 763254

I don't think you said when you intend on taking your family scuba vacation. Wind and sea conditions tend to be unpredictable in SE FL and the Keys in winter and early spring, dive days may be lost. Having the flexibility of a few extra days is desirable. Your plan for your wife and 3 children to do their didactic work with eLearning and confined water at home is a good one. The 4 OW checkout dives will take 2 days. Unless you plan on getting recertified and taking the entire course, I might reconsider being present at the OW checkout dives so as to not affect the experience.

I have not spent much time in Key Largo since buying a townhouse in SE FL in 2011. I would consider using Rainbow Reef. Their size might allow more flexibility for dealing with your family. Ater finishing OW, their guided, shallow reef dives would work out well. They have accommodation agreements with Courtyard Marriott, Holiday Inn, and Marina del Mar. There are many restaurants, including Sharkey's Pub and Galley Restaurant on the same canal, next door to one of the Rainbow Reef locations.

Best of luck with your adventure vacation. I hope to read all about it here.

Nothing better than an ice cold beer steps from the boat! Love Sharkey's

 

[tursiops]

if slack tide aligns with your road trip.

Make that slack HIGH tide. You don't want to dive at slack LOW.....no viz.