Question Need help with improving my Itinerary - Miami/Destin Dive trip

[CosbySweater]

My recommendation would be to stay in Pompano or Ft. Lauderdale and use that as your base camp. From there, anywhere in SE Florida is an easy trip. You can go as far south as key largo or as far north as Jupiter in 90 minutes from Pompano/Ft. Lauderdale, as long as you don’t travel during rush hour. All the good diving is between key largo and Jupiter. Not to mention Pompano has some of the best wreck diving in North America.

Jump around and try it all and spend your vacation diving and not driving. If you can’t dive one day there is plenty to do in the Pompano/Ft. Lauderdale area. Or you can check out Everglades and/or Biscayne National Parks. Plus, FLL airport is right there. There’s really no reason to go to the panhandle.

 

[RyanT]

There’s really no reason to go to the panhandle.

I love the panhandle...but, as other folks have suggested, you'd be better off staying in S. Florida for diving this time of year.

 

[chrisjur]

In the Miami area, I highly recommend Diver's Paradise in Key Biscayne. Great dive trips. Diver's Paradise

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+1 for Divers Paradise.

They are among the best and most professional in the area.

 

[chrisjur]

My recommendation would be to stay in Pompano or Ft. Lauderdale and use that as your base camp. From there, anywhere in SE Florida is an easy trip. You can go as far south as key largo or as far north as Jupiter in 90 minutes from Pompano/Ft. Lauderdale, as long as you don’t travel during rush hour. All the good diving is between key largo and Jupiter. Not to mention Pompano has some of the best wreck diving in North America.

Jump around and try it all and spend your vacation diving and not driving. If you can’t dive one day there is plenty to do in the Pompano/Ft. Lauderdale area. Or you can check out Everglades and/or Biscayne National Parks. Plus, FLL airport is right there. There’s really no reason to go to the panhandle.

This here is the right answer and what I usually recommend to people coming down here to visit.

From a Fort Lauderdale-area base, you have tremendous access to an extremely wide variety of diving within 90 minutes in either direction.

South Florida waters will be warm and comfortable. There is absolutely NO reason to go up to the panhandle. You’ll blow two days traveling for cold water and diving that isn’t as good.

Lastly, it may be an unpopular opinion with some, but I recommend skipping Blue Heron Bridge. If you’re trying to do it on your own and have never done it before, there are all sorts of logistical challenges from getting your tanks, to parking, to timing the tides, etc. If tides or visibility are bad, you’ve wasted your day. There are SO MANY good charter operators from the Keys to Jupiter, it’s best to let the pros do the hard work and guide you to the best spots. There’s plenty of great sea life to be seen in the South Florida oceans.

And for your Spiegel Grove/Duane trips, I recommend Horizon Divers in Key Largo. For Diving out of Miami, Divers Paradise in Key Biscayne.

 

[pro_man]

I'm curious being in California, how you settled on South Florida Dive Headquarters for your wreck diving instruction?

I'll be visiting Florida in December. So, I decided to get a few dives done in the warm waters of Florida. I reached out to the dive centers and SFDH was among few who were willing to offer courses at that time.

 

[pro_man]

Thank you all for your inputs! Driving to the panhandle florida doesn't seem like a good idea anymore. I'll continue with the wreck diving course with SFDH on 23/24, for which I will be staying in the Pompano beach area. I'll keep rest of the trip open, but I have lots of recommendations from you all to decide things on the fly. When I want to take a break from the dives I will visit the everglades park or Biscayne National Parks. I'll be flying back from Miami so will be spending all of the time in south florida.

I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[CosbySweater]

Thank you all for your inputs! Driving to the panhandle florida doesn't seem like a good idea anymore. I'll continue with the wreck diving course with SFDH on 23/24, for which I will be staying in the Pompano beach area. I'll keep rest of the trip open, but I have lots of recommendations from you all to decide things on the fly. When I want to take a break from the dives I will visit the everglades park or Biscayne National Parks. I'll be flying back from Miami so will be spending all of the time in south florida.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Let this group know if you want suggestions on operators to dive with or dive sites to request. There are lots of folks on here who dive SE Florida year round and can provide some great recommendations.

 

[MrChen]

Lastly, it may be an unpopular opinion with some, but I recommend skipping Blue Heron Bridge. If you’re trying to do it on your own and have never done it before, there are all sorts of logistical challenges from getting your tanks, to parking, to timing the tides, etc. If tides or visibility are bad, you’ve wasted your day. There are SO MANY good charter operators from the Keys to Jupiter, it’s best to let the pros do the hard work and guide you to the best spots. There’s plenty of great sea life to be seen in the South Florida oceans.

Sometimes BHB is your only option if charters aren't going out. Plus, many of us love the bridge. You are right though, if you've never been, then hire a guide. Send a DM to @Scuba_Jenny, she's a pain one of the best.

 

[FishWatcher747]

You don't travel from California to Florida to dive BHB. I flew to Miami 3 years ago to dive Key Largo for 8 days. The first 4 days went fine then wind and waves blew out the diving in Key Largo for the rest of the trip. I bailed out of the Hotel in Key Largo and got a hotel near BHB and got 2 days of diving to finish the trip. My mood went from depressed over getting blown out in Key Largo to BHB saved my dive trip.

Edit: You don't need a guide.

 

[MrChen]

You don't travel from California to Florida to dive BHB. I flew to Miami 3 years ago to dive Key Largo for 8 days. The first 4 days went fine then wind and waves blew out the diving in Key Largo for the rest of the trip. I bailed out of the Hotel in Key Largo and got a hotel near BHB and got 2 days of diving to finish the trip. My mood went from depressed over getting blown out in Key Largo to BHB saved my dive trip.

Edit: You don't need a guide.

I guess that depends on what you enjoy doing underwater. If you are passionate about macro photography, then I know people who have traveled from other countries only to dive BHB. I also know people who used to travel here for BHB and moved here because they love the site so much.

I have a couple hundred dives at BHB and look forward to every dive at the site, especially the night dives during the week (after work). On weekends, I tend to look for open water boat trips because it allows me to mix up what I'm doing, but if conditions are bad, I will happily show up at BHB.