Best diving in the Keys

[wvangel87]

Hey. So I am setting up a trip for our dive club at my university for spring break down @ the keys. I went to Key West last year and had a blast diving. This year I would like to go back down there, but have heard there is better diving around Marathon and Key Largo. We plan on staying at one of the KOA campgrounds down there. Some people would like to go to Key west on our free time for the beach or other spring break festivities. Any suggestions? I want to be able to mix great diving with some other fun things to do down there. Key Largo and Marathon if we stayed at the KOA on Fiesta key doesnt have much to do other than dive I have heard.

[CLEAR BLUE]

Great diving in Key Largo but then it is a 2 hour drive to Key West. Key Largo is pretty much all about diving.

[dkktsunami]

Reasonable prices and good crew at Amoray's, as well as good diving.

[scubacoots3]

Key Largo...if you don't dive or fish; no reason to go there.....but if you do dive or fish.....it is the best place in the keys IMO.

[DeputyDan]

Key Largo...if you don't dive or fish; no reason to go there.....but if you do dive or fish.....it is the best place in the keys IMO.

This is the bottom line in one sentence!

I agree completely.

IF you are going with a group you can create your own "excitement"!

[Busdiver]

Key Largo is a great place to dive but you will be bored at night. I like the bars but I am in my mid 30's. The diving between Marathon and Key West is excellent. Looe Key is about as good as it gets with out the crowds from Key Largo. Go south, enjoy the diving and the partying.

Or do a day or two of diving in Key Largo then head south. Mix it up and have fun.

[jimdiverman]

Key Largo is a great place to dive but you will be bored at night. I like the bars but I am in my mid 30's. The diving between Marathon and Key West is excellent. Looe Key is about as good as it gets with out the crowds from Key Largo. Go south, enjoy the diving and the partying.

Or do a day or two of diving in Key Largo then head south. Mix it up and have fun.

I dove with Innerspace down there a few years ago. There was a little hotel/bar right on the highway in Big Pine Key. It was acceptable (Its been a few years). We dove the Adolphus Busch and did the underwater music festival. I guess they still do that. I want to say it was early summer. Great shallow reef diving.

[wvangel87]

Hmm thanks everyone for the input. Marathon is about a 50 minute drive from sugarloaf key which isnt bad, but then again its 20 minutes from Fiesta key. So is Big Pine Key any good as far as the diving, its just one site right?

[lmorin]

Off Big Pine Key is the Looe Key marine park area. It is a beautiful dive site, but is quite shallow. Somewhat north of Looe Key and closer to Marathon is Sombrero Light. It is also part of the Marine Park and very nice. You could stay in Marathon where there are more accommodations than Big Pine Key. Then, you would be smack in the middle of the Keys, about 50 mi to Key West and 50 to the dive ops around mm 100 in Key Largo. When we dive Key Largo, we stay there. When diving Looe, Sombrero or the unprotected sites off Marathon, we stay in Marathon and do Key West as an off day, non-diving excursion.

[Walter]

Night life (drinking) and diving don't mix. Enjoy the diving in the Key Largo/Islamorada area and don't hit the sauce.

[Bratface]

You'll probably like the diving better in Key Largo. Take a day to go to Key West and enjoy the bar scene.

[wvangel87]

thats what im thinking, i mean we arent the huge drinking type and I know it doesnt mix with diving, however we still want to enjoy the other things down there other than diving

[Cajuncru Diver]

Key Largo / Islamorada hands down.....check out www.rainbowreef.com.....DJ and the folks there are really great and we use them often....reasonable rates and very good service.

[wvangel87]

If we went to key largo or marathon are there any public beaches? anything touristy around there?

[kidsdream]

Holiday Isle would provide you and you group lots of options. A huge Tiki Bar plus boat/Jetski rentals and some "eye candy" thrown in.

Restaurants at Holiday Isle Beach Resort in Islamorada, Florida Keys (http://www.holidayisle.com/rest-bars/tiki.html)


If we went to key largo or marathon are there any public beaches? anything touristy around there?

[wvangel87]

Thanks for the great info hopefully I can get all this worked out this week.
are there public beaches in the largo/marathon area?

[lmorin]

Look at the Florida State Park system. Many of the parks are really great. Look at the Keys Parks (http://www.floridastateparks.org/images/Default.cfm?Region=Southeast) particularly Bahia Honda State Park. It has nice beaches, snorkeling, and camping.

[SharonandDon]

Did some great diving in Key Largo in November with Cristal Clear Charters. Great boats, people, and dives. Not much around for night life though.

[Gary Knapp]

All the keys diving is good, Key west and north.......the further north you go the water is a little clearer i noticed. we have two videos on the keys one on key west and one on Key largo and the upper keys that features Marathon Key and Islamorada

[wvangel87]

We decided on Marathon since there is a little more to do there and great diving. Out of the few dive shops there which one would you all recommend