Good dive shops in Ft. Lauderdale and/or Miami?

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Fuelie95

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Seattle, WA
We're a couple of families that recent got certified. We're leaving on a cruise for the Southern Caribbean next week and need to pick up a few scuba items for the kids/parents. Since we'll be in Ft. Lauderdale/Miami before departure, can you recommend any good shops to visit? Thanks in advance!
 
If you are in the Ft Lauderdale area, Divers Direct has an outlet next to the Bass Pro Shops in Dania Beach. It's about 5 miles from the port. Get there between 4-7 pm and the Marlin Bar in the Islamorada Fish Company has great food/drink happy hour prices. It's a restaurant bar, kids are welcome.
 
I avoid Underwater Unlimited like the plague. But, they treated me like total crap, so I'm biased.

Divers direct has never treated me badly, has bigger stock at lower prices, multiple stores and a web presence, so they'd get my vote even if they weren't conveniently by a great restaurant and a bass
Pro shop...
 
Try Gold Coast Scuba on Commercial in Lauderdale by the Sea. Not a big shop, but well stocked, decent prices, and great staff. For lunch, try Corelli's across the street...two truly monster pizza slices and a drink for five bucks.

Or go a couple blocks down to Arubas and drink and dine on the beach.
 
The Divers Direct store mentioned above has just about everything - it's their flagship store. Also it's close to the FLL airport (4 miles) assuming you're flying in. You can see it and the Bass Pro shop from I-95. We spent a couple hours there waiting for a flight out.
 
You're in Seattle - probably easier to get your stuff up there and just bring it all down with you. You don't say if you're leaving from Port Everglades of Miami - huge difference - kinda like living in Tacoma and leaving from either Portland or Everett. (The geography is somewhat hyperbolic so the cartographers can keep their panties unwadded.)
Also, since you're on a cruise, why bother with any gear - every port you might dive out of will have anything that you need. You're new at this - buying the right gear once is a LOT cheaper than buying stuff now and discovering that you bought the wrong stuff and having to replace it. Well, unless you're Paul Allen, but then you're going to be the only people on the cruise ship.
 
DIVERS DIRECT SPECIAL...

Check out their website. They are seling $100 gift cards for $80 each. The only catch is that they cannot be used until after 12/25 (may be too late for you). I bought one for myself to be used on a Keys trip right after Christmas. :D

Steve
 
Thanks all for the advice! Thought the FL shops might have a better selection for dive skins, etc. and since we have some time to kill, we could try on the stuff in the store. We'll be leaving from Ft. Lauderdale so also would appreciate your recommendations for good local restaurant...

Thanks again!
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

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