Timing is horrible
Eh... Gulf Shores has an easily accessible wreck dive from the beach, its small, but at this time of the year it usually has lots of life on it. Current conditions are unknown since Ivan - I'm hoping to get access to the beach this weekend... Check the tides, you may be able to hit the jeddies at Perdido Pass(Orange Beach, AL). Couple of local dive shops to pick from if you need anything. Underwater Works in Daphne, AL is the shop I usually use in the area. If not them, I'd definately go with Down Under(but they are closed at the moment - the place got gutted by Ivan). When I charter, I go through UWWorks and try to hit some of the 20+mile spots like the Liberty ships, tanks, tugs, or maybe one of the few airplanes.
Follow Gulf Beach Hwy(182) from Gulf Shores into Perdido Key, FL and you'll pass right by Johnson Beach State Park. You can tent camp on the beach, its primitive. Costs less than $10 and they give you a pass good for 7 days that will also give you access to Ft. Pickens, maybe St. Andrews too? Not sure on Johnson Beach's condition since Ivan.
You can dive the jeddies at Ft. Pickens. Entry to the park is less than $10, if you paid entry at Johnson, you don't need to pay again. Ft. Pickens has an organized camp site with power and water, neat little lot designated campsites stacked up next to each other... no fun, costs like $25 a night too - from what I remember. Check the tides before diving the jeddies here too. The road to the camping and diving area has been washed away by Ivan, they will start repairs next month. I'm tellin ya, timing is horrid! I usually use DivePros or MBT Divers if I need a fill in the area.
Vortex Springs, extremely clear before OW classes get started, clearish enough the rest of the time. The allow camping, not sure of prices. Diving cost is $25 and they have a full dive shop on site.
www.vortexspring.com Vortex is like 5 miles North of I-10 when you get off at Exit 96. Nice basin, lots of fish, few turtles, man-made training caves, a little cavern, and a cave.
Morrison Springs is off of Exit 96 too, just go South ~5miles from I-10, instead of North, and follow the signs. Its supposed to be more natural than Vortex, not a buncha man-made stuff in the basin. There is a cavern and cave with the normal fish apparently - I haven't dove it yet. I went to the site for the first time this past weekend and its still flooded out from Ivan. Probably settled by the 12th though. Free entry
Destin Jeddies, check the tides. Usually has pretty good visibility as far as Gulf of Mex beach diving goes. Lots of fish and the water is warm. 2 great local shops in the area to get whatever you need. I've used ScubaTechs charters and had a lotta fun, all the sites I've been to were in the 5mile range and included bridge rubble, a few tugs, and a few barges... I'm positive there is better, further and deeper out.
St. Andrews in Panama City, FL allows camping and diving. I'm not sure, but I believe your St Park pass that you get from Johnson Beach or Ft. Pickens will probably get you into St. Andrews as well - but I'm not 100% on that. Its another jeddie dive so check the tides.
Further than that, check jviehe's website
http://northfloridadiver.net/ for some good sites. I haven't gone any further east than what I described.
Several cave systems in the Gainsville area, I know that much. I'll be out there in late Oct trying to extend my horrizons a bit
