Good spot for family dives with beginner divers?

[kjp99]

Hi, my 11 year daughter and I will be getting our certification soon. My husband has been diving since 2001. We would like to take a family vacation over spring break where we can all go diving together. What are your suggestions for locations with 40' or less dives since my daughter will be restricted on depth? It would also be nice, but not required for the location to also have some deeper dives that my husband might do without us.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

There are going to be tons of places that would work for you, but I'd suggest considering someplace like Bonaire or Curacao. They're shore diving places with the reef just a few yards off the shore. You can stay on top of the reef with your daughter, or drop over the edge and do deeper dives on the wall.

 

[TSandM]

Where are you? That definitely affects what one might recommend!

If you're in the US, you're probably looking at the Caribbean, Florida, or Hawaii. There is some excellent shore diving on Maui that isn't deep at all, but does require managing a mild surf entry. You've already gotten some info about the Caribbean.

If you're in Europe, you're looking at other possibilities.

 

[uncfnp]

In the US, Florida Keys. Depending on the timing of your "spring break" and your water temperature tolerance. Lots of shallow and deep options. Good reefs, marine life and wrecks.

 

[mselenaous]

Key Largo where it is warm clear and most dives sites are 25-35ft deep. perfect for families with Jr divers.
There are many options here. If you would like some guidance sorting through those options, feel free to PM me.

 

[iluvtheocean]

my vote is Ft lauderdale area. plenty of shore dives -depth is 150-20 ft on average with charters close-by for the boats/wrecks - some of them are shallow enough for your daughter & others can get quite deep. plenty to do out of the water during spring break as well for all ages. and yes Key Largo is only a short hop down too

 

[fjpatrum]

I would second Ft Lauderdale. Bunch of good shallow shore dives that can be done on the cheap (and are worth doing whether they are cheap or not) plus, it's just a short drive to Blue Heron Bridge and that is worth diving hundreds and hundreds of times in and of itself. A little further still and you're diving at Jupiter, which is great for 70-95 foot dives.

Key Largo would also be high on my list to meet both the shallow and "deeper/more experienced" options.

 

[Doc Harry]

Bonaire. Shore diving at your leisure, as deep or as shallow as you desire.

The Florida Keys are very, very expensive. I find that it is cheaper to vacation somewhere outside of the USA, rather than go to the Keys.

 

[DLM]

I second Bonaire my wife and I are taking our 16 yr old granddaughter this spring break will be at Buddy's if you show would like to show you around and maybe do some diving if you like.

 

[drrich2]

Different people & circumstances differ, I suppose. I love Bonaire; I've had 7 1-week trips there. But flying out of Nashville, TN on Delta (I'm less trusting of some of the cheaper airlines, like Insel) tends to run around $1,000 - $1,100. Then there's the cost of the stay + diving + a tank of gas for the rental truck, and you either drive manual, or come up with another $150 (and arrange in advance) for an automatic transmission truck.

But Bonaire tends to have warm water & good weather all year. Dive Hut is a good budget option, but you don't have a house reef. A good house reef like at Buddy Dive can encourage you to get in more dives.

When I spent a week in Key Largo in late September this year, trip costs were around:

1.) $400 apiece + baggage charges, round trip, Nashville to Ft. Lauderdale.

2.) Rental SUV via Budget Car Rental - I don't recall what that cost. And there was a gadget we rented that collected the toll road fees so we didn't need to stop for them.

3.) $800 & some for a Courtyard Marriot room for me, wife, baby daughter & mother-in-law.

4.) $600 + tax and tips for a 10 boat trip package with Rainbow Reef Dive Center, that let me get 20 dives in 5 days for $640 something plus tips.

Overall, the Key Largo trip was cheaper than my Bonaire trips, for what we got, though traveling with 2 adults & a baby who weren't diving gave me a different situation than some would be in.

Cozumel is much loved for fairly cheap dive trips, but the depths are deeper than you may want.

Richard.


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