Newbie with OW cert: Key Largo or USVI?

[freedc]

I am very excited to be getting certified next month. I have my gear and I want to wear it around the house.

I'm planning a vacation too to celebrate and take my first ocean dive (well, second, I did a discovery dive on the GBR).

Question is, where to go? I have strict criteria.

Diving criteria for the trip:
1) easy/shallow, because I am not a risk-taker
2) definitely want to see reef/marine life

Non-diving criteria (important):
1) in the U.S. or territories b/c my wife's passport might not be ready
2) a *very* clean hotel with nice amenities (spa, beautiful beach, nice pool) for the wife, who does not dive
3) easy to get to from the East Coast, because we only have five days at most including travel to/from
4) family friendly, meaning stuff to do topside for a 5 year old AND babysitting
5) good veg-friendly and kid-friendly food

I'm less worried about cost if I can make all those things work out.

After many long hours of researching Florida, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands, I am completely overwhelmed. Can anybody make suggestions? I'm currently waffling between Key Largo and St. Thomas, but I'm not thrilled about the accommodations. (When I read Trip Advisor reviews I start with the negative reviews). I don't know much about the diving in USVI, whether it's good for a beginner, but the resorts seem nicer there than KL.

Thanks so much for any advice you wise scubaboardians can offer.
Steve

 

[elan]

Cannot say anything about accommodations but we dove in KL right after the certification and have seen the reefs and nice marine life at no deeper than 40'

 

[diversteve]

Since you're not worried about cost, there's a Ritz Carlton on St. Thomas's East End. They have an on-site diveop and your kid is old enough to do their PADI snorkel program. Nice beach, spa's a given. I've been there but not stayed there.

Most of the diving in that area is shallower but still interesting. We dove some of the nearby cay's, didn't exceed 40' but saw turtles, rays, etc. Even a couple of smaller sharks as I recall. And if you want to try an easy shoredive, Coki Beach is close by, it's where all the cruise ship dives go so good for beginners. Downside is the East End is 1/2 hr. or so from Charlotte Amalie where all the shopping and most of the restaurants are. Although there's a couple in Red Hook that weren't bad. There's also a cable car ride that your family might like somewhere near downtown. There's a Marriott at Frenchman's Reef that is a lot closer to town. Never been there but I think they have a diveop onsite also.

And take the ferry over to St John one day, it's a nice quiet island with nice beaches. Not much to do there for kids or I'd suggest staying there also.

If your wife can work out the passport in time, what you've described is any number of resorts on Grand Cayman. Starting with the Marriott Grand, the Ritz or the Westin on Seven Mile Beach. Check about the beach though, some were damaged/washed away last year.

1st dives there often exceed 100' though so mention that you're looking for something shallower - or you'll be sitting on the boat the first dive. 2nd dives are almost always in the 40-60' range. Aquarium is a great dive off the west side.

A couple of the bigger diveops, Fosters and Red Sail handle some of the cruise trade so might have shallower trips. And there's several simple entry, shallow shore dives if you can find a buddy. (Eden Rock, Sunset House, Turtle Reef) I think Turtle Reef is one of the best shoredives I've ever done, it's a long vertical wall that's about 40-50' at the bottom. Working your way down the wall is interesting, there'll be Tarpon schooling in the shadows and it's an easy entry down a ladder and through a cove - 50' to the site. You'll need to try to find a buddy first as they're in a real quiet residential area, or talk to SunDivers on-site, maybe you can rent a DM for the day.

There's both a Butterfly farm and a Turtle farm/Water Park - Boatswains Beach - for kid friendly activities.

It will spoil you for just about anywhere else though, the only place I've dove that's better was Bonaire.

 

[lmorin]

If your wife needs a beautiful beach at the hotel, Key Largo is out. No such thing.

 

[Pre BC]

Freed:

I was married on St. Croix and honeymooned by visiting all of the US and British Virgin Islands.

Of the USVI, St. John's is the nicest and has the best hotels/family environment. The Caneel Bay is a Rosewood Hotel, extremely expensive but, wholly cow, what a setting!!! It is surrounded by national park and I can not imagine a more private or safe environment. The Westin Resort, is huge and activity wise would have everything your wife and child could want.

My second choice would be St. Croix. It has a few nice hotels and my personal favorite is the Buccaneer. The grounds are over 300 acres, it has several private beaches, an 18 hole golf course and the taxi into town (Christiansted) is about 10 minutes and $9 each way. The town isn't great, but there is plenty of shopping, a few great restraurants, a low crime rate in the commercial center and a very nice snorkel trip to Buck Island national marine preserve. The diving there is also very nice -- particularly at night!

St. Thomas is simply not a place I would take my kids unless they were under extremely close supervision at all times. It is a bit rough and tumble, suffers the same ailments that every other cruise port suffers from and -- by far -- has the highest crime rate in the USVI. The Ritz is exactly that, a Ritz. But, once off the hotel grounds, St. Thomas simply isn't great shakes.

If none of the above works for you (don't forget to figure in multiple airplanes and layovers each way) and if the hotels/shopping/activities in the Keys aren't up to snuff for your family, I would strongly consider Miami or Fort Lauderdale. Miami is "the better city" and Fort Lauderdale has the "better diving". They both have plentiful shopping, night life (who doesn't love South Beach) and non-diving activities. Miami has a virtual who's who of every upscale or trendy hotel and restaurant in the country. In contrast, Fort Lauderdale (consider it to be Miami's laid back little sister) only has a "W", Ritz Carlton, Hilton, the Bahia Mar and probably the nicest Marriott Courtyard (just a block south of the Los Olas bridge) that I have ever stayed at. Most people don't know that South Florida's barrier reef is the 3rd largest in the world and comes within a mile of shore in Fort Lauderdale. There are plentiful shallow reef dives and several divable wrecks in 50to 60 feet of water.

Once you choose where you are going to go, let us know. I have a funny feeling you will be able to get a few suggestions on dive operations in each area!

P

 

[freedc]

Freed:

Once you choose where you are going to go, let us know. I have a funny feeling you will be able to get a few suggestions on dive operations in each area!

P

St. Croix it is. We booked for a week in July at the Palms at Pelican Cove. So I'd love to hear some suggestions about diveops and dive sites. Can't wait. I have my pool dives this weekend and a couple weeks later the quarry dives, then Carribbean, here we come...

 

[martinwaller]

Thanks Scubaboard members... We are newbies as well and looking for good advice for our first dive trip. Hopefully to Florida and the Caribbean

martin and Justine

 

[Pro Dive USA]

Try SCUBA... St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures... They took great care of me and my family last time I was there... Great night dives...

 

[Pro Dive USA]

Martin and Justine:

We would love to host you here in Fort Lauderdale. PM (private message) us details of what you would like to do and we will do our best to set up a trip that shows you all South Florida has to offer!

 

[k ellis]

Well if the passports come in on time I would recommend Grand Cayman over any USVI. When I went diving there I was definately left speachless and most of the dives there were very newbie friendly. The resorts are awesome from what I saw (But I was on a cruise) and the beauty of Georgetown just cant be explained.

Key Largo did not impress me at all since I stayed in a town just north of it called Florida City. I stopped to talk to a local police officer there and told him where I was staying and he said "Your brave"

When actually in Key Largo it looked like its best years were last century and had no real beaches I could recall. The diving was ok but the clarity in comparison to Grand cayman was aweful. I know that this may have just been a bad day but also most of the dives outside of the state park are rated as advanced dives due to current being strong at times so thats another consideration.

But if you do decide on Key Largo Ocean Divers was a great company and have been featured in many magazines as well so they are a great company to go with.