Your favorite dive spots in Florida?

[AcornMan]

I'm kicking around the idea of working some diving into our family's spring break trip to Florida next year. I realize it's not the best diving in the world, but it would still be fun for us. So, what are your favorite places to dive there? Proximity to good beaches would be nice. TIA.

 

[TMHeimer]

Best bet is checkout the Florida sub forum under US. Or Deep Dixie Divers under US, SE U.S. if you are thinking of the Panhandle. What area are you looking at?

 

[nolatom]

I wouldn't know about "best in the world", but it's some of the best in the US.

Many threads about this, some very recent, such as this one:
Hi All! Moving to Orlando/Daytona in June!

Southeast coast drift diving is nice--West Palm, Jupiter
Panhandle also pretty good, but cold in winter--Destin, Pensacola

 

[DiverDean59]

I'd also like to give a shout out to the West Palm area.

 

[The Chairman]

I realize it's not the best diving in the world, but it would still be fun for us.

This astounds me. I've been diving in many spots throughout the world, and I have to disagree.
Here are some world class dive spots in Florida... and why:

• Springs & Caves
  • The non-stingy water
    • Florida State Parks Search by Features | Florida State Parks
  • Won't need additional cert if you stay out of cave
  • Fossils
  • Awesome fish
  • Gators!
  • Manatees
  • Geology, geology, geology
• Blue Heron Bridge
  • World class muck diving
  • Shore dive
  • You never know what you'll see.
    • Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III
  • Close to reef diving (West Palm Beach area)
• Venice Beach
  • Shark tooth capitol of the world!
  • Tons of other fossil teeth (Mammoth, Mastodon, Sabre Tooth Tiger, and more)
    • Venice Beach shark tooth / fossil dive
• The Florida Keys
  • Key Largo
    • Snapper Ledges
    • Speigel Grove
    • Bewood
    • Molasses Reef
    • Lots more stunning reefs!
  • Looe Key
    • Stunning reefs
  • Lower Keys & Key West
    • The Vandenberg
    • The Dry Tortugas & Fort Jefferson
    • Sunset on Mallory Square
    • Downtown Key West

I'll add to this list as I remember things.

 

[MikeT73]

Yea make sure you hit a spring or two if you've never been. Best freshwater rinse around. Just stay outta the caves!

EDIT: Pete beat me to it. Great list!

 

[Satrekker]

West Palm has some very nice drift diving, and I'd add the Duane to Key Largo, but it's at ~100' and with current, so it may be more of an advanced dive. Still, it's very nice.

 

[iamrushman]

whoops...the chairman gave away all the secrets....(big smile).

 

[scubadada]

The drift diving in SE FL is phenomenal. I'm partial to Boynton Beach and also go out of West Palm and Jupiter. Nice beaches too

 

[PatW]

Yeah, the chairman put up a fine post. He forgot to include some fine east coast dives.

Jupiter the northern bound of the east coast diving in south Florida. It is known for the Jupiter high ledge which is a reef at 80'. The ledge gets current from the Gulf Stream. Large creatures are common there: sharks, turtles, and Goliath grouper. The is a popular dive to "the hole in the wall". It is a swim through at 145' and is a tech dive. Recreational divers can do this after a training session. Jupiter is drift diving.

West Palm is just south of Jupiter. It is drift diving and about 60'.

South of that is Pompano which has a variety of wreck and reef diving. You can see nice populations of soft corals at Pompano.

Fort Lauderdale has diving but I have never done it. I live in Orlando. It is just as easy to go down to Key Largo. Key Largo has nice hard corals, soft corals and good fish populations.