Florida’s State Parks are known for their eclectic mix of intriguing activities. What some people may not realize is that one of the activities offered within Florida’s State Parks is scuba diving. If a trip spent under the water scoping out fish, caves and shipwrecks sounds interesting to you, you may want to add these five parks to your itinerary:
1. Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park
The Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park is located on Peacock Springs Road east of Luraville. It is open daily from 8 a.m. until sunset and admission is $4 per vehicle. Out of all the Florida State Parks that offer scuba diving, this is one of the best for cave diving. There are over 30,000 underwater passageways to explore. Snorkeling is also permissible. Visitors should note that there is no camping available on site.
2. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is located near the junction of State Road 50 and Highway 19 in Spring Hill. It is open daily from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and admission is $13 per adult. Scuba diving excursions and snorkeling are available. One caveat though, in order to scuba dive in the park’s waters you’ll need to be accompanied by a dive instructor. Advance reservations are required for the scuba diving trips. There are no lodging accommodations on premise.
3. San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State Park
The San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State Park is located underwater south of Indian Key. You can only access it by boat or by scuba diving. That’s part of what makes it one of the best parks for divers. The other stand out feature is the submerged shipwreck from the 1700s that is open for exploration. The park is open daily from 8 a.m. until sundown and admission is gratis.
4. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is located north of Key Largo just off U.S. Highway 1. It opens daily at 8 a.m. and you may expect to pay $4 or more per vehicle to access the park. Camping and boating are also available for an additional fee. Scuba divers may enjoy a dive over 70 nautical square miles of coral reefs and sea bottom. Guided dive tours are available through the park. Prices for the tours tend to start at $55 per person. There are typically two tours each day. The first starts at 9 a.m. and the second usually kicks off at 1:30 p.m. Advance reservations are needed.
5. Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
The Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is located in Key West and opens daily at 8 a.m. You may expect to pay a $4 to $6 per vehicle fee in order to access the park. The park consists of a Civil War era fort that sits where the waters of the Atlantic converge with the warm waters of the Gulf. That convergence of major water bodies is what makes the scuba diving at this park unique. It allows you the chance to glimpse sea life indigenous to each body of water all in one spot.
Killeen Gonzalez enjoys water sports with her family and has traveled extensively.
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