Things to do · Destination Guide
A city base with national-park shipwrecks and reef diving in every direction
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Miami is a flexible launch point for South Florida scuba: you can stay in the city, then fan out to reefs and wrecks in multiple directions. The closest flagship area is Biscayne National Park, where the boat-only Maritime Heritage Trail connects mapped shipwreck sites and nearby reefs. The park's official partner, the Biscayne National Park Institute, runs guided snorkeling and scuba eco-adventures that make logistics simple. Offshore from Miami, Neptune Memorial Reef adds a unique artificial-reef dive with long bottom time in the 10 m to 15 m range.
For bigger wrecks and classic reef scenery, day-trip to Key Largo (Upper Keys) for sites like Molasses Reef, the Christ of the Abyss statue, and major wrecks such as USS Spiegel Grove. Heading north opens Broward and Palm Beach drift diving, where current from the Florida Straits keeps reefs lively and makes live-boat pickups the norm.
A one-of-a-kind underwater memorial and artificial reef offshore from Miami, typically explored around 10 m to 15 m with lots of structure for wide-angle photos.
A Key Largo classic with spur-and-groove reef structure and lots of fish life, commonly dived in the 6 m to 18 m range.
Mandalay (Maritime Heritage Trail)
A shallow, snorkeler-friendly shipwreck on Biscayne National Park's boat-only Maritime Heritage Trail that also works as an easy first scuba dive in the park.
Alicia (Maritime Heritage Trail)
A deeper shipwreck site on the Maritime Heritage Trail that is best suited to scuba, often paired with another wreck or nearby reef on the same boat day.
A massive Keys wreck dive for experienced divers, with depth and scale that make it a bucket-list Florida descent and a strong candidate for nitrox and deep training.
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