Miami's Best Scuba Diving
- February 26, 2025
Greater Miami & Miami Beach is situated above the uppermost stretch of the Florida Straits, the third largest barrier reef in the world, which extends south along the Florida Keys. That means Miami’s waters are home to abundant coral shelves and patch reefs as well as wreck dives and artificial reefs ripe for underwater exploration. When it comes to scuba diving in Miami, we’ve got you covered with our guide to dive lessons, operators and the exciting reefs and underwater discoveries waiting for you.
Get Scuba Certified
In order to scuba dive, you have to be certified by an organization, like PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) or NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors). Whether you’re a seasoned diver or looking to discover a new pastime while visiting Miami, there are plenty of dive boats, dive shops and certification courses to choose from. When visiting shallow water reefs (20-to-40-foot depths or so), it’s also possible to snorkel or free dive.
Tarpoon Lagoon Dive Center has been in business since 1952. Situated in the Miami Beach Marina in South Beach, it’s a dive gear shop that also offers daily excursions and training sessions.
Located in Crandon Park on Key Biscayne, Diver’s Paradise is a longstanding dive shop that offers a variety of certification courses and daily dive and snorkel excursions to nearby reefs and wrecks.
Grove Scuba in Coconut Grove offers beginner to advanced PADI certification courses and also arranges daily dive trips to reefs and wrecks.
Miami’s Natural & Artificial Reefs & Wreck Dives
Emerald Reef
What you’ll see: One mile east of Key Biscayne, Emerald Reef is a shallow patch reef made up of elkhorn, pillar and a variety of sponge coral that supports colorful tropical fish, like damselfish, angelfish and snapper.
Type: Natural coral reef
Depth: 25 feet
Level: Novice
How To Visit: The Advantaged Yacht Charters, South Beach Party Boats, Diver's Paradise
Neptune Memorial Reef
What you’ll see: The Neptune Memorial Reef is an underwater mausoleum resembling the lost city of Atlantis. One of the largest manmade reefs ever created, it’s a unique and dynamic dive spot.
Type: Artificial reef
Depth: 45 feet
Level: Novice
How To Visit: Diver’s Paradise, Tarpoon Lagoon
Half Moon Shipwreck
What you’ll see: In 1930, a 154-foot sailing yacht sank northwest of the Bear Cut Channel off Key Biscayne. Today, the Half Moon Shipwreck is an Underwater Archaeological Preserve within Biscayne National Park that’s teeming with tropical fish and coral.
Type: Wreck site
Depth: 10 feet
Level: Novice
How To Visit: Miami Eco Adventures, The Advantaged Yacht Charters
Sheri-Lynn
What you’ll see: The 235-foot Dutch freighter Sheri-Lynn, built in 1952, is now spread across the ocean floor about three miles off of Key Biscayne along with 50 Chevron tanks and 20 cement mixer tanks. With plenty of bulkheads to explore, the artificial reef created by this wreck attracts pelagic species, like sharks, sea turtles, grouper and mahi-mahi.
Type: Wreck site & artificial reef
Depth: 90 feet
Level: Advanced
How To Visit: Diver's Paradise, Squalo Divers
DEMA Trader
What you’ll see: Lying keel down in the sand, the 165-foot DEMA Trader freighter (formerly known as the GGD Trader) was seized by U.S. Customs and sunk in December 2003 to create an artificial reef for recreational dives. Swimming through large openings cut into the hull, divers can safely explore the galley and cabin areas alongside creatures of the sea.
Type: Wreck site & artificial reef
Depth: 80 feet
Level: Intermediate
How To Visit: Diver's Paradise, Squalo Divers
The ReefLine: Launching Summer 2025
At the nexus of art and science, The ReefLine takes a novel approach to underwater ecology and conservation. Due to launch its first phase in the summer of 2025, The ReefLine will be a seven-mile-long underwater sculpture park, snorkel trail and artificial reef off of Miami Beach starting at 4th Street. Located just 600 feet offshore, it’s designed to be accessible from the beach. The ReefLine will feature artificial reef sculptures designed by artists including Leandro Erlich, Petroc Sesti and Miami-based Carlos Betancourt.
Type: Artificial reef
Depth: 20 feet
Level: Novice
How To Visit: You can simply swim out from the shore to see and interact with the submerged sculptures that line the trail.
Ready to dive into more excitement? Explore windsurfing, paddleboarding, fishing, kayaking and other water sports in Miami.