anything in Key Largo for non-divers?

[flyingsherpa]

Good news: I'm planning my first scuba vacation for sometime in the next month or so!

Bad news: My friend and his wife, who were supposed to come with me, just found out they are expecting. Actually this is great news, just not good for scuba diving.

So we need to find a good place where there is other stuff to do so we can all do some stuff together (she has graciously informed us that we may ditch her for a day or two to do some intensive diving... if i ever get married i hope my wife is as cool).

We found cheap tix to miami so we're thinking key largo would be good. Anyone know what else there is to do there when not diving?

We don't like shopping, gambling etc. we're more into hiking, camping, snorkeling, biking etc. Any tips please?

chris

 

[raxafarian]

well... don't think there's much hiking or biking... but she could definitely snorkel while you dive... you're gonna be on a dive boat 'cause there's not any shore diving, and the boat we went out with took a couple of snorkelers on some of our dives. If a 2 tank dive is 55 bucks, i'm guessing a snorkeler would be around 30.

 

[raxafarian]

why the sigh about CT? Plenty of diving around here... nothing to sigh about

 

[flyingsherpa]

raxafarian,

thanks for the info... i'm sure she'd love to snorkel, but she might not like it if she was the only one. maybe we'll take a few dedicated snorkel trips so we can all be together. is there any shore snorkeling thats worthwhile?

as for the (sigh) regarding CT... i just moved here a year ago and haven't had such a great time (I miss michigan!). but i did get certified here a few months ago, so that is a plus...

is there really good diving in CT for a newbie? my instructor kept taking us jamestown, RI and i just sick of driving that far for only 5 ft viz and freezing my @#$ off. maybe i'm a WWW
i know there's some wrecks and even a submarine, but my 4 dives experience means i'm no where near ready for that. i'd love to do some local stuff though.

chris

 

[raxafarian]

I consider anything under 2 - 2 1/2 hrs local... 1 hr to newport, ri. 2 hrs to cape ann. Lots of good diving at both places. Haven't dove off CT yet... but there are some sites. Get some diving in.... take the AOW class... then you can get some decent charters to some off-shore wrecks... vis is probably a little better at most of them than at ft. wetherill. Even vis at wetherill is better if you go out further (or dive the left cove)... don't go sat. / sun. mornings... tons of classes stir everything up.

 

[blawler1]

Pennekamp State Park has all kinds of activities including beaches, snorkeling and nature walks which are petty cool because they take you through the mangroves on raised wooden walkways. I believe they have kayaking as well. Its good for a whole day of fun stuff.

 

[richard1572]

On the bay side you’ve got jet skiing, parasailing, Hobie Cat rental and kayaking. On the ocean side you’ve got great snorkeling. There is a glass bottom boat also. Just don't expect to find much nightlife. Don't forget about fishing. Great sunsets and food at the Sundowner.

 

[DaveO]

I just got back from Key Largo on a dive trip, and have been down to visit as a non-diver a number of times. Pennekamp Park is a great venue for snorkeling. Glass bottom boat rides always struck me as a little-old-lady way to spend an afternoon: until I took one! The trip was narrated by an oceanography student from Florida U or U Miami, so they were able to speak knowledgably about all the fish and coral we saw.

How about a combined you dive /she snorkels trip? Check out BlueWater Divers at mm 100 in Key Largo, right at the Holiday Inn. They are a new dive operator, and they really cater to the needs of their divers (and snorkelers). They can bring you to a shallow reef dive you'll all be able to enjoy.

During the winter, Everglades Nat'l Park is a *great* visit (my favorite is Anhinga Trail), but summer is the wet season, and the animals tend to disperse so they aren't usually viewable.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[raviepoo]

Key Largo is a stone's throw from the Everglades. You can drive up there and heck out the reserve. Last March I went to an alligator farm on the oustkirts of the park that was pretty cool.

There are all sorts of water activities in the upper keys that don't require compressed air. Consider a sunset snorkelling cruise or an "eco-tour" boat ride through the everglades. There's kayaking, biking, hiking, and the best sunsets in the Eastern part of the U.S.

If you get bored and need a different type of diversion, Key West is only a few hours drive south. It's a non-stop party. The streets are full of buskers and vendors and crafts people. The drive is pretty nice too, if you don't get stuck in traffic.

 

[scubabear]

Cris,

Most of the previous suggestions are right on, I would be carefull about eco-tours or hikes in the Glades this time of year.
With all the rain we've had this summer the mosquitos can be a problem. While bug sprays can help, I don't think any preg, women should slather that junk on. We run down the keys often,
sometimes to dive others to snorkel and sometime just for a change of scenery. It's all good, so enjoy.


John