Dive site for a couple new divers this summer

[Cutter1470]

Greetings all! My 18 and 13 y/o kids have just expressed the desire to learn how to dive. We are getting their OW certs done in Michigan.
I'm looking for a place for a family vacation in August with some easy dive spots, beaches and maybe a go cart track for my non diving 16 y/o.
What would you suggest?
Many thanks.



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[sportxlh]

Try Lauderdale by the Sea. There is good beach and boat diving which Gold Coast Scuba or Force E dive shops can help with. I dove in nearby Pompano yesterday and had a very nice trip with South Florida Dive Headquarters.

There is also an indoor go cart track a few miles south off of I-95 (I think its the Dania Beach exit but I'm not sure). Several friends who have driven the cars say it is a blast. LBTS also has nice beaches.

Key Largo is also excellent for new divers but I don't recall a go-cart track.and the beaches aren't very nice.

 

[T.C.]

The Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm beach offers excellent diving, with shallow depths and lots to see, as well as a myriad of topside activities and beaches.

I second Key Largo; though it's a little thin on beaches and topside activities that I know of, the diving is superb, and probably what your new divers will be looking for. Many of the sites there allow snorkeling, which your son may enjoy...and decide to pick up diving, too

 

[bamafan]

Panama City Beach, Fl. has decent diving great beaches and amusement parks galore.

 

[iluvtheocean]

Try Lauderdale by the Sea. There is good beach and boat diving which Gold Coast Scuba or Force E dive shops can help with. I dove in nearby Pompano yesterday and had a very nice trip with South Florida Dive Headquarters.

There is also an indoor go cart track a few miles south off of I-95 (I think its the Dania Beach exit but I'm not sure). Several friends who have driven the cars say it is a blast. LBTS also has nice beaches.

Key Largo is also excellent for new divers but I don't recall a go-cart track.and the beaches aren't very nice.

There are 2 indoor Kart racing tracks that i'm aware of between Boca & Hollywood. the south one you are talking about is on Sterling Road just West of I-95.
the other one is on Powerline just north of Commercial Blvd. (so that one is closest to LBTS) --but they are under new mgmnt per website -- not sure if they are open right now. the one on Sterling is open.

LBTS & Gold Coast --- got the restaurants, the beach diving, and gold coast does book boat dives as well.

 

[Zaixon]

LBTS is your best bet def, and the go kart track off commercial is awesome I've been a few times. place is called xtreme indoor karting and they also have an arcade and mini golf there too.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

I love Key Largo, but for the combo of things that you also want (beaches, go-carts), LBTS is absolutely the best choice. There is a nice beach dive, very mellow 20-30 foot reef dives from boats, an excellent place to get certified, with small old style motels, and for non-diving family members, beautiful beaches, lots of good restaurants in walking distance if you stay right at LBTS, and the go-carts, also.

TC recommended Blue Heron Bridge. After the certification dives, that is a great, easy, beautiful beach dive, about an hour north from LBTS. It is also a good fallback if, for some reason the weather is windy, but usually August is the calmest time of year and you will get all the diving you want right off the beach at LBTS with no need to travel.

 

[LowVizWiz]

K1 speed is off of Sterling Road and I-95 (Divers Direct side) and Xtreem indoor is off of Commercial and I-95. They are very similar and have the really fast karts.
Boomers which is on the opposite side of Sterling Road & I-95 has your traditional go karts, roller coaster, arcade and more.

If you're staying for a week Ft. Lauderdale would be perfect, plenty of boats to dive from and lots of shore diving if that's your thing too.

 

[iluvtheocean]

K1 speed is off of Sterling Road and I-95 (Divers Direct side) and Xtreem indoor is off of Commercial and I-95. They are very similar and have the really fast karts.
Boomers which is on the opposite side of Sterling Road & I-95 has your traditional go karts, roller coaster, arcade and more.

If you're staying for a week Ft. Lauderdale would be perfect, plenty of boats to dive from and lots of shore diving if that's your thing too.

i thought the coaster was condemned at this point......and the outdoor go-kart at boomers not sure either... last time i drove by it, was pretty torn up.

 

[wspalding]

If you do the Lauderdale vacation and have a day where you want to dive but the rest of the family want to hang at the beach, you can always head a little north to Boynton and dive Boynton Ledge. That is one of my favorite spots to dive. It is a drift dive so, maybe not the best option for new OW divers, but the reefs there are pretty cool.