Need help planning a trip to Florida for next year.

[cmreagin1]

I have a ton of dive experience but just getting back to it after a 5 year hiatus. My wife has her cert dives. Afterwards we had our daughter and that kept us out of the water. I am going to get us a refresher course then start doing some nice easy spring dives to get her skills and confidence up to par. Next summer in August we will head to a beach vacation with her family. I want to get some diving in while there so I am trying to find some easier places to go. Any recommendations? Thinking the east coast somewhere from St. Augustine and maybe as far south as Jupiter. We need a place with a good beach and plenty of decent restraunt
choices for her family. Fairly easy diving for her. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

 

[boulderjohn]

I moved this to the Florida forum to increase the likelihood of useful responses.

 

[100days-a-year]

Diving in NE FL is mostly 80' or deeper ,8 to 10 miles or more offshore.

Vis can be epic or 3' like most of the East coast that time of year depending on thermoclines and discharges from Lake O.

There are numerous threads with links you can search in this forum for dives ops.

The beaches up north are far better,less crowded and food is pretty diverse and good locally.

S. Florida is easier but crowded,vis likely better and temps warmer.And far more ops to chose from.

 

[sportxlh]

Really good diving starts in Jupiter and then goes south. Dive sites are pretty close to shore, vis is usually good and summer temps are comfortable. Lauderdale by the Sea might be a good spot since there are shallow sites there and in nearby Pompano. That might be good for your newly certified wife.

LBTS is pretty laid back compared to a lot of South Florida and the beaches are decent, though not as nice as up north beaches in St Augustine or Cocoa Beach.

Keys has really nice diving but no real beaches to speak of.