Enjoy An Underwater Vacation With Key West Snorkeling And Scuba Diving
by Christine OKelly

While many people believe the current economy is a reason not to take a vacation, the truth is it's actually a great time to enjoy a vacation because of discounts on airfare, hotel rooms, and even tours and other activities. Instead of heading to your closest amusement park, you can explore a tropical paradise that's closer than you think.

Snorkeling Is Easy For Everyone

While scuba diving requires certification, snorkeling is a wonderful activity for anyone. In no time, you can be under the sea, experiencing the largest coral reef in the United States and the third largest coral reef in the world. Many snorkeling tours of the area include lessons and boat trips to more remote and interesting areas of the reef. Once you know the basics of snorkeling the reef, you'll see exploring the ocean can be as adventurous as you dreamed.

With several shipwrecks in shallow waters, you can even explore sunken ships when Key West snorkeling. In addition, you'll see plenty of dolphins and schools of thousands of brightly colored tropical fish as they dart quickly around you. You might even encounter the local 200- pound jewfish as it lumbers past you. By taking a tour that combines snorkeling and a sunset cruise, you can enjoy the ultimate experience below and above the water as you take in the sights of the coral reef before taking in the gorgeous sunset dipping below the water's surface.

Scuba Diving Is Amazing

You need scuba certification by law to scuba dive in the Florida Keys, but it's easy to obtain. Just contact a local dive center and sign up for a certification course. You'll begin the road to certification with classroom instruction before jumping into a swimming pool for underwater instruction. Once you're ready, you'll head to the ocean with an instructor for a final supervised ocean dive before earning your certification. You can even shorten the time of the certification course by getting the textbook in advance and completing the end of chapter tests before arriving on the island.

As you dive to the depths of the sea, the vivid coral reefs, shipwrecks, eagle rays, anemone, hermit crabs, spiny lobsters, stingrays, dolphins, and the incredible number of tropical fish will amaze you. You'll probably even meet a shark or two when scuba diving to the ocean floor.

This affordable vacation offers an underwater experience for everyone, regardless of certification or swimming skill. When you get back home, you can relive the experience anytime, especially if you snap pictures with an underwater camera. A Key West snorkeling and scuba diving vacation really is the vacation of lifetime.

About the Author

Christine O'Kelly writes for the experts at Key West Dive Center. They provide information on Key West snorkeling and much more.