Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food and Recipes
  • Culture and Lifestyle
  • Style
  • Holidays & Occasions
  • Home
  • Gardening Ideas
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      Here are the haircuts you'll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More
    • 50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      Not sure what to write in a thank you card? Here's how to show your gratitude with a handwritten note. Read More
  • Food and Recipes

    Food and Recipes

    See All Food and Recipes
    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    It’s not all in the senses, but they sure can help.
    • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner
    • Kitchen Assistant
    • Casserole
    • Holiday and Occasion Food
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Healthy and Light
    • Side Dishes
    • Party Food and Drink
    • Appetizers
    • Meat
    • Breakfast
    • BBQ
    • Drinks
    • What's Cooking
  • Culture and Lifestyle

    Culture and Lifestyle

    See All Culture and Lifestyle
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with these unique nicknames.
    • Quotes and Sayings
    • Biscuits and Jam Podcast
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Healthy Living
    • Coastal Living
  • Style

    Style

    See All Style
    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The beginning of a new year often has us all feeling like starting off fresh by taking on better habits, getting rid of old ones, and—most commonly—changing up our look. While others are hitting the squats and going into the salon for a pixie cut, why not start slow and steady with a cozy winter manicure in a color that feels new to you? It takes only a little courage to step outside your usual OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or Essie Bordeaux, which is all you need to kick 2022 off on a fanciful foot.  From new wintry takes on classic dark nail colors to unique pops of color that'll have you feeling the opposite of boring, these are the best nail colors to try this January and tick off all the way into spring. 
    • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Fashion
    • Short Hairstyles
    • Nails
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Skincare
    • Long Hairstyles
  • Holidays & Occasions

    Holidays & Occasions

    See All Holidays & Occasions
    • Thanksgiving
    • Gifts
    • Christmas
    • Mother's Day
    • Hanukkah
    • New Year's
    • Easter
    • Mardi Gras
    • 4th of July
    • Weddings
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    There's no denying how the pandemic fundamentally changed the world—including how we live (and work) inside our homes. An overall trend toward celebrating the history and originality of our homes is displacing ultramodern aesthetics and sharp lines as we all look to create cozier, colorful, more personalized spaces that better suit our lifestyles. We're turning away from big-box stores and toward vintage items—first, out of necessity due to supply-chain issues, and now, for design reasons—to add charm and character to every room in the house, including the kitchen. Here, interior designers from around the South share their predictions for what's trending in kitchen design for 2022 and beyond.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Kitchen Design
    • Before & After Photos
    • Bathroom Design
    • Curb Appeal
    • Bedroom Design
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Color Palettes & Paint
    • House Plans & Builders
    • Inspired Communities
  • Gardening Ideas

    Gardening Ideas

    See All Gardening Ideas
    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    Plus a few strategies for keeping them out-of-doors
    • Container Gardening
    • Gardening Flowers
    • Fruit, Vegetable & Herb Gardens
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Guides A-Z
    • Indoor Plants
    • Fall Plants
    • Landscaping Ideas
    • The Grumpy Gardener
  • News

    News

    See All News
    • Celebrities
    • Local News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Travel
  3. Florida
  4. 10 Best Beaches To Snorkel in Florida

10 Best Beaches To Snorkel in Florida

By Kevin Mims Updated June 29, 2020
Skip gallery slides
FB
Woman snorkeling near coral reef
Credit: Image Source/Getty Images

The Sunshine State is famous for its white sand beaches and year-round sunshine, but the life under the surface of the water is just as exciting.

Start Slideshow

1 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Snorkeling Hot Spots

Woman snorkeling near coral reef
Credit: Image Source/Getty Images

From the Emerald Coast to the turquoise waters of the Palm Beaches and beyond, Florida's more than 1,000 miles of coastline have some of the best snorkeling around. Whether you want to bask in soothing water, find sharks' teeth, or come face to face with tropical fish and stingrays, these are 10 of the best places to do it.

1 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Bathtub Reef Beach, Stuart

<p>Family-friendly and scenic, Bathtub Reef Beach is located at the northern tip of Hutchison Island in Martin County. The beach gets its name from the water's bathtub-calm conditions created by the reef system just off the shore. The reef hosts a variety of sea life, including endangered sea turtles.</p>

Family-friendly and scenic, Bathtub Reef Beach is located at the northern tip of Hutchison Island in Martin County. The beach gets its name from the water's bathtub-calm conditions created by the reef system just off the shore. The reef hosts a variety of sea life, including endangered sea turtles.

2 of 11

3 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Cannon Beach, Key Largo

<p>For lovers of Florida history and shipwrecks, Cannon Beach at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is a must-see. It's one of the most fun ways to view artifacts of centuries-old shipwrecks, which are submerged in Cannon Beach's calm and shallow waters. This is a popular spot for families to swim with small children.</p>
Credit: benedek/Getty Images

For lovers of Florida history and shipwrecks, Cannon Beach at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is a must-see. It's one of the most fun ways to view artifacts of centuries-old shipwrecks, which are submerged in Cannon Beach's calm and shallow waters. This is a popular spot for families to swim with small children.

3 of 11

Advertisement

4 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Phil Foster Park, Jupiter

<p>Wildlife abounds under the water's surface at Phil Foster Park in Palm Beach County, which has a snorkeling trail 200 feet off Phil Foster Beach that attracts underwater photographers, divers, and snorkelers alike. The trail spans two acres and is teeming with tropical fish and marine animals—more than 300 species have been observed there.</p>

Wildlife abounds under the water's surface at Phil Foster Park in Palm Beach County, which has a snorkeling trail 200 feet off Phil Foster Beach that attracts underwater photographers, divers, and snorkelers alike. The trail spans two acres and is teeming with tropical fish and marine animals—more than 300 species have been observed there.

4 of 11

5 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Red Reef Park, Boca Raton

<p>Situated off scenic A1A between South Beach Park and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Red Reef Beach boasts an artificial reef where snorkelers can see a variety of tropical fish upon entering the water. The reef is shallow, so plan to snorkel when the tide is high.</p>

Situated off scenic A1A between South Beach Park and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Red Reef Beach boasts an artificial reef where snorkelers can see a variety of tropical fish upon entering the water. The reef is shallow, so plan to snorkel when the tide is high.

5 of 11

6 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Venice Beach

<p>Venice, Florida is the "Shark Tooth Capital of the World," and the turquoise waters of Venice Beach are a paradise for shark-tooth hunters who can snorkel for those treasures along the shore. Lifeguards, free parking, food concessions, and other amenities make Venice an ideal spot to spend a day at the beach.</p>

Venice, Florida is the "Shark Tooth Capital of the World," and the turquoise waters of Venice Beach are a paradise for shark-tooth hunters who can snorkel for those treasures along the shore. Lifeguards, free parking, food concessions, and other amenities make Venice an ideal spot to spend a day at the beach.

6 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

St. Andrews State Park jetty, Panama City Beach

<p>Snorkel northwest Florida's St. Andrews State Park to see why the Panhandle is called the Emerald Coast. A rock jetty forms a lagoon protected from the Gulf of Mexico that's easy to snorkel and flanked by a white-sand beach—a perfect way for beginners and families with children to escape the heat.</p>

Snorkel northwest Florida's St. Andrews State Park to see why the Panhandle is called the Emerald Coast. A rock jetty forms a lagoon protected from the Gulf of Mexico that's easy to snorkel and flanked by a white-sand beach—a perfect way for beginners and families with children to escape the heat.

7 of 11

8 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Coral Cove Park, Tequesta

<p>Its rugged beauty and impressive rock formations make Coral Cove Park a popular beach destination in southeast Florida. On a calm day, you could mistake the waters off this beach for the Caribbean, with its clarity and countless species of marine animals, including rays, tropical fish, and seahorses.</p>
Credit: GabrielPevide/Getty Images

Its rugged beauty and impressive rock formations make Coral Cove Park a popular beach destination in southeast Florida. On a calm day, you could mistake the waters off this beach for the Caribbean, with its clarity and countless species of marine animals, including rays, tropical fish, and seahorses.

8 of 11

9 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Regina Sugar Barge, Anna Maria Island

<p>For more experienced snorkelers and divers, the Regina Sugar Barge wreck on Anna Maria Island has a lot to explore. The wreckage of the barge that sunk in 1940 spans a length of 200 feet, rests in 20 feet water, and is only 150 feet from the beach.</p>
Credit: Melanie Wynarski/EyeEm/Getty Images

For more experienced snorkelers and divers, the Regina Sugar Barge wreck on Anna Maria Island has a lot to explore. The wreckage of the barge that sunk in 1940 spans a length of 200 feet, rests in 20 feet water, and is only 150 feet from the beach.

9 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Peanut Island Park, Riviera Beach

<p>An island getaway and snorkeling trip in one: that's Peanut Island in Riviera Beach. There's no land access to the island, so a boat ride or water taxi is required. It's well worth the effort to see the clear, blue-green waters of this popular snorkeling and paddling spot and the tropical fish and other animals that inhabit them.</p>

An island getaway and snorkeling trip in one: that's Peanut Island in Riviera Beach. There's no land access to the island, so a boat ride or water taxi is required. It's well worth the effort to see the clear, blue-green waters of this popular snorkeling and paddling spot and the tropical fish and other animals that inhabit them.

10 of 11

11 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, Dania Beach

<p>Nurse sharks, spiny lobsters, and an array of tropical fish are just some of the specials snorkelers can spot at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach. The 2.5-mile stretch of beach offers easy snorkeling and diving from shore.</p>

Nurse sharks, spiny lobsters, and an array of tropical fish are just some of the specials snorkelers can spot at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach. The 2.5-mile stretch of beach offers easy snorkeling and diving from shore.

11 of 11

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Coastal Living Editors

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 11 Snorkeling Hot Spots
    2 of 11 Bathtub Reef Beach, Stuart
    3 of 11 Cannon Beach, Key Largo
    4 of 11 Phil Foster Park, Jupiter
    5 of 11 Red Reef Park, Boca Raton
    6 of 11 Venice Beach
    7 of 11 St. Andrews State Park jetty, Panama City Beach
    8 of 11 Coral Cove Park, Tequesta
    9 of 11 Regina Sugar Barge, Anna Maria Island
    10 of 11 Peanut Island Park, Riviera Beach
    11 of 11 Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, Dania Beach

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Southern Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Southern Living
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    MeredithSouthern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Southern Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    10 Best Beaches To Snorkel in Florida
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.