Best place or tour for snorkeling in Key West, Fl?

[10" Red Devil]

What is the best, cheapest tour to go Snorkeling in Key West, Fl? We are on a budget. We will be there at the last week in June. Were looking for the best experience. We pretty much plan to go out everyday. My girlfriend is more in the mood for sitting out on the beach but I want to dive as much as possible so if there are any places where you can see a reef right off the beach, that would be awesome!

[DaveG99]

Smathers beach has some rock piles off the beach about 100 yards out and its only 4-5' deep. Other than that there really arent many places to snorkel or dive from the beach. You can go to one of those tourist booths and they can tell you which snorkle/dive trip is the cheapest. There are about 10-15 different options there for that kind of thing. I have been on many different ones. Some will even give you free alcohol on your way back. I have brought my jet ski down there as well as my friends boat and that is the best way to see it. It was fun going out to the reef 7 miles off shore on a jetski. I will also be there from June 23rd through July 1st along with 5 friends and a boat!

[10" Red Devil]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9902141#post9902141 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DaveG99
Smathers beach has some rock piles off the beach about 100 yards out and its only 4-5' deep. Other than that there really arent many places to snorkel or dive from the beach. You can go to one of those tourist booths and they can tell you which snorkle/dive trip is the cheapest. There are about 10-15 different options there for that kind of thing. I have been on many different ones. Some will even give you free alcohol on your way back. I have brought my jet ski down there as well as my friends boat and that is the best way to see it. It was fun going out to the reef 7 miles off shore on a jetski. I will also be there from June 23rd through July 1st along with 5 friends and a boat!

Cool Thanks for the info!!

[Grunt]

Look into Looe Key, its an underwater marine sanctuary, and Key. It's off marathon if I remember correctly. We had some great diving and snorkeling. If you don't have your own boat there are charters that will take you out there for 1/2day or full day. They bouy onto preset bouys to not hurt the reef.

This is by far the best spot my wife and I found in the Keys.
Cheers

[10" Red Devil]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9902141#post9902141 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DaveG99
Smathers beach has some rock piles off the beach about 100 yards out and its only 4-5' deep. Other than that there really arent many places to snorkel or dive from the beach. You can go to one of those tourist booths and they can tell you which snorkle/dive trip is the cheapest. There are about 10-15 different options there for that kind of thing. I have been on many different ones. Some will even give you free alcohol on your way back. I have brought my jet ski down there as well as my friends boat and that is the best way to see it. It was fun going out to the reef 7 miles off shore on a jetski. I will also be there from June 23rd through July 1st along with 5 friends and a boat!

Which one has the best snorkeling? The reason I ask is because I went on one of the tourist type snorkeling operations off of Cozumel last year and it was a joke, they took us to a beach where we walked into the water and there were like a stone or two hear or there but definitely not what I would call a reef. It was still cool, but it was mostly sandy bottom with a few rocks.

Thanks.

[NowasReef]

I've heard the trip out to Dry Tortugas is worth it....Its on my "to do" list next time I get down to the keys....maybe someone else thats been there can speak up...

[xxaquanutxx]

John Pennekamp state park is amazing!

[NowasReef]

Pennekamp is cool too...but he asked about Key West.....

[DaveG99]

Any of the snorkeling boats that take you out from key west are great. They all go to the same reef. You'll be in about 10-15 feet of water and the reef is finger shaped with canyons running everywhere. There are a lot of fish and wild life ou tthere. You are almost guaranteed to see a nurse shark also. Smathers beach is OK but more like piles of rocks instead of real reef. Take one of the pay trips and you wont be dissapointed. I love it there!

[jmicky41]

A few years ago we took a 3-4 hour trip from Marathon Key. It went to Sombreo reef and some other location. We had a great time seeing nurse sharks, green morays and all the usual stuff. IIRC gear was included, price around $40 each.