Day 2 in Miami

There's great diving 5 miles east of Key Biscayne, where the Biscayne Wreck lies beneath the Atlantic. Southeast of Key Biscayne is the John Pennecamp Coral Reef State Park, a protected 78 square mile section of the Florida Reef, the third largest in the world. The best diving and snorkeling within the park is around Elkhorn Reef, Schooner Wreck Reef and Dome Reef.

The scuba diving opportunities are also plentiful around Miami waters, thanks in large part to the profusion of man-made reefs. Various dive shops around town can get you out on organized weekend dives to the 10 designated offshore artificial reef sites, along with explorations of some offshore wreck sites. Actually, the Miami region has one of the largest artificial-reef programs in the world in addition to the natural sites. Fish flock to the more than thirty ships, tanks, concrete, limestone and other structures that have been sunk over the past 20 years off Miami's coast, as far south as Florida City and north to Sunny Isles Beach. Most are located just a few miles offshore, in less than 130 feet of water, providing great diving for all levels. One of the most popular routes is the Wreck Trek, located off Miami Beach, just north of the Art Deco District. Here, divers can explore the 85-foot tug Patricia, the 100-foot steel fishing vessel Miss Karline, and an old radio antenna welded into 19 pyramids.