Is The Coral Reef Snorkeling In Key West Any Good?
Planning A Trip To Key West, Florida And Looking For More Info On Snorkeling At The Coral Reef Here?
When I visited Key West, I drove down from my home in South Florida where there is plenty of good snorkeling, but I really wanted to snorkel at the Coral Reef since it is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental US, and I was not disappointed by my experience here.
🤿 Is The Snorkeling Any Good At The Coral Reef In Key West?
In my opinion, the best place to snorkel in Key West is at the coral reef, not only because it’s the only living coral barrier reef in the continental US, but also because I had such an amazing experience here.
I went on the Fury Key West Snorkel tour, which is just the typical cheap snorkeling trip, but on the boat ride out I said how cool it would be to safely see sharks out there, and that’s exactly what happened.
I was with three others a little further from the main group of snorkelers, when two sharks showed up and I was told later by the staff that they looked like bull sharks.
I stayed cautious and aware, but had a super exciting experience getting to be so close to these marine animals. There were tons of other beautiful fish out there, but I mostly just remember the sharks!
Things To Know About Snorkeling At The Coral Reef In Key West
Although I had an amazing time snorkeling out at the Coral Reef and I think it’s the best thing to do in Key West, some helpful things to know before going include:
- if the conditions aren’t great (like too much wind) the snorkel tours won’t go out to the reef but instead will take you to a different location; we got lucky and had a perfect day, but I was prepared to reschedule if necessary because I wanted to go to the reef
- the coral reef is a long ways out into the ocean from Key West and I guess some other travelers didn’t quite realize the snorkeling would be taking place out in the open ocean so they didn’t end up getting in the water because they weren’t comfortable with that
➡️ Need help deciding what else to do on your trip to Key West? Here’s a 4 day itinerary to help you plan it out
- even when conditions are good, snorkeling out here can be exhausting so being a good swimmer is definitely helpful; tours require everyone to wear a life vest and they provide flippers for those who want to wear them (I can’t stand them so I never use them), but it’s still helpful to be in good shape and prepared for a lot of exertion
- being in the open ocean, you never know what kind of sea creatures will show up out here, but the important thing to remember is to never panic and swim as calmly as possible; two of the others that were out there with me and the sharks did panic a little and splashed a lot as they swam away, but luckily the sharks seemed uninterested
- after swimming around I was pretty exhausted and although the tours usually provide some snacks and drinks, they weren’t very healthy or allergy friendly so I was glad I brought my own homemade sandwich because I was starving
*️⃣ Don’t forget to wear healthy, non-toxic sunscreen out in the water so it’s safe for the coral reef, the marine life, and you
🐠 Where Else Can You Snorkel In Key West?
Technically you can go out in the water anywhere in Key West and search for marine life, but for me the best place to snorkel is definitely at the reef. Although I recommend not missing the coral reef, a few other spots that are typically good for snorkeling include:
- Fort Zachary Taylor – some rocks just off the shore create a little “reef” where marine life likes to gather
- Higgs Beach – an old pier under the water provides some potential good viewing opportunities for marine life
- Dry Tortugas – way out on a little island but it has pretty good snorkeling
*️⃣ Don’t forget not to touch, stand on, or disturb any coral or marine life to avoid damaging it
Is There Any Snorkeling From Shore In Key West?
Most of the really good snorkeling in Key West is out at the coral reef, but if you’re not comfortable going in the open ocean like that, Fort Zachary Taylor and Higgs Beach listed above are both places you can try snorkeling from shore.
Fort Zachary Taylor does have a lot of rocks so some water shoes might help you out here, but at either location (whether you’re experienced or not) the water can be unpredictable so wear a flotation device, go with others, and go where there’s a lifeguard to be as safe as possible.
Is There Sunset Snorkeling In Key West?
You could go out in the water on your own in Key West at sunset if you really want to, but I highly recommend not going snorkeling at this time because it’s one of the worst visibility times for sharks and also a typical feeding time for them so it’s just not the smartest time to go out in the water.
➡️ If you want to be on the water at sunset, this is a great sunset sailing option (it’s the highest rated of them all)
🛟 Does Key West Have Good Snorkeling For Beginners?
I’ve been in the water since I was a baby so I’m very used to it, even though I still have a strong respect for it, so it’s harder for me to say what might be good for beginners.
I think with the flotation devices and the staff, snorkeling at the coral reef in Key West is definitely doable for beginners, but I’ve heard others talk about how uncomfortable they are out in the open ocean like that.
Snorkeling from shore can sometimes be easier for beginners, but with rocks (at Fort Zachary Taylor), no tour groups, possibly no life guards, and potential rip currents, I don’t think snorkeling from shore is even that great of an idea for beginners either.
🔁 Sum Up: Coral Reef Snorkeling In Key West
I think the main reason to visit Key West, Florida is to go snorkeling at the coral reef here, but I’m a huge outdoor/adventure/water lover so my exciting experience here getting to safely swim with a couple of sharks was one of the best times I’ve ever had snorkeling. It might not be the best choice for beginners or those not comfortable with open ocean swimming, but if you want to see lots of marine life, the coral reef is a must see during your trip to Key West.
