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1Army Tanks
There are two M60 Army Tanks placed in 15m deep by the DERM in June of 1994. It is an interesting dive, cos tanks are now an oasis of life... Off Miami Beach
BeginnerMax depth 49.2 ftBoat entry
Top Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Miami-Dade County
The top 46 dive and snorkel sites in Miami-Dade County, ranked by diver reviews, with maps and photos. Read the Miami-Dade County guide
- dive sites
- 46
- dive shops
- 9
- reviews
- 6
46 sites, ranked by diver reviews
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3Biscayne wreck
4.5 miles east of Key Biscayne Biscayne wreck is also known as Banana Freighter.
BeginnerMax depth 44.9 ftBoat entry
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4Neptune Memorial Reef
The Neptune Memorial Reef project is the largest man made reef ever conceived and provides an extraordinary living resting place for the departed, an environmental and ecological masterpiece, a superb laboratory for marine biologists, students, researchers and ecologists, and an aesthetically exquisite, world-class destination for visitors from all walks of life. 3.25 miles of the east of Key Biscayne, FL.
BeginnerMax depth 49.9 ftBoat entry
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6Belzona Barge
Chances are if you received your certification in Miami, you dived The Belzona Barge on your third dive. This 115 foot steel barge was originally sunk in 72FT of water, just north of the South Seas, in August of 1991. However, in August of 1992, Hurricane Andrew moved her to only about 40 feet of water. Like most of the barges, it inverted when it was blown up by the Miami Bomb Squad, and rests upside down on the bottom. The wreck is extremely dark inside and it is not a good idea to try to penetrate it, but there is a great deal of surface area to explore. The top of the wreck, which is really the bottom of the hull, is fully covered with soft corals and the flowing gorgonians constantly waving in the current, make the wreck look more like a coral reef than a rusty old vessel. Located within fairly easy swimming distance of the Belzona Barge (80 feet to the south) is the Belzona Two, a 90 foot steel tug boat sunk in February of 1991 which sits in about 60 feet of water.
BeginnerMax depth 55.1 ftBoat entry
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7DEMA Trader
The DEMA Trader is a 165-foot freighter. It was deployed October 28th, 2003. Approximately 3.5 miles west of Key Biscane DEMA Trader is also known as GGD Trader.
IntermediateMax depth 68.9 ftBoat entry
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8Lugano
The Lugano was a 350-foot single screw, iron-hulled British steamer with a 40-foot beam. Built in 1882 by the Barrow Shipbuilding Company, she originally sailed under the name Navarro. In 1897, the Navarro underwent a major overhaul and was renamed Lugano. On the afternoon of March 9, 1913, the Lugano ran hard aground on Long Reef while on a routine voyage from Liverpool to Havana. She was ferrying 116 passengers, most of whom were emigrating from Spain to Cuba, and her cargos where filled with wine, silks, and assorted goods. As high winds and heavy seas pounded the grounded ship, a tug was dispatched to the site and all passengers were safely transported from the ship. Wreckers managed to recover most of the cargo over the next several weeks. However, the Lugano herself could not be saved. The damage to the hull caused by the reef, and the heavy seas eventually flooded her holds. She was abandoned early in April, nearly one month after sealing her fate on Long Reef. Today, the superstructure is essentially gone, but large portions of her skeletal hull and ribs remain. The remains are encrusted in beautiful and colorful corals and sponges. The site provides a habitat for large numbers of tropicals, small grouper, and schools of yellowtail. Spotted eels, morays, and lobster can be found under the collapsed hull plates. There are three mooring buoys nearby. Boaters are advised to use caution as the shallow waters near the reef often create strong surge conditions. The Lugano is one of five historic wrecks designated as part of the Biscayne National Park "Shipwreck Trail". The shallow waters and surrounding coral reef make this a fantastic snorkeling location.
BeginnerMax depth 20 ftBoat entry
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9Proteus Wreck
The Proteus is a 220' freighter sunk in the Key Biscayne Artificial Reef Site on January 24, 1985. This site is one of the shallower wrecks dives in South Florida, resting in only 72' of water with at least 30' of relief (top deck is at 50'). This artificial reef site makes an excellent opportunity for the novice wreck diver and serves as a great introduction to Miami's exceptional collection of artificial reefs. She was once a ferry boat on the Great Lakes before carrying freight and supplies between the Caribbean islands. Most of her superstructure was removed to allow maximum cargo space, but the ship failed to make a profit resulting in bankruptcy in 1980. The freighter sat on the Miami River for 5 years as a derelict vessel behind Bud's Auto Parts on 34th Avenue. During its tenure as Bud's garbage barge, thousands of license plates were thrown into the ship from the auto shop. Although most of the plates have been salvaged by sport divers as souvenirs, if you look close you may still be able to find one laying in the hold to this day. NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) expressed their interest in helping to obtain and sink a ship in late 1984 and discovered the Proteus through Ben Mostkoff, then Director of the Miami-Dade County's Artificial Reef Program. Volunteers cleaned and prepared the ship to made it environmentally safe before sinking. Resting on a sandy bottom, not far from the popular Biscayne wreck, the Proteus was broken into several large pieces by the forces of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Since the structure spread out over a wider area, more marine life seems to have taken up residence in the various twisted metal remains of the wreck. Moray eels, schooling grunts, barracudas, angelfish and the occasional groups can be found within the wreck and around debris field.
IntermediateMax depth 65 ftBoat entry
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11Narwall
Narwall is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in USA, Florida, Miami which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
IntermediateMax depth 137.8 ftBoat entry
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12Paradiso Wreck
Paradiso Wreck is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in USA, Florida, Miami which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
BeginnerMax depth 71.9 ftBoat entry
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13Half Moon Wreck
This is a great snorkeling site as well as a good dive site. Because of the current leaving Bear Cut it's best to dive this site at high slack tide. The visibility changes dramatically with the tides. The high tide ensures that clear water is coming in rather then the murky water leaving Biscayne bay. There are an abundance of rays, giant puffers and lobster that live there. There is a monument and plaque in the center of the wreck. At Low tide, the top of the Wreck is only 4 feet below the water. There is a lot of boat traffic in this area. The Half Moon is a 154 foot long Steel Racing yacht in about 10 feet of water that sank in 1930. It is located due east of Bear Cut (the channel between Virginia Key and Key Biscayne) about 1 mile. There is a lone red channel marker just to the south of the dive site and there are two mooring buoys at the site. One at the bow and one at the stern. Half Moon Wreck is also known as Half Moon Underwater Preserve.
BeginnerMax depth 7.9 ftBoat entry
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15Emerald Reef
Emerald Reef is a small shallow-water patch reef one mile east of Key Biscayne. It's considered by many to be one of the most beautiful reefs in Miami, rivaling those found further south in the Florida Keys. The reefs are in 10 to 20 feet of water and support living elkhorn and pillar coral, a variety of sponges, and schools of juvenile tropicals. The clarity and color of the water makes this a spectacular snorkel or dive location. Please protect our reefs and dive carefully.
BeginnerMax depth 29.9 ftBoat entry
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16Mandalay
The Mandalay was a 128-foot double-masted steel schooner in the Windjammer Cruises fleet. She ran aground on Long Reef near Elliott Key on New Years Eve 1966 at the end of a 10-day Bahamas cruise. Fortunately, all passengers and crew were rescued, but the Mandalay suffered a watery fate. When the wreck was hard aground, looters quickly stripped her clean. Tug boats arrived shortly thereafter to attempt to pull her off the reef, but they only succeeded in opening the ship's hull further. The Mandalay was pummeled by rough seas and quickly sank. Resting in only 10 feet of water, the Mandalay is now considered to be one of the best wreck dives in Biscayne National Park. Large sections of the ship remain intact and are easily accessible to snorkelers. After almost a half-century under the sea, the schooner Mandalay is covered with hard corals, sea fans, and schools of colorful fish. This is a site not to be missed. The Mandalay is one of five historic wrecks designated as part of the Biscayne National Park "Shipwreck Trail". The shallow waters and surrounding coral reef make this a fantastic snorkeling location.
Max depth 9.8 ftBoat entry
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18Rainbow Reef
This is a great reef for the beginner diver. It is located south of Patty's reef and it is another excellent dive. It is a medium in profile but it has tropical fish, hard and soft corals everywhere. Mooring balls lie in a N-S line.
BeginnerMax depth 29.9 ftBoat entry
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19African Queen
Sunk December 1986, The African Queen, a 57-foot concrete boat, now rests in 45 feet of water off Key Biscayne.
BeginnerMax depth 40 ftBoat entry
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20Steane D'Auray
The Steane D'Auray, often referred to as the "St. Anne", is a 110 foot North Atlantic trawler, sunk in only 68 feet of water. It has over 28 feet of relief and is basically still intact. There is still a picturesque air vent on the port side, the perfect backdrop for the underwater photographer. Some of the wreck has been torn apart and scattered across the bottom in the sand after Hurricane Andrew in August of 1992. The St. Anne was sunk on March 28, 1986 and has a tremendous amount of growth. The rich nutrients of the Gulfstream have brought an abundance of life to her structure. Brilliant soft corals undulate in the current while the dark passageways beckon you to investigate her inner structure. Steane D'Auray is also known as St. Anne.
IntermediateMax depth 39.4 ftBoat entry
Top dive shops in Miami-Dade County
All 9ACE DIVING
Book4.8 (219) · Miami
Royal Caribbean International- Odyssey of the Seas
Book4.7 (8121) · Miami
Divers Paradise
Book4.7 (235) · Key Biscayne
Austin's Diving Center
Book4.7 (111) · Miami
Miami-Dade County diving guide
Ready to check out the best sites in Miami-Dade County for scuba diving, snorkeling, shore diving, free diving or other ocean activities? Zentacle has 46 dive sites, snorkel spots, beaches, and more. Discover hand-curated maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best dive and snorkel sites in Miami-Dade County?
Based on Zentacle reviews, the top-rated sites in Miami-Dade County are Army Tanks (5.0 from 3 reviews), RJ's Ledge (4.0 from 1 review) and Biscayne wreck (3.0 from 1 review).
Where is the best snorkeling for beginners in Miami-Dade County?
The top-rated beginner sites are Army Tanks (5.0 from 3 reviews), RJ's Ledge (4.0 from 1 review) and Biscayne wreck (3.0 from 1 review).
Are there dive shops in Miami-Dade County?
Zentacle lists 9 dive shops in Miami-Dade County. The top-rated are ACE DIVING (4.8 from 219 reviews) and Royal Caribbean International- Odyssey of the Seas (4.7 from 8121 reviews).