This is a pretty little park. There was ample parking on a Wednesday morning at 8.30am when I arrived. I love that the parking is free. I can only imagine what this park is like on the weekends. There are boat launches and paid boat parking on one side and free car parking and a little cute beach that is good for snorkeling and scuba on the other side (under the bridge). I also loved that there was also a lifeguard on duty starting at 9am. There are outdoor showers and a public restroom but I didn't use them. read more

Phil Foster Park - I was really taking a picture of the heron, but those clouds over the water are pretty magnificent too - Snorkeling Near Me - West Palm Beach, Florida

This beach/park is really unique! The over pass provides you shade if you forgot to bring a beach umbrella! Amazing beach for snorkeling .... Calm waves and pretty shallow water. During the weekends there is a lot of boat traffic so if you like looking at boats and yachts... this is a great place to do it! Saw lots of people also go scuba diving! Make sure to get to this place early as the parking gets pretty full pretty fast! read more

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love snorkeling here. It's beautiful. It's so peaceful. I love it! Standish are massive read more

Phil Foster Park - Snorkeling Near Me - West Palm Beach, Florida

Beautiful park in Riviera Beach. Great place for snorkeling, swimming, and picnicking with friends and family. Clean park with clean bathrooms. Great snorkeling under the Blue Heron Bridge. read more

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A very cool place. You can find many things to do here. Including fishing from the dock (That can packed on weekends). Big parking lot, feels safe, overall a place that I recommend. read more

One of my pledges this year is to complete more reviews of dive shops & sites. Blue Heron Bridge is in Riviera Beach Florida. My dive buddy took me there to show me her home reef. Set your GPS to the Phil Foster Park. It can get very crowded on the weekends, but it was nearly empty on a late Friday morning. Most popular parking spot is on the southern side of the park, as it is where the shore entry, exit, & public showers are. Restrooms are available in the middle of the park and on the west side near the lifeguard center. Once in the water we swung east, and then followed the curve of the beach until we got to the bridge support pylons to the west. At no time were we deeper than 15 feet. Visibility was no better than 10 feet, so it was a total muck dive, most times we were in between 5-15 feet. With steel 100 cu ft tanks, our dive lasted 3 1/2 hours. Dive Heaven! Often in the muck, there are little critters that love that kind of water, and we saw a lot of them! Several types of crab, several different colored pipefish, unusual fish like the bat fish, and one of my all time favorites, seahorses! My dive buddy found a unusual critter to her, an elegant bumblebee shrimp, a very unique look! After finishing up the long dive, we cleaned off ourselves & gear, and made our way to a nearby Force-E dive shop (see other review) to refill my dive buddy's tanks. What a great dive! Definitely repeat and recommend! When are we doing our next BHB dive? read more

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Had a great time w/ the fish. Jumped off the bridge, swam with tones of fish and the water was very clear. Also made a YouTube video! read more

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Such a unique park! One of the few place where you can access ocean water and have full shade and rain cover- which is a huge thing especially during the hot and rainy summer. Best to go at high tide because the water is the freshest. This is the Intracoastal, so the pros of this are no waves but the cons are trash and pollution (thus why the high tide is a key point here!). This is a kid magic park for sure due to the lack of waves and being able to wade and swim in very shallow water, and any snorkeler's dream - who doesn't want to snorkel and see magical sea life without needing a boat? The snorkeling trail in itself makes this park an incredible find. On the weekends, sometimes the park has been closed, police blocking the entry, due to it being so popular and the parking being completely full. Snorkeling doesn't require any skill or expensive equipment, but you can still see sea creatures just looking down from the concrete pieces that jut out into the water or from atop a boogie board looking down. I highly encourage anyone to try it here if you want to take the plunge. read more

Greta park except for the useless police officers that don't allow cars to go in and park even after 20+ cars exit. The system is flawed. Get ready to wait 45 mins just to enter and park even after multiple spots are open. read more

I'd heard good things about the snorkeling here, and at the advice of others, went about 1.5-2 hours before high tide. On a weekend day (and Easter!), parking was tough, but I arrived early and could immediately find a spot, but there were a few cars that were circling the parking lot. There were plenty of people in the water during the day, so it felt safe, and there are lifeguards present. Despite many people swimming, the water was quite clear along the snorkeling trail. The swimming/snorkeling area is lined, so although there are boats closeby, you'll never run into them if you stay on the trail. I saw starfish, an urchin, a spotted moray eel, several hermit crabs shuffling about, a school of giant rainbow parrotfish, and tons and tons of reef fish. The bathrooms were clean, and there were plenty of picnic tables to rest and eat at. And best of all, the entire experience was free! Totally worth the 2.5 hour drive from Orlando. read more

My kids really enjoyed this park. We saw starfishes, a lot of hermit crabs, shrimps and a wide variety of fishes : big and small great activity to bring your family and enjoy swimming in the shade under the bridge read more

A peninsula near Singer Island with water access for fisherman and snorkeling folks. There's a public restroom there along with rest areas. It's a bit run down we didn't feel the safest while walking around here during the day. The fishing pier is free and you can pretty much fish from anywhere though it looks shallow at places. Saw this from Google maps but it looks like a less than ideal fishing spot in person. read more

Phil Foster Park - Snorkeling Near Me - West Palm Beach, Florida

So blessed to have this practically in my backyard! What an incredible place to launch and explore whether it be on a kayak, a SUP or diving and / or snorkeling. There are always incredible creatures to be seen. The largest iguanas known to man or at least me, lol, can be located on the rocks south side of Peanut Island. Some of the most exquisite fish are only a paddle away from shore and sea turtles, starfish and stingray (to name a few) are often spotted when circling the island and / or paddling from the shore to and around Peanut Island. Head North toward Little Munyon and Munyon Island and see the various types of crabs lurking on and near the shorelines. These waters don't disappoint. read more

Phil Foster Park - Kayaking~ - Snorkeling Near Me - West Palm Beach, Florida

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live love love this place. Great spot for snorkeling as there is plenty to see: fish, rays, turtles...Do go about an hour before high tide for best visibility, and folliw signs regarding where to enter the water as the current can come in strongly. Don't be deceived because even on a "bad" day you might luck out with sightings There us no charge to enter, there are rest rooms available read more

This is a pretty park with beach access to some awesome snorkel spots along with clear water swimming. The downside is this park gets very busy which means the parking lot fills up quickly. First time I tried to come, I couldn't find parking so I left after 15 minutes of circling the lot. The next time, we decided to park at Riviera Beach Marina and kayak over. Phil Foster park has a nice designated spot to drop your kayak, paddle board or diving equipment. The beach also has lifeguards. They will quickly tell you if you are in an area you shouldn't be in. While the sandy beach areas are nice and the water is beautiful, most of the beach is covered by the bridge to Singer Island. So if you don't mind sitting in the shade, then this is the spot for you. There are some sunny areas as well, just not as many. There's lots of space in the grass in between trees to setup picnics and family BBQs - you will see a lot of this. There's also a fishing pier if you want to bring a pole. This is a great spot to spend an entire day at the beach. read more

Phil Foster Park - Kayak launch area - Snorkeling Near Me - West Palm Beach, Florida

This 14.65 acre park is at the base of the Blue Heron Bridge. It was named after Phil Foster who was considered a pioneer of Riveria Beach. He owned one of the first tourist courts which was a common form of lodging in the 1930's to the 1960's. He lived in the area until his death in 1917. The park opened in January 1953. I came to the park to take pictures of the Blue Heron Bridge. There was absolutely no parking and I left and came back closer to sunset and still couldn't get a spot. The only spots were in the trailer parking and I was warned I would get a ticket for parking there but I just left my car for a few moments. The park was frequently patrolled by a deputy looking to write tickets. It's a shame he didn't roll down his window because the minute I hit the sidewalk I was smacked in the face with the stench of urine and pot. There was a bathroom only feet away so I couldn't understand why someone would pee on the street. I quickly snapped my pictures and was happy to leave. The main reason a lot of people come here is to dive and snorkel. The area under the bridge is well known for it's sea life by scientists, photographers, divers, and snorkelers. There is two acre snorkel trail in 5 to 10 feet of water. Other amenities of the park include two fishing piers. One was made from part of the old bridge before the Blue Heron Bridge was built. There is also beach swimming, canoe and kayak access, and a playground for kids. Although I didn't enjoy my visit this time I might try to come again to snorkel. I might have better luck finding a spot during a week day I have off from school. This park is very close to Peanut Island which is on the other side of the bridge. There is no trouble parking at the marina and you can hop on the ferry for $10 and have a very nice time on the beautiful island snorkeling and not having to deal with crowds. It's a good alternative if you can't find parking at Phil Foster. read more

Phil Foster Park - Snorkeling Near Me - West Palm Beach, Florida

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Made a quick visit to this place with an out-of-town friend. Parking is free if you don't have a trailer according to the lifeguard. I was shocked by how close the snorkeling area is to the shore underneath the bridge. I can see this bridge being super convenient during the hot SoFlo summers. Many people were lounging on the beach or fishing off of one of the bridges. The area does seem to attract a mixed crowd of families, couples, friends, and homeless. I want to return for kayaking and snorkeling. Kayaking to Peanut Island is an easy paddle. However I would bring a friend. My only real complaint was the bathrooms. The smell of stale urine and rotten human feces pimp slapped me in the face upon entry. In addition there was someone was peeing in the handicapped stall without the door being closed (what the heck?). There has gotta be a way to keep this bathroom cleaner because the smell was unacceptable. Other than that, I look forward to returning. read more

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Great place to snorkel! Just avoid jellyfish season like today. Ouch! We will be back, maybe tomorrow, to try again.

Tried 3 of the parking pay things there got the 3rd one to work with my debit card, got confirmation number and thought all was good, came back from my trip and there's a ticket on my truck says I didn't pay, looked closer and see that they read my tag wrong and fined me 30$ 8 phone calls and 3 hrs on the phone and this still isn't resolved read more

LOVE love love going here. I go here quite often just to walk around and look into the water and see all types of fish! Around 10am is the best time the water visibility is amazing. I have seen several stingrays, a manatee, a sea turtle, and dozens of large sea stars (I believe they are Red Cushion Sea Star). It is so serene going here and never really busy since it is winter season. The stingrays come right along the edge of the wall so you can see them close up at times. There are several little docks you can walk up and down just to see what is in the water. Absolutely beautiful, highly recommend going here just to relax and take in the ocean breeze! read more

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What a great time if you want to go snorkeling. Went today with a few friends. Great visibility, comfortable temperature of water and friendly atmosphere. Saw fish, a few wrecks and just had a great time in the water and sunshine. Will definitely go back and explore some more. Nice way to spend the day. read more

The best snorkeling here is 1 hour before high tide on up to 1 hour after high tide. During that time, the water is crystal clear and teaming with barracuda, sting rays, needlefish, and all sorts of tropical fish. We've come here a number of times and have brought several other friends and family members here as well. Snorkelers of all skill levels, including first-timers, can enjoy this place. We even brought someone who couldn't swim and just by wading out and sticking her face in the water with a snorkel mask, she was able to see a lot. The down sides... the beach is literally under a bridge where homeless people live. The town and area also seemed pretty rough. If you're a snorkeler, you also have to dodge a lot of scuba divers. If come on a weekend, good luck finding a parking spot. Still, we absolutely love this place. read more

Phil Foster Park - Snorkeling Near Me - West Palm Beach, Florida

Favorite park/beach in the area. At this very moment due to bridge construction it's not great... however it's an awesome spot normally. The snorkel trail is cool, lots of fish species here, I've even seen sea turtles and once a manatee closer to the sandbar past the boat passageway. I've also seen many starfish, rays, nurse sharks, octopi, etc... such a great variety of sea life at this spot!! The current can be strong though here so stay in the guarded area if it's not slack tide. It's a great spot to snorkel though, it's typically busy around high tide with scuba divers- I personally like to just float on a pool raft (I use a small anchor to keep from drifting away) at this beach and watch the boats go by. There are two bathrooms - one by the boat launch. and another by the fishing pier (you can fish here- and it's great fishing!). Parking is free as long as you don't have a trailer on your vehicle/ you have to pay for the bigger boat trailer spots. The sheriffs dock is here too, so there's always a good police presence that makes it feel safer. You have the option to be under the bridge too if shade is your thing, or there's a sandy beach area on the east end that's full sun. It's best to cross the bridge at the light after you park, to get to that spot though. read more

I was introduced to this awesome dive site several weeks ago when we took some open water students there for their check-out dives. There is so much to see here! Moray eels, stingrays, beautiful starfish, tons of tropical fish. You won't be sorry you tried this "one of a kind" spot. You have to be familiar with tide charts and understand currents to get the best experience since visibility can become greatly reduced as the tide changes. A "diver down" float is also required to dive and I've heard of some divers being fined for not having one. This is a beach dive so entry and exit is pretty easy- you just have to consider the water movement when entering/exiting water while wearing your gear. There is a dive shop in the park if you need to rent cylinders or pay the "stupid tax" for forgetting important equipment like your fins or weights (not me but others have been there) ;) We bring our own cylinders from our local dive shop. I read a blog that this site was a top dive destination in 2013 or so. On a snorkeling note, it is also shallow enough that the snorkeling would also be judged to be very good as well. Remember-- Blue Heron Bridge at Phil Foster Park. You'll enjoy it!! read more

Phil Foster Park - Ready to Dive Blue Heron Bridge - Snorkeling Near Me - West Palm Beach, Florida

So I think I got extremely unlucky with the weather because the tide was perfect and the viz for diving was awful. I will try again and hopefully have better luck. We were also warned that people cars have been getting broken into and there was a lot of bums hanging around. It was a bit uncomfortable. read more

Not clean, bad water visibility, very little aquatic life (we saw a hermit crab) and parking is limited. Not impressed at all -- a wasted trip. read more

Amazing and accessible shore dive with as much to see as some of the deeper reefs offshore. Plus can be enjoyed by snorkelers and divers. Plan your dive around slack tide. Lots of parking but get there early to get closer to the shore. Park for kids and lifeguard for the swimming area. The underwater artificial reefs feature a variety of structures including small hammer head shark statues and a couple of boat wrecks. Variety of underwater critters. Pick up the dive map from the dive shop and it includes a fish identification chart which will help since there is so much to see read more

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Such. An. Amazing. Place. I'm not saying it's the best snorkeling in the world. But if starfish, tropical fish, and small coral reef out croppings are you thing then come here. Oh yeah, and more conch than I've ever seen in one place. Have fun exploring the artificial reefs formed from sunken boats and grocery carts. Nice clean bathrooms and showers. And it's FREE read more

Phil Foster Park - Snorkeling Near Me - West Palm Beach, Florida

Awesome place to go scuba diving. However, this dive site gets packed with lots of students getting their certification. Make sure you dice 1/2 before the high tide. read more

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amazing park. best snorkeling in florida for beginners. I am a local and it is one of best state parks in Florida. you can kayak to Peanut island from there. just remember to keep kayaks and paddle boards out of swim zone. the life guards are strict. read more

I went here to get away. Get some fresh air. Driving in Los chaotic but once we parked, it was cool. Good amount of seating. Park racer and cops on site. It's a good place to go clear your head. read more

Phil Foster park is basically a small island in the middle of the intercoastal water way in West Palm... and is home to the world famous Blue Heron Bridge. Lots of parking, a nice beach area, a dive shop on site, and other nice amenities are right here for you. If you like to fish, this is a spot, and if you have a boat, they have a launch and lots of trailer parking. A popular place to spend a day picnicking, and just relaxing! read more

Great little beach perfect for kids under the bridge. Offers up shade and shallow waters. Lifeguards on duty. Playground too. Nice mix of people. Our favorite spot to swim for a few hours. Never too busy, as they close up the parking lot after it fills up. Get there early, you won't be disappointed. read more

Amazing spot to snorkel! Doesn't look like much from the beach, but once you are in the water, it's fantastic. Super clear water as long as you go around high tide. We saw barracuda, puffer fish, and a ton of colorful fish. As others have said, the areas to snorkel are not well marked. We had to end up asking someone who was coming out of the water where it started and because of that, we realized we missed the beginning of the trail. We will definitely be back though and make sure to catch it next time. We stopped at Pura Vida dive shop on the way there and they were super helpful with rentals. I had mask and snorkel but I needed a dive flag and flippers and I was able to pick some up quickly to rent and be on my way. Four stars because there is absolutely no signage telling you where to go, parking is very limited, and there are a lot of people playing loud music from their cars and it smells like weed, BUT once you are in the water, it's absolutely gorgeous along the snorkel trail. If you are only going for the beach, there isn't much here, but definitely worth it if you plan on spending most of your time in the water. read more

I came here to snorkel. All in all, a good place to see a variety of sea creatures. The man made snorkel trail is unique. Some people in the park seemed a little sketchy so I wouldn't go alone. That was my only negative. Another beautiful day in South Florida! read more

I went snorkeling here at sunrise, which was an hour after high tide. Parking was easy and free, just be sure to not park in the boat parking area or else you'll get ticketed and get there early enough to find parking like I did. It's a strange location, the beach being located under Blue Heron bridge. Homeless people live under the bridge so I hear it can get sketchier later in the day (they were sleeping and minding their own business when I was there at 7am), but you're surrounded by plenty of other tourists which feels a lot safer. Just keep an eye on your valuables. When you're underwater, following the snorkel trail of artificial reefs, it's a different world! I saw lots of fish, including colorful ones, and even a stingray swimming along the sand! It's a fairly quick trail, I think I was done roaming around within 20 minutes or so. Make sure to go within an hour give or take of high tide! read more