My fiancé and I booked online with Lost Reef Adventures for our first ocean dives. We were…read morecertified back in October in a fresh water quarry. The day we went, the waves were pretty choppy. I got in the water and panicked. Kelly, our guide, expertly made sure I got back to the boat. Spencer, our dive master, helped me up and reassured me the whole time. I got to spend the next couple hours hanging out with Spencer and robin (the captain), which honestly, was a great time. What I loved is how committed they were to safety, and also making me feel valid in my decision to abort the dives. My partner successfully completed two dives and had a fantastic experience with Kelly guiding him. If/when we're back in key west again for diving, we will definitely book with Lost Reef again!!

Lost Reef Adventures...the worst dive shop that I have encountered in 30 years of scuba diving…read more The negatives: The owner, Nick, was extremely unfriendly to the point of being hostile. He had a serious attitude problem and had no idea what the concept of "customer service" meant. He just stares at you, waiting for you to say something...it's really creepy. After telling us to show up at 7:00 for the morning dives, no one from the shop bothered to show up until 7:45. The crew was only okay. The dive master acted like this was an annoyance to be taking us out on a dive...like he just wanted to get this over and done with. He just swam around for 45 minutes until it was time to re-board. The boat pilot told us, "We're not leaving the dock until you get your gear ready." There was one guy (with a mullet and ear rings) that was pretty cool and very helpful. The equipment was fair, but had some issues. The first tank that I hooked up to only had 1200 psi, turns out that 1/4 of the tanks onboard had previously been used and not removed or refilled. The fact that they all had the rubber covers on the valve (indicating a fresh tank) made it very confusing as to which tank to use. My dive buddy's regulator was inoperable. The dives were fair at best. I guess Key West really isn't that great for sea life when compared to the USVI or Belize, buy the dive master didn't even bother to point out sea life. EVERY dive I've been on in 30 years had a dive master that took pride in his/her job and did their best to point out - things to see - during the dive. I told the travel office on the base at Sigsbee not to recommend them. There are vastly superior shops like Southpoint Divers and Captain's Corner that will give you a much more pleasant experience. I dove with Southpoint on all of my subsequent dives in Key West. The positives: The boat was great - lotsa space for everyone, safety equipment was plentiful, and the safety briefing was well done. As I mentioned before, one of the crew (lives in Roatan, Honduras and was visiting his daughter) was very helpful but unfortunately, he was the exception. The BCDs, masks, and fins were fine. There's not really anything else positive that came out of my experiences. Do yourself a favor and use one of the other dive shops in Key West.

A great place to get all things Dive! Good prices and unique…read morefinds. Service and staff were helpful in finding an anchor for my husband to tow his gear. They even have those silicon rings - which are great for water enthusiast to wear to replace metal wedding bands.

Need some equipment for diving in Key West? Look no further than Divers Direct. From beginner…read moreenthusiasts (like me) to more seasoned underwater adventurers, this shop has something for everyone. The staff was friendly and helpful with expert advice. I didn't feel like they were trying to just sell me something. They helped me find the perfect gear - exactly what I needed. Their prices are reasonable. From masks and snorkels to fins and wetsuits, everything here is priced competitively without compromising on quality. Plus, they often have fantastic deals and discounts that make stocking up on gear even more affordable. They have a broad selection of gear brands. Conveniently located near Duval Street, we could bike from our BnB to Divers Direct to pick up things we needed throughout our trip. Highly recommend!

My 16yo son, Jake, & I participated in the beginner scuba course on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, & what…read morean incredible experience it was! We came in with absolutely zero scuba diving experience, so we weren't quite sure what to expect. We met our instructor, Tommy, at the Hilton Hotel pool, where he walked us through the basics, including hand signals & important safety information. His teaching style was clear, patient, & reassuring, which helped ease my nerves right from the start. Once we got suited up and into the water, Tommy made sure we were completely comfortable with each step before moving forward. He also took extra time afterward to answer all of our questions, which we really appreciated. Later, we met at the dive shop at 12:30 PM, headed down to the dock, & joined our captain, Drew. From there, the adventure truly began. It's honestly hard to put into words just how amazing the entire experience was. Everything was perfect, and I wouldn't change a thing. During our first dive, I had some difficulty clearing my ears, but Tommy stayed right by my side the entire time. He patiently guided me up & down the rope, allowing me to adjust at my own pace until I was comfortable. At one point, I started to feel anxious, as he had taught us, I signaled it, with a bit of panic beginning to set in. Tommy immediately recognized it, calmly reassured me, & helped me regain my confidence. Thanks to his steady guidance, I was able to relax & truly enjoy the rest of the dive. We completed two separate reef dives (each with a tank), & the underwater world was breathtaking. We saw a sea turtle, a stingray, a goliath grouper, lobster, trumpet fish, lionfish, and thousands of other beautiful fish. Tommy did a fantastic job pointing out marine life we would have otherwise missed. Scuba diving is something I've always wanted to try, & thanks to the passion & enthusiasm of both Tommy and Drew, my son & I are now completely hooked. We've already signed up for the open water online course & are excited to continue toward our certification. If you have the opportunity to take this excursion, don't hesitate, it's an unforgettable adventure. Thank you, Tommy & Drew, for making this such a meaningful & inspiring experience for both of us. You've truly sparked something special! Chris & Jake Mueller Oglesby, Illinois

Couldn't have been better! Hadn't dived in years so got recertfied before coming to the Keys. My 20…read moreyear son and I did a 2 tank reef dive with Dean as our guide. He was fantastic! We felt totally at ease and had a lot of fun. Couldn't wait to get back out so we signed up for a night dive with Southpoint but visibility was too poor for the dive to go out so we rescheduled for the Vandenberg wreck. Honestly, if we hadn't gone out with Dean already we wouldn't have done a 100 foot wreck dive. So glad we did! Never felt unsafe - Southpoint's focus on safety and preparedness was obvious - and we had an experience we'll never forget. Such an iconic dive, not to be missed. Hoping to get back to Key West in the not too distant future and, if we do, we're definitely going diving again with Southpoint.

This shop is wonderful. Max, Troy, Isabella and Lee are great DMs and crew. Everyone was extremely…read moreprofessional and worked hard to make sure we had fun and safe dives. Our dive group unanimously agreed that we would dive with these people anytime or anywhere. Highly recommend!!

We went diving in Big Pine and Marathon, 4 dives total. They were some of the best I've ever done…read more We saw sharks, barracuda, lobsters, giant groups, eagle rays, as well as abundant other colorful fish. The reef was vibrant and the water calm. What a great day. Our dive master Jennifer took care of everything. All we had to do was jump in and enjoy the view. I would definitely do it again.

Amazing experience. Son and I did an intro to diving. A morning of pool instruction and then two…read moreopen water dives offshore. TONY made the entire process seamless, fun and incredibly informative. He was so knowledgeable and helpful. I wish I could give more than 5 stars. Captain on the dive boat was incredible as well. Entertaining and nice

I regularly scuba dive with Captain's Corner, and always recommend them in my tourism facing jobs…read moreas the best dive outfit in Key West. Woman-owned and in business for 40 years, the owner is a legendary woman diver on her own right, though Leslie will never tell you that herself. I earned my Divemaster certification with Captain's Corner in 2020 and regard their training as excellent, tailored, and safety oriented. I've dove with other Key West operators, but this is the one most focused on making your experience fun while maintaining high levels of professionalism, expertise, and safety awareness. Plus, I vouch for the quality of their equipment, which I've been renting for 5 years. The mouthpieces are always new, the BCDs well cared for. I personally see the diligence they take in cleaning and caring for their equipment. Not to mention, Key West has some incredible dive sites. On the reef with CC just two days ago, we saw reef sharks, porcupine fish, hogfish, tons of reef fish, and dolphin encounters on the way out and back in to the harbor!

Simonton Street Beach (aka Simpson Street Pier area) is my top pick after hitting five Key West…read morespots it's the smallest public beach, but that makes it the best hidden gem. Tucked at the end of Simonton Street on the Gulf side, it's super convenient: steps from downtown, Duval Street, and the Historic Seaport, with calm, crystal-clear water perfect for swimming or jumping off the concrete pier into refreshing depths where fish swim right below. Locals love it (a friend showed me the ropes, and it's a frequent local fave), and no wonder stunning Gulf sunsets paint the sky orange-pink, soft sand, nearby beach bar for cheap drinks/snacks/chairs, plus restrooms and a boat ramp adding quirky charm. While other beaches can be rocky (water shoes needed), this one's smooth and effortless. Pure, low-key paradise that's close to town yet feels worlds away hands down the best little beach in Key West.

Secret beach tucked in between the Pier House and Hyatt Centric. Lagerheads Beach Bar is the host…read moreof this tiny gem. There is the beach bar which has a bathroom as well as lounge chair and umbrella rentals. There are also small chairs on the beach that are free to use when ordering from the bar. Watersports such as jet skis can be rented from this same area. There is a small pier which we saw people sitting on and jumping off of into the water.

Wow, were we lucky to find Finz when our charter to the Dry Tortugas canceled 5 days before our…read morescheduled excursion! Luckily, Finz had availability - and gratefully, we had Captain Rob and Holly to steer us there! His communication was EXCELLENT with texts in advance to keep me informed and prepared. We took their 37' Park Shark, which comfortably sat us in a cabin with plentiful views. The ride was a bit rougher than a catamaran, but it took us from Key West to the Dry Tortugas where Holly acted as our private tour guide, sharing insights about its history while we enjoyed the migrating birds. Afterwards, we zipped into wet suits that they provided to snorkel around a sunken ship. I'd recommend bringing your own lunch, especially if you have a vegetarian or pescatarian diet, but they kindly provide plenty of snacks and ice water. Captain Rob and Holly made our trip one of our favorite family experiences. Here's a photo and video that Holly took from our snorkel adventure. I highly recommend Finz!

Our party of 6 chartered the Finz Park Shark for a day trip to the Dry Tortugas, where we scuba…read moredove (2 of us) and snorkeled, badly (4 of us). Everything was perfection. The crew was professional, friendly and attentive. We arrived at Fort Jefferson before the ferry, and enjoyed a private tour without the crowds. We visited two separate dive/snorkel sites (cool wrecks!) and lunch on the beach. Not cheap, but definitely the best way to visit the island from Key West, short of buying your own boat. Highly, highly recommend this company.

Located next to Key West Garden Club, we parked near the garden and after visited the garden, we…read morewalked to the pier. Very clear water, we can see fish and even lobsters hiding between the ocean rocks. There were people fishing at the pier.

It's located at the south end of White Street, hence the reason it was called the White Street Pier…read morefor the longest time. Very different than most the piers many of us know that are located along the east and west coasts of Florida. It's not very high above the water. Like most of the keys the water around the pier is very shallow and has large boulders along the sides of the pier so a lot of fish get shelter and there is plenty to see. A lot of locals come here to fish and catch bait. During many special events in Key West, the pier is used such as 4TH of July, the city shoots the fireworks off the end of the pier; which is a huge area.