Great service. Brought my equipment in for a tuneup, reasonably priced and timely. They have a large selection of products as well as a training pool. read more

My husband and I first walked in 01/2026 to sign up for the Open Water class. We just finished our confined water dives this past weekend with Dale Rush. The attention that he has to safety is absolutely incredible. His focus on our wellbeing while showing us the skills we needed was a wonderful experience. If we did anything wrong he corrected us with an outstanding amount of patience, and told us the reasons why. He stays calm even when you're not, reassuring you that he's got your back. I had plenty of options to select the right size wetsuit, and BCD from the rental gear. Their store also has amazing gear that I can't wait to buy. Dale went over features to look out for in our gear, so I'm looking forward to making my first kit purchase with Underwater Safaris. I purchased some gear prior to completing my class online and I regret that. The mask I bought online from a different store did not fit comfortably so it is absolutely recommended that you go into the shop and let them help you fit gear so you're not wasting money in the long run. Be mindful, if you want to purchase your own gear for classes, plan days ahead. I believe we got a great value in our training so far, most importantly because I felt safe. We also learned skills that we are going to be able to use for the rest of our life. Can't wait for the 4 quarry dives with Dale! read more

Hannah was a great instructor - clear, patient and helped me to succeed. Would not have passed the certification without her. Ashton, Ali, Gabe, Jeff and Sam made my open water dive a great experience. They explained clearly and guided and helped us. They were all patient and kind - all of them helped me to understand and get certified. read more

My daughter and I signed up for PADI open water certification. The folks here are amazing. Hannah was our dive instructor for the pool classes - she was patient, kind, smart, helpful and a lot of fun. Our open water dive guys were Matt also named Matthew (lol), Michael, Gabe, Aiden and Orist (sp?). They too, were all very patient - gave everyone the time needed to finish each exercise. They were a lot of fun and very informative (about all kinds of things) as well. The dive shop is staffed with extremely friendly, helpful people. They are willing to help with gear, give you great advice and and generally super nice people. I'd just like to hang out with them - just for fun. I love this shop. read more

Wow where to begin..... First of all, a wind and pleasant family business!!!!!! Marianne has sooo much knowledge it's unbelievable! She is such a pleasure to speak with! Jet son Jason is incredibly knowledgeable on equipment. Has great suggestions and up to date on all current tech!!!! Stacy is a great person and already taken the reigns and making new divers and old divers (like my self) eager for new diving experiences!!!!!!! Stacy was first person I met. She happily answered all questions and concerns. This is the place it started for me!!! January of 2015 I went to a beginner , getting open water certified to DM!!!! I have been on group trips and admit I can't wait for more!!!!!! Everyone there reaped me in and I. Any get enough!!!!! I can never repay the great life time experiences I have because of everyone at Underwater Safaris!!!!! THANK YOU!!!! read more

Underwater Safaris - Snorkeling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The only dive shop in Chicago I will ever use. My first interaction with UWS was back in December when I did the classroom and pool work for the PADI Open Water certification. Ashton was my instructor and he did an excellent job of not only teaching the material in an easy to digest manner, he also made sure everyone was comfortable in and under the water. Diving can be very intimidating your first time, but Ashton did a great job getting our class comfortable breathing underwater. I later did my four "open water" dives with Mark and Greg at Haigh Quarry, they are fantastic instructors as well! They do a great job of making diving FUN while learning all the skills and drills, and while they do an excellent job teaching as a pair I wouldn't hesitate for a second to hire either of them for private lessons. Stacy in the shop sold me all my gear after I got fully infected with the diving bug, and I couldn't be happier with her recommendations. Getting into a new water hobby is intimidating in a lot of ways (is it dangerous? Can I do it? How much will this cost?) Stacy, Ashton, Mark, and Greg eased all of my fears, made diving FUN, and best of all, affordable! Class prices include all the gear rental so there are no hidden fees or expensive startup costs to get into the sport, which is great if it something you aren't sure you will like. But after you take your first breath underwater I doubt you will want to stop. If you have always wondered about diving, let UWS show the way, you won't be disappointed. read more

Underwater Safaris - Haigh Quarry - Open Water dive site - Snorkeling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had such a great experience with Underwater Safaris. I signed up to do my confined water dives for my PADI Open Water certification, and both classes were extremely informative and helpful. Ashton was such a patient and thorough teacher, asking frequently if we had questions and clarified anything the group wasn't sure about. He made it a super comfortable environment and was a great teacher. The staff followed all the appropriate COVID protocols and didn't let it interfere with the quality of the trainings. I will definitely recommend anyone looking for dive certification to come here! read more

An AWESOME urban oasis! Convenient and fun, UWS is a great way to refresh your diving skills, add a certification ahead of a destination trip, or just experience the thrill of being "under the sea". The friendly and knowledgeable staff have a great vibe that you want to be part of when you visit their fully stocked shop - complete with an indoor pool! John, Jason, and Stacy made our recent certification super easy, efficient and fun! If you are looking to energize your summer in Chicago, stop into this Lincoln Park/Lakeview oasis and give it a try! read more

COVID Update: I absolutely love this dive shop, and I'm happy they are adjusting to the mess that is 2020. They are offering limited store hours (posted on their website), and are also offering online shopping for added convenience. In addition, certain classes are available in an online format, so you can add some skills from the safe comfort of your own home! This is a great family-owned small business, so please try to support them while we wait for the world to return to normal. If you're like me, your post-COVID travel bucket list keeps growing, so make sure you're ready to dive in, as soon as it's safe to travel again! read more

I recently moved to the area and several friends told me I need to take up diving. I'd looked into diving in the past, so I knew that PADI was main certifcation agency. I saw there was only one PADI shop in the Chicago area, Underwater Safaris, and that it actually had pretty decent reviews. I decided to stop in to look at gear and inquire about the classes. I walked in, and for a second wondered if anyone was around. I didn't see anybody when I walked in, and I didn't hear anyone call up or greet me. I started looking at the gear while I waited for someone to come up to the storefront. As I came around to the counter, I saw there was actually someone working. A middle aged lady was staring at her computer. I approached that counter, and the lady continued to ignore me. I had to actually step up and say "excuse me" before the lady looked over. She seemed genuinely annoyed that I was bothering her. I asked about signing up for classes and the lady said she could give me some brochures, or I could check it out online since all the information was there. Throughout the conversation, she continued to look back at her computer screen. She never apologized for not noticing me, and I don't know if she was multitasking or if she was doing something and I was keeping her from it. Either way, I felt that it was a rude way to talk to a potential customer. I decided to leave and look elsewhere for dive lessons. If this is the type of service they offer, I don't know that I'd like to support their business. read more

Great opportunity in Chicago to learn how to dive and master any other skills taught by professional staff.

The more I dive, the more I love diving. I did my open water here, the place is clean, well-stocked for everything you need for the certification (including all the wet suit components you need to do the certification at the chilly Haigh Quarry in May). The instructors were fun, and it was fun hanging out with the fellow classmates at the classroom/pool and the quarry. I had a family emergency that needed to reschedule my open water certification dates to another weekend, they were understanding and accommodated me for the rescheduling. read more

My husband and I had scuba diving on our bucket list for years. We had the pleasure of taking a Scuba class with Ashton Kinsey. His lessons and demonstrations were clear,concise, and well-paced for every student in the class. If anything was not clear on the written test, he would sit with us for each question and thoroughly explain the proper way of answering for a given scenario. For the certification weekend, we felt very prepared and we're able to don/doff the equipment easily and execute all the skills required and then some. Ashton is a very patient instructor and will make for an enjoyable experience. I must also note that Underwater Safaris took the initiative to ensure our health and safety during the pandemic. Although, I doubt the efficacy of gaiter we were required to wear but at least the effort was made to minimize the spread of covid and we noticed we were one of the few groups at the Haigh Quarry to wear them. Looking forward to taking more classes! read more

Love this place! Marianne, Jason and the whole team at Underwater Safaris are wonderful. I've been shopping there and diving with them since 1990 and am honored to call them friends as well. Over the years I have joined the team for a number of dive trips to the Bahamas, Cozumel and Roatán and met countless fun divers along the way. I am especially grateful for their help servicing the equipment. Knowing how much they care and knowing what a great job they do gives me tremendous peace-of-mind and has saved a few dive trips along the way. I absolutely love Underwater Safaris and am happy to give them my highest recommendation. read more

I recently completed my Open Water pool dives with Underwater Safaris and I could not recommend them enough. From the first time I walked in, everyone who was working in the shop was more than patient in answering all of my questions (and I had plenty!). Everything from the course materials, to what skills I would have to learn to which equipment to purchase. I always felt confident that I was choosing the best option for me. I never felt pressured or rushed to buy something I did not need or want. And the fact that everyone who works here is so knowledgeable and passionate about Scuba diving, only helped me feel more confident about my equipment and getting started. This approach carried over to the actual course with Ashton which is done over the course of 2 weeks, 2 nights as week (they also have weekend-only options). You have to do some reading and homework prior to the start of class. But this is supplemented with do plenty of reviews of the material before taking a review quiz. Ashton is a great instructor in that he ensures that everything is clear to students, will pause to ask if anyone has questions before moving on and explains everything in great detail. If you do have a question, he will answer it knowledgeably, speaking to both the material as well as his own diving experience, which helps put any concerns you may have at ease. He also will explain all of the pool skills thoroughly and answer any questions you may have before you do them yourself. I found this approach to work well for me and I feel prepared to take on the Open Water dives to finalize my certification. Having done a couple of Discover Scuba diving courses before with other shops, I wasn't entirely new to the world of Scuba. But UW's level of experience, organization and willingness to help, all means that I will keep coming back here for more equipment, further certifications and scuba trips in the future. read more

Needed a checkout dive since I hadn't dove in a few years. They got me in right away. Stacy and I were in their on site pool and she reviewed everything with me! I felt a lot safer and more confident when I left. It was fabulous! read more

Great place to do get scuba gear and to do training. Very friendly and cool people. I did my padi license there, Jamie was a great instructor very knowledgeable and made the training fun. read more

Just finished my open water class with Ashton. He was awesome!! I honestly started the class with a lot of anxiety about scuba diving, but Ashton was very patient and took the time to get me comfortable and learn all of the skills necessary. I left the class feeling confident for my open water dives. Due to COVID, they've reduced class sizes from 8 people to 3 and they are very careful with safety protocols. For example, Ashton wore a face covering even in the pool. We were required to as well. I felt extremely safe. I think this is actually the best time to take class, given the reduced class size. Definitely recommend Underwater Safaris and Ashton!!! read more

I decided to finallyy write a review for Underwater Safaris because I'm so sad that they had to temporarily close!! I did my scuba lessons here before a dive trip to the Caribbeans and I can't express enough how amazing the staff and the facility was! Had such a great experience and I am definitely going to be coming back once they are open to get further certifications! If you're looking for a place to get certified I HIGHLY recommend coming here! You'll feel like family with how everyone treats you. The instructor made the class SO much fun and I didn't feel rushed, or incompetent for not getting something on the first try. Thank you to everyone here at Underwater Safaris!! :) :) read more

Very easy shop to find and friendly staff. I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Ashton Kinsey, of Underwater Safaris Chicago. I flew up to Chicago for my OW certification, and Ashton was an amazing instructor throughout the entire dive process. It was cold, and I felt bad, but Ashton kept putting my worries aside. I still do feel a little bad about having him go into the 45 degree water, but he was calm about it and he ensured everything was completed accurately. Ashton didn't leave room for error. If I did something wrong, he would calmly explain it and we'd do it again to get it right. Ashton is patient, and he has a great way of putting people at ease. I was nervous, but his clear and precise instructions on what we'd be doing were exactly what I needed. Whenever we went under the water, he was right there to ensure everything was going smoothly. While we were just swimming around, he'd look over and ask how I was doing every few minutes. When I corked for some reason, he was patient on getting me back down to the bottom, and explained what had caused me to cork. I feel as if I learned more from him over the course of these four dives than I did throughout the course itself. While going through the course, I had two different instructors who used slightly different signals, but it wasn't explained what those signals were. Ashton would explain everything before we would submerge. Furthermore, he didn't try to push a product on me that I didn't really need. I'd ask about things, and he'd tell me the honest positives and negatives about certain types of gear and his recommendations for them as a new diver. I don't know what UWS Chicago does to recognize its amazing instructors, but I truly believe Ashton deserves some award or recognition for his awesome performance over the course of the cold weekend. He has certainly gone above and beyond what was required of him, and I wish I lived in Chicago so I could do all of my future training through him. read more

Great dive shop! My 14 year-old daughter took a group scuba certification class with Jamie O'Connor. He was patient, supportive, knowledgable and friendly. She really enjoyed the course and came out ready to do her open water certification dive on a Caribbean vacation. read more

I returned to Underwater Safaris today, I haven't had the need for many years. I took a Refresher course prior to an upcoming Caribbean dive. It's great to see a local business continue to operate with the same integrity as they have since the beginning. If you are interested in any level of SCUBA, this is definitely a place to check out. read more

This place is great! I had signed up to go on my first snorkeling trip and was nervous since I am not the strongest swimmer to begin with. I signed up for a few lessons with Ashton and he was awesome! Ashton was a great instructor, very patient, and gave me a ton of tips that led to me have a fantastic time on my first snorkeling excursion. I would definitely recommend Underwater Safaris and Ashton! read more

This place is great. I was certified years ago..went for a refresh. I was very very fortunate to have Ashton as my instructor. Perfect balance of dry wit- but 100 % serious about delivering the instruction. He was also super nice and respectful. I was a college athlete/swimmer...but honestly I am old enough to be his mother. He was super chill...nice..no eye rolling. Love this place. read more

I purchased a gift for my wife just before a holiday dive trip. It turned out to not be to her liking. I inquired about returning the unopened item 2 weeks later upon returning. The item was still brand new and sealed in the box. I was given a choice of a credit or refund less a 15% restocking fee. This shop is not that close to me so it would be a bit of a hassle to go there frequently to use up the credit. So I ended up paying $45 to have them put the item back on the shelf, which is poor customer policy. Buy your items elsewhere. read more

jan 2019: in response to the owner's response, which is another example of her transparent hustling, i was never offered a partial or full refund. what i was offered was to bring back the fins that we were told were $10-15 more but were closer to $50 more and exchange them for the less expensive, larger fins and receive the monetary difference. in hindsight i should have said something about what felt like bait and switch at the time of purchase, but i waited to mention it until i returned to try out the gear which was also an unpleasant experience. when we bought the gear, we were told that using the pool was free for buyers to try out their new stuff. when i showed up to do so, i was asked if i paid the $50 hourly rental cost for the pool. when i said that i was told i could use the pool for free, the woman with colored red hair said, "i told you that because i liked you. we don't let everyone use it for free." i felt so uncomfortable with the accumulating conflicts in what was said with what was reality that i bailed on trying out the gear (please see her response to my original review). also, ends up the mask i was sold doesn't fit my face well, per my dive teacher. i appreciate a good hustle, but not this time. read more

Jamie was a phenomenal teacher more than willing to go the speed of the class or individual (I did both group and private classes with him) to make sure everyone was comfortable. Jamie also went out of his way, giving me private open water dives at stupid in the morning when my schedule went haywire, to make sure I was able to complete my certification in my very hectic schedule. Learning was thorough and simple to understand. The process itself is very intuitive, set up for visual, physical, or book learners. read more

I thoroughly enjoyed the Open Water Pool class. I found it very educational and beneficial. Jaime is a wonderful teacher. I am looking forward to finishing my certification in May with Open Water Dives at Haigh Quarry through Underwater Safaris. read more

I had high expectations when I walked into Underwater Safaris to take my open-water certification class. My only impression outside of the class was that I had a very positive experience when purchasing my gear and that Jean, the staff member who coordinates the classes, was very organized, responsive, and together. I was prepared, geek that I am, having read all the materials beforehand. The classroom portion also went well, and I felt like the instructor, Mike, really knew his stuff. Then we got into the pool and things took a turn for the worse. I really don't think Mike should be teaching. He has a wealth of information, but absolutely no patience. If you don't get it the first time, he gives up. This was weird to me as he seemed to emphasize that when you dive, you are taking a risk and need to be as safe and thorough as possible. To make things even weirder, at the end of class, Mike turned on the schmooze and asked if I was going to do my open-water dives (which are an additional charge) with Underwater Safaris. A colleague of mine was certified with her family and had the opposite experience. Jean was their instructor, and wouldn't move forward until all four of them, including two kids, had mastered each step. FYI, even though kids can get certified, they don't provide kid-sized tanks, which made things kind of tough for my friend's 11-year-old. I also think the fact that they make you buy all the gear is kind of lame. It would be great if Underwater Safaris supplied gear for its students. I would even pay a rental fee instead of having to purchase it. According to my colleague, they will loan you the gear if you request it, but it is with great reluctance. read more

4 Trips. 2 employees. As in, 4 trips out to my car to get 2 full tanks, a (heavy!) 2 piece neoprene wetsuit, BC, regulators, a hood and gloves into the trunk. 2 employees who stood there, talking to each other, watching me do this, without so much as a peep asking me if I wanted their help. You know, like I was a customer or something. Christ. Now, I know that as a female diver, heavy gear is part of the deal. And I can carry it all, it just takes a bit longer, with more trips. But come on! Other than that, its conveniently located (much closer than Scuba Systems) and yes- the shop is pretty. But service is poor. The guy that rented me gear for my check out dives made me get my instructor to email him to verify I was a student and would be with an instructor. I can kind of understand this, but you think if I was throwing out my teachers name- who every shop in Chicago knows, I would be for real. But whatever. If you have a car, go to Scuba Systems. If not, you're stuck with Underwater Safaris. But don't expect them to help you with your gear. read more

I did my Open Water course at Underwater Safaris and had a very positive experience. John Quigley, my instructor was thorough and demanding, and made quite sure everyone knew what they were doing. It is very common in PADI courses that all students are passed, regardless of their preparedness. After having done a fair number of dives in various locations and conditions, I can appreciate what a poor policy that is. There is nothing scarier than being buddied up with a subpar diver who could very well end their life and yours during the course of the next 60 - 90 minutes. And nothing is more dismaying than witnessing a crappy diver bang the living polyps out of a reef. Well, there was no blowing of sunshine up anyone's ass during those few weeks with John! No one was leaving the pool before they'd got the hang of their skills. Alas, a few students in my class did quit but not everyone who signs up for a dive course is meant to be a diver. If you think that's harsh, wait til someone descends onto your head and bitch-slaps you with their fins before disappearing in a cloud of silt. It's true that UWS cannot match the prices offered by some online vendors. That's the case with most local dive shops because they have higher overhead costs. In return, they offer personalised customer service. The benefit of going to your LDS for critical gear such as regs, gauges or BCDs is that you get to test the equipment to be sure it's right for you. When I experienced problems with the pressure gauge I'd bought from UW Safaris, it was a cinch getting it replaced. The same goes with the annual servicing of my reg. And you can never underestimate the value of getting the opinion or advice of a real live person. It's probably OK to purchase gear such as masks or fins online (if you're sure of the fit). On the other hand, I was never able to get service for a buggy dive computer I'd purchased online. That's not to say everyone would experience similar problems, but I think it's important to recognise that it can be worth a few extra dollars to establish a relationship with people who can help you directly. So far, I've found everyone at UW Safaris to be competent and helpful. The only possible negative point I could raise is for people who deal with claustrophobia. The pool that they use for confined water sessions at UWS is not very big. Throw 6 - 8 people in there, each with a full set of gear on, and it can feel a little crowded. Aside from that, I am very happy to recommend Underwater Safaris to anyone looking to take up the most amazing hobby that is diving. Fin. read more

I was referred to Underwater Safaris by a friend that had gone there to complete his Open Water Scuba Certification back in 2010. He raved about the service and urged me to give it a try. After taking the "Discover Scuba" course ($50) I decided to go ahead and proceed with training for my PADI Open Water Certification. I did all of my training at Underwater Safaris and had the amazing instructor Orest (like Forest without the O). His combination of experience, patience and comforting humor made my time in the water and classroom top notch. I would highly recommend him and the center to anyone curious about scuba diving. I was debating whether to certify here (@ Haigh Quarry) or in Mexico on my vacation and I'm SO happy I decided to stay in town. Being able to certify at the quarry with Orest was perfect... just having already established that level of trust and comfort with him and carrying that over from the pool to the open water was well worth it. I'd actually suggest everyone get some experience diving here first before heading into the ocean. As long as you know how to swim and have an overall comfort in the water scuba diving could be for you. Underwater Safaris offers a nice "Discover Scuba" course for $50 which gives you an opportunity to have an instructor brief you over the basics and try the gear out in the pool. It's a lot of fun and offers the chance to see if scuba diving is something you want to pursue. The staff at Underwater Safaris is extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful aiding newbies and experienced divers in their underwater journey. I'd recommend this place to everyone. read more

I recommend Underwater Safari's for all your scuba diving needs. I became certified last September thanks to the staff at Underwater Safari's and have now been able to see the world in a whole new way, life has never been more exciting. This does not go without challenges, I had my share! Thanks to Orest and Jean, I was able to push through my mask challenges and fear to become the fish I am today!! Diving is awesome, and with the staff at Underwater Safari's you feel like you have a whole family to share your new hobby with. Just moved here? The store has dive trips going on year round, we are hoping to go on one soon, will update then!! Should you have any questions, or need more info I would be happy to discuss further. "Up on the shore they work all day, out in the sun they slave away; while we devotin' full time to floatin under the sea!" read more

The instruction I received from Underwater Safaris was prepared me for my openwater certification. The instructors and the class material was more than sufficient. Orest was my instructor and brought interest and full safety understanding about diving. I read some of the negative reviews and my response is to take the weekday class, and not the weekend class. I am never a fan of "crash courses". And you can't expect the pool to be free of debris with that much traffic. And if you need help pulling in your gear, just ask, the staff is more than willing to help. I found the facility to be clean and the staff to be friendly. I recommend Underwater Safari, hit me up if you have any questions read more

I just completed my certification class and was thrilled with the experience. The dive shop is so relaxed and laid back. Mary Ann was really helpful when I went to get my gear, and spent time talking to me and my boyfriend about great places to dive on our upcoming trip to Hawaii. A lot of people here talk about how expensive the gear is, but there are several packages you can choose from--and the gear is high quality and will last awhile--you won't be replacing it every year. Plus, if you are unhappy with how things fit/feel in the water they will happily exchange until you find something you feel good diving in. I did the T/TR class and highly recommend this schedule. I never felt like we were rushing through material and moved at a really comfortable pace. My instructor (Orest) was really cool and offered a lot of great insight into diving. He was really patient and worked with us individually if we were struggling with a water skill. I felt totally comfortable in his hands. Even though I spent a few hours with my group a couple days a week, the camaraderie was awesome--we even hit the bar down the street a few times after class! I highly recommend Underwater Safaris! read more

First out a shout out to Ashton for teaching me to dive! A cool dude who'd I trust to take me diving anytime. Underwater safari is very professional and I recommend it for anyone living in Chicago who is looking to get Open water PADI certified over the course of 2 weekends (4 days total). The indoor dives are done in the store itself which is very convenient.The classroom and pool itself are a clean and a comfortable place to learn. The staff are also friendly and patient. As convenient and on one end of the spectrum as the indoor dives are, the outdoor dives are equally INCONVENIENT and on the polar opposite end. My only gripe with the training here is that you have to drive 65 miles south to Kankakee to do your open water dives. The open water portion consists of 4 dives spread over a weekend. In other words you have to wake up early and drive to Kankakee and do 2 dives twice. These dives take a lot out of you and that second day of driving and diving was brutal. For comparison sake, my wife was able to get PADI Open Water certified during our vacation to the Caribbean over 3 days and at a much cheaper rate. If you got time on your vacation, consider getting certified at that location because it might be cheaper and more efficient Overall: 4 stars-- If you are living in Chicago and looking to get PADI certified, you'll be hard pressed to do better than Underwater Safari. The staff is friendly,thorough, and professional. Bare in mind that the open water dive site is far away and not in Lake Michigan read more

I just completed my dive certification and had a great time doing so with Underwater Safaris. Everyone on staff was very helpful and friendly! I took the T/Th class with Orest, and he was a fantastic instructor! Reading my homework for that first class, I felt a bit intimidated about what I had signed myself up for. Orest quickly put me at ease, reviewing the text and doing the pool work. He was very patient, and thorough teaching us our skills. My nerves were quickly put to ease. I felt very confident after each class and going into the open water dive with the help of Orest. He even was able to finish the class early so I could sign up for the weekend open water dive prior to my trip. I'm looking forward to planning more dive trips now that I'm certified Thanks to Underwater Safaris! read more

Just completed the PADI Open Water Certification through Underwater Safaris. The whole experience was great. From my initial meeting with Marianne, the owner who assisted me with filling out forms, picking out gear to my instructor Orest who was the BEST. He genuinely cared about everyone in the class fully understanding the concepts and covering all the safety/emergency procedures in great detail. My class was filled with some really great people. The class I took was the 2-week Tuesday/Thursday, 4 hours each night - about 1.5 hours for the classroom/academic material, the remainder in the pool. I would highly recommend this class, especially if you have a busy schedule. There is a LOT of material that is covered and it gives you time to absorb the information. I know for me personally - I would hate the condensed weekend class. 5 stars to Underwater Safaris for their excellent program and staff. If you've ever wanted to become a PADI certified diver - this place is unmatched. read more

This review is long overdue. I took their PADI certification class in October with my open water dives in mid-October. I was able to take advantage of their fall special and save some money! Classroom and pool instruction are conveniently in one location. Classes were not terribly difficult since the book is very straightforward and my instructor, Ashtin was able to answer all questions. Also, the DVD is helpful if you don't feel like reading the book. A little comical, but effective. I had difficulty with the pool exercises because I was just learning how to swim and never wore fins before. The classes are small so you get to bond with your classmates quickly. I just have to point out that my instructor, Ashtin, has the patience of a saint! Let's just say that I wish there was a way to raise the minimum age requirement and require a parenting skills test. After I passed the class, we had our open water dives at Haigh Quarry in Kankakee. The quarry is quaint and customer service was good. I wish the changing rooms had better lighting in them. We dove in separate groups and I managed to do 3/4 dives on Saturday. I would recommend doing your open water dives during the summer instead of October when it's roughly 40 degrees outside! But I had my instructor Ashtin, Batman (I forgot his real name, but if you take your open water dives and see his scuba hood, you'll know what I mean!) and sometimes Jordan in the water with my group. My last dives on Sunday was probably the worst. I came in sounding a little congested and therefore couldn't equalize properly for my last dives to the point where I actually had a small bloody nose at the end of the day. I had to do my fourth dive twice with Jordan as my buddy. I wish I had Ashtin instead because even though Jordan was specifically assigned to me, I could tell she wasn't paying attention. During my second attempt. I had accidentally surfaced and was floating above everyone. She didn't even notice that I was gone by the time I descended again. During my first attempt, she kept trying to descend, but I was shaking my head since my ear was hurting terribly. When I went to the doctor the next day (for something totally unrelated), she said I had broken a blood vessel in my ear. After the dives, we received our temporary cards and returned our gear the next day. I do sincerely apologize to Jean because I meant to call her back when she heard about what happened to me. I got caught up in leaving a job/moving into another job that I haven't been able to call her back and give her an update. But I'm fine now! No hole in my ear drum. Aside from my own personal troubles which are mostly my fault, I do highly recommend Underwater Safaris. They are super knowledgeable, convenient given that they have their own pool and even have fun contests like underwater pumpkin carving! read more

I am shocked by the negative reviews on yelp about Underwater Safaris. Having been a certified diver since 1986, and dealt with countless dive shops in other states and countries, I have no difficulty saying that Underwater Safaris is top-notch. Here is a summary of why: My wife's training experience was superlative. Mind you, my wife was somewhat nervous about scuba diving in general, and went to her first open water class at Underwater Safaris quite reluctantly. But Jean, her instructor, completely put her at ease and actually made her excited to become a diver. My wife tells me that Jean is a dedicated, patent, thorough and careful instructor. Jean makes students feel at ease and not "under the microscope" if they do not master a skill on the first try. So Underwater Safaris is an excellent choice for the beginning diver. It is also a perfect choice for more advanced divers. I took their rescue diver course recently and was thrilled with the instruction I received. My instructors, Mike Hodgetts and Joe Collins, were -- like Jean -- patient, professional, thorough and careful. Rescue is a very difficult course, but Mike and Joe were simply fantastic instructors and made the course challenging, of course, but manageable. Plus, they are very humorous, affable guys, so I actually had fun throughout the course. Finally, their facilities and location make everything from confined water training to equipment rental very easy for Chicagoans. They have an excellent location with plenty of street parking (plus a loading zone). They have a huge selection of inventory, and are very, very knowledgeable about it. Although you do have to purchase basic scuba equipment (mask, fins, snorkel) to go through training, there is no sales pressure for anything else. In short, I recommend Underwater Safaris as highly as possible. They have been a PADI Five Star dive shop since 1986 for a reason! read more