Central Florida is home to some of the most beautiful and exciting scuba diving sites. Central Florida is affectionately known as “cave country” to the diving world. This is due to its freshwater springs and rivers being connected to some of the most beautiful caverns you can find in North America, second to only Mexico. You can spend the day submerged in clear water, exploring amazing cavern structures, checking out the local fish and turtles that inhabit these special places, and seeing a side of scuba diving that few get to experience!
Are you an adventure seeker looking to take your skills to the next level? Consider taking a PADI Rescue Diver Course and becoming a certified diver capable of saving lives. With a rescue diver certification, you will be more comfortable exploring new areas, knowing that could an emergency happen, you will be knowledgeable and prepared with training in emergency management, accident prevention, oxygen delivery and more!
So here we are! This blog will cover the top scuba diving sites in Central Florida that should be on every adventure seeker’s must-do list! Prepare to be amazed.
Top Adventure Scuba Diving Locations in Central Florida
- Blue Grotto – Williston, FL
Blue Grotto in Williston, FL is one of the most popular diving destinations in the area, offering an abundance of room and a large open cavern to explore. Divers can explore the contours of a 100-foot deep dive site with many attractions to see, such as an air bell at 35 feet, several statues at 45-60 feet, and you can even go all the way to the cave entrance at 100 feet. Passing
this area as a recreational diver is prohibited without cavern/cave certifications.
Blue Grotto has a well build entry platform that can accommodate giant strides, steps into the water, and even areas to hang off sidemount tanks at each corner. Once you decend you will find a huge school of fish waiting to greet you at about 20 feet. From there the adventure just gets better!
Blue Grotto is the biggest training site in Central Florida and people come from hours away to train at this unique dive site. Because of this, it is typically busy and the best time to dive this site is first thing in the morning. Interested in a private tour? Sign up for a guided dive HERE on our retail site!
- Ginnie Springs – High Springs, FL
Ginnie Springs in High Springs, Florida, is a nature lover’s dream. The springs and river are renowned for their unusually clear waters providing beautiful visibility for scuba divers. Multiple diving sites at Ginnie Springs range from shallow dives to advanced depths. The site is perfect for divers of any level, and its springs are an excellent spot for underwater photography.
The most popular area of Ginnie Springs is the Ballroom which provides an amazing underwater experience. It is home to aquatic life from the nearby river, and its clear waters provide perfect visibility for divers. This is a great area to train newer divers. It has a large cavern opening as well into Ginnie Cavern, a massive open area with a max depth of 50 feet. Here you can go all the way up to a welded grate where you can feel the massive flow of water coming from below into the cavern.
The entrance to its cave system, “Devil’s Ear,” is near the park. From this location, divers can travel up to 3500 feet into the cave system and explore towering rock walls, along with plenty of unique attractions, such as fossils and prehistoric bones.
Popular activities at Ginnie Springs also include snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, and tubing. Interested in having someone show you around? You can sign up with Aegir Diving School for a private or small group guided dive of the area.
- Devils Den – Williston, FL
The diving site ‘Devils Den’ in Williston, Florida, is a world-renowned natural underwater sinkhole and spring attracting divers for over six decades. Another primary training site, this open water sinkhole has areas of depth up to about 45 feet. There are amazing swimthroughs to explore here as your comfort and experience increase. Dive down to the deepest accessible areas and you will see fossils in the walls where the surface of the land was.
The facility has plenty of amenities and facilities to make diving here easier and safer. For those who wish to stay a bit longer, a few campsites are available at the Devils Den, and plenty of amenities nearby in nearby Williston, Florida. Devil’s Den is a wonderful place for novices and experienced divers alike and offers an incredible glimpse into the pre-historic past.
Devil’s Den also is great to bring your family too! They allow snorkelers with prior reservation to explore the water at the dive site while you complete your dive. While it is a very safe dive, you may not see all the cool things the first time. If you’d like a guided trip of it, let us know. You can sign up HERE!
- Rainbow River – Dunnellon
The Rainbow River, located in Dunnellon, Florida, is a popular spot for scuba diving and snorkeling. With clear waters, a sandy bottom, and heaps of marine life, Rainbow River is a must-visit dive site. It is located north of the I-75 near the city of Dunnellon, and the town of Dunnellon is located on the edge of the Rainbow River, making it ideal for both residents and visitors to the area looking to experience the beauty of scuba diving.
The Rainbow River is almost six miles long and clears up to fifty feet of visibility in some spots. Its springs feed over five hundred gallons of freshwater per minute and boast a variety of wildlife that can be seen by divers and snorkelers alike. The sand bottom will eventually give way to limestone rock at around twenty feet of depth, and the river then leads into the Withlacoochee River, where saltwater enters and contributes to the river’s unique biodiversity. Popular dive spots include K.P. Hole, an area known for its synthetic dive structure, which provides wonderful opportunities for photos and exploration.
- Paradise Springs – Ocala
Paradise Spring is a one of a kind dive site that must be seen to appreciate. Privately owned, this dive site in Ocala, Florida boasts a 100 foot deep sinkhole that then turns into part of a cave system below that
depth. This dive requires you to be Advanced Open Water to dive per the dive site. This amazing site is just a short walk through a natural rock pathway leading into the spring.
In the dive site, you will find many fossils and signs of habitation from prehistoric times. This dive site requires at least one flashlight, with a minimum recommendation of two for emergencies. You will find enough points of interest in this cavern to make for two full dives.
This site does not have air fill or rental capabilities. They do have a restroom/changing room onsite as well as benches and areas to sit down and snack during surface intervals. Interested in a private showing of this dive site. We can take you on a tour of this dive site. Just reach out to us to sign up!
- Catfish Hotel – Chiefland
Catfish Hotel is a captivating dive site located within Manatee Springs State Park in Chiefland, Florida. This unique underwater cavern offers an intriguing experience for divers. Here are the highlights:
The offset sinkhole known as Catfish Hotel spans approximately 125 feet across at its widest point. The
north side features a slightly overhanging wall that drops to depths of around 50 feet at a large cavern entrance. Facing this entrance, divers encounter a steeply-sloping bottom covered in tree trunks and algae.
The first 20 feet of the cavern are adequately illuminated by daylight, revealing stunning limestone formations. Beyond this zone, a strong current can pull divers away, so following the no-lights rule is crucial. Catfish Hotel is often covered with a layer of duckweed, which looks like pond scum but is actually the world’s smallest flowering plant. When divers’ bubbles break the surface, sunlight streaming through the duckweed creates dramatic visual effects.
Diving at Catfish Hotel requires caution and respect for the environment. Conduct your safety stop as close to your exit point as possible to emerge from the water largely duckweed-free. Be aware that water levels can vary significantly, affecting visibility. Sometimes you can see almost from one side of the cavern to the other, while other times it may drop to 10 to 15 feet.
- Troy Springs – Branford
Troy Springs State Park offers a captivating scuba diving experience in the heart of rural Florida. The basin of Troy Springs spans approximately 138×118 feet, providing ample room for multiple groups of 
divers. The spring reaches a depth of 60+ feet, with fluctuations based on water levels. Visibility varies due to factors like the Suwannee River’s flow. Notably, the submerged remains of the Civil War-era steamboat Madison lie within the spring run. The ghostly imprint of the ship is visible on clear water days. Divers can explore both shallow and deeper areas, encountering a multitude of fish and limestone formations. Remember, only certified open-water scuba divers are allowed, and solo diving is prohibited.
Round Up!
If you are looking for a unique adventure in Central Florida, scuba diving is an ideal way to explore the area’s natural beauty. Central Florida offers a variety of stunning and amazing scuba diving sites. Whether you are an experienced diver or a beginner, there is a scuba diving location for everyone! To experience all these amazing underwater sites, plan your next scuba diving vacation to Central Florida now and start an unforgettable journey!
If visiting the site is not enough, we also do training in Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Drift Diving, Rescue, and more classes at the various sites mentioned above.
