John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
State park · Key Largo ·
Underwater park with coral reefs, fish, and boat tours
Underwater park with coral reefs, fish, and boat tours
"The Christmas Tree Cave in the French Reef is a popular dive and snorkel site year-round, but there’s something wonderful about visiting the site over the Christmas holiday. The dive site has spectacular coral formations and plenty of Christmas Tree Worms, an ocean worm that resembles a colorful, little Christmas tree after which the site was named." - Evie Carrick Evie Carrick Evie Carrick is a writer and editor who’s lived in five countries and visited well over 50. She now splits her time between Colorado and Paris, ensuring she doesn't have to live without skiing or L'
"John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park near Key Largo is a must for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts visiting the Florida Keys." - Alison Lewis Alison Lewis Alison Lewis is a travel and food journalist, recipe developer, and cookbook author. She has contributed to Travel + Leisure, Coastal Living, Modern Luxury, USA Today, Islands, Southern Living, Cooking Light, Better Homes & Gardens, and many more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"I snorkeled at John Pennekamp State Park to see some of the Keys’ best reefs and the submerged bronze 'Christ of the Abyss' replica, which sits about 25 feet beneath the surface." - Skye Sherman Skye Sherman Skye Sherman is a travel writer based in West Palm Beach, Florida. Aside from traveling, she's also a pilot, scuba diver, bookworm, and fourth-generation Floridian. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Palm Beach Illustrated, Atlas Obscura, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"As the country’s first undersea park, Pennekamp is a hands-on stop in the Upper Keys where I can snorkel, scuba, take glass-bottom-boat tours, and otherwise experience coral-reef wildlife up close." - Patricia Doherty Patricia Doherty Patricia Doherty is a writer who specializes in covering destinations, resorts, and cruises for Travel + Leisure and other publications. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"As the first underwater preserve in the U.S., this park is a must-visit for snorkelers and divers (or by glass-bottom boat, kayak, or paddle board), encompassing, with the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, almost 200 nautical square miles of coral reefs, mangrove swamps, and ocean—the only remaining living reef in the U.S." - Nina Ruggiero Nina Ruggiero Travel + Leisure Senior Editorial Director Nina Ruggiero oversees T+L's award-winning travel content across digital platforms. She is also the co-founder of Be A Travel Writer, an online course for aspiring travel journalists. When she's not traveling between her current home in Los Angeles and T+L HQ in New York City, Nina can often be found in Italy or the UK. She has lived in NYC, LA, Miami, Rome, and Sicily, and has traveled extensively through Europe, the U.S., Asia, the Caribbean, and Mexico, in addition to visiting Botswana, Morocco, New Zealand, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
