This Magical Destination In The Florida Keys Is Home To The First Undersea Park In The US

Florida has no shortage of amazing state and national parks. These places show off Florida's most breathtaking natural springs, iconic wildlife, and famous white sand beaches. Some of the parks in the Sunshine State are mostly — if not entirely — underwater. One of these undersea wonderlands is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park near Key Largo in the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys are home to one of the world's largest barrier reefs, and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is the perfect place to experience this vibrant, yet vulnerable ecosystem.

Once you visit John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, you'll easily see why Miami newspaper editor John Pennekamp advocated for its protection and why in 1963, it became the first underwater park in the United States. To make sense of the park's miles and miles of protected coast, start your journey at the Visitor Center. The huge aquarium here can give you a taste of what is to come when you get out onto the water yourself. The Visitor Center has a Maritime Heritage Exhibit too, where you can learn about multiple shipwrecks excavated near Key Largo.

Check out the wildlife at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park with a glass-bottom boat tour. These 2.5 hour tours take you to shallow waters with excellent coral visibility. Between stops, enjoy the ocean views from the boat's double decker bow and stern. Among the hundreds of species, try to spot anemones, lobster, and parrotfish, snappers.

To get closer to the wildlife, book a snorkeling or scuba diving tour at John Pennekamp. If you don't already have your scuba license, you can get it with the park's PADI classes. For either type of tour, you can bring your own equipment or rent whatever you need. If you want to snorkel without booking a tour, head to Cannon Beach and see if you can find artifacts from an early 18th century shipwreck placed near the shore.

While John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is obviously famous for its amazing coral ecosystems, this natural space has mangroves worth exploring too. Rent a paddleboard, kayak, or a canoe to meander through the aquatic trails surrounded by the seemingly untouched greenery of mangrove plant life. Get your vessel of choice and trail maps at the park's concession area. Reserve any of these tours and rentals online ahead of time.

On land at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, there is a campground for both tent and RV camping. Each reservable campsite has electrical, water, and sewer hookups along with grills and picnic tables. Reserve your spot on the Florida State Parks reservation site. If you have your own house boat, you can even camp right on the water.

No matter how you spend your time at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, remember that coral reefs and mangroves are endangered ecosystems. Both are disappearing all over the world, to the detriment of all living things on earth, including humans. Coral reefs filter out toxic materials in the ocean while mangroves absorb larger amounts of carbon dioxide than forests, which means mangroves can help the fight against climate change. Both coral reefs and mangroves provide homes for hundreds of species and create barriers between land and sea, thus preventing land erosion. We don't want John Pennekamp to be a last chance tourism destination, so do your part to preserve it by treading with caution and leaving nothing behind when you visit.