7 of the best scuba diving destinations in the USA

From artifact-filled quarries and historic shipwrecks planted in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea to thrilling shark encounters in the Pacific, you don’t have to leave the USA to experience a diverse and vibrant underwater world. 

There are endless dive sites in the USA that are suitable for everyone, from beginner divers to experienced pros, exploring everything from warm tropical oceans to cold water lakes. And American dive shops can help you learn to dive on courses certified by PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors – the most recognized dive training system worldwide.

Whether you are just starting out as a diver or have hundreds of dives under your belt, here are six of the best US dive sites to put on your must-dive list.

1. Molokini Crater, Maui, Hawaii

What to expect: Home to a multitude of sharks, eels and manta rays, the Molokini Crater off the island of Maui in Hawaii is a partially submerged volcanic caldera, celebrated for its clear visibility and diverse coral landscapes full of cauliflower and tube corals. Dives range from shallow reef dives inside the crater to the "back wall" – a popular place for drift and wall dives at around 80ft, visited by gray, white and blacktip reef sharks.

What to know: Early morning dives typically provide optimal visibility at the crater. You can dive year-round as the water temperature rarely drops below 75°F.

How to make it happen: Dive Wailea and Ali‘i Nui Sailing Charters offer rental gear, certification courses and guided scuba tours. Visitors can combine a dive at Molokini with an excursion aboard the newly built Ali‘i Kai Catamaran – sunset dinner cruises feature gourmet Pacific Rim cuisine and a top-shelf open bar.

2. Burlington Bay Horse Ferry, Burlington, Vermont

What to expect: Powered by a horse-operated treadmill, horse ferries were a common mode of transport in the 19th century for crossing rivers and lakes. Vermont's Lake Champlain, the ninth largest freshwater lake in the United States, hides the wreck of one of these historic horse ferries – today a thrilling dive site.

Dating back to the first half of the 19th century, this time-worn wooden vessel is 63ft long and 23ft wide and sits at a depth of 50ft. The lake's cool waters have preserved many features – look for the remnants of the paddle wheels' iron hubs and oak spokes. Post-dive, you can learn more about the lake's wrecks at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Ferrisburgh.

What to know: Drysuit diving is recommended, as the water temperature ranges from around 40°F to a high of just over 70°F in the summer. Visibility ranges from 10ft to 30ft, and the dive season runs from May to October.

How to Make it Happen: Burlington's Waterfront Diving Center is the best place to start your diving experience in Lake Champlain; established in 1988, the center rents, repairs and sells diving and swimming gear and runs regular dive trips on Lake Champlain between June and October.

3. USS Oriskany, Pensacola, Florida

What to expect: Formerly part of the US Navy, the 44,000 ton, 911ft-long aircraft carrier USS Oriskany was sunk off of Pensacola in Florida in 2006 to create an artificial reef for marine life. The "Great Carrier Reef" is the largest artificial reef in US coastal waters, and it's a bucket list dive for history buffs and nature lovers alike.

Sitting between 84ft and 212ft, the wreck is in impressive condition. Divers can explore the conning tower, gun turrets, the bridge and even the ship's bell while getting close to marine life such as goliath groupers, sea turtles, parrotfish and lobsters.

What to know: You'll need at least a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification for this dive, as the top of the ship's tower sits at 84ft. More experienced divers can venture deeper and explore the bottom of the ship at 212ft. If you are prone to seasickness, take medication before starting the boat trip, as the ship sits 22 miles off the coast of Pensacola.

How to make it happen: Rent a full set of dive gear at DivePros; if you are Nitrox-certified, they can provide oxygen-enriched air tanks, allowing for longer dives. Book an early morning dive trip to the Oriskany with Niuhi Dive Charters in Pensacola, a charter company that specializes in recreational and technical diving trips.

4. Pennyroyal Scuba Center, Hopkinsville, Kentucky

What to expect: Whether you’re a beginner diver or an expert, the Pennyroyal Scuba Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, is a place to dive and interact with more than 35 fun manmade artifacts that have been submerged in the clear waters of a 22-acre rock quarry. 

In these shallow waters, you can dive with such surprising items as a phone booth, a basketball net, a skeleton dressed as a pirate, and a fire truck from 1941, as well as various sunken treasures. Visibility in this limestone quarry often exceeds 25ft, and depending on your location, you may spot trees growing underwater.

What to know: In the summer months, a wetsuit is sufficient to explore the quarry, but if you decide to visit in the winter, a drysuit is necessary. Training dives descend to 20ft; more advanced divers can explore beyond 115ft.

How to make it happen: Most divers explore the Pennyroyal Scuba Center on dive courses, from PADI Open Water Diver training to more advanced technical courses. You can rent a full set of dive gear from their on-site shop.

5. Nellie’s Cove, Port Orford Heads State Park, Oregon

What to expect: Alive with harbor seals, rockfish, prickly sea urchins and passing gray whales in the summer months, the southern coast of Oregon calls out to cold water divers. A short boat ride from Port Orford, Nellie’s Cove at Port Orford Heads State Park is the place to slip into a beautiful underwater world, with dark green sea kelp creating ethereal shadows below the surface.

You can witness the sustainability efforts of the local community firsthand on a dive at Nellie's Cove. The Oregon Kelp Alliance (ORKA) has been working hard to preserve the region's kelp forests, which are vital to a healthy underwater ecosystem.

What to know: It’s best to get certified as a PADI Dry Suit Diver before attempting this cold water dive as temperatures hover between 48°F and 52°F throughout the year.   

How to make it happen: Operating out of Port Orford, South Coast Tours is a charter boat company that runs trips around southern Oregon, and they take parties of up to six divers out on dives. Engage the services of a local dive guide from Eugene Skin Divers based in Eugene or Coral Sea Scuba and Water Sports at Grants Pass.

6. St Peter Shipwreck, Lake Ontario, New York

What to expect: Designated in June 2024, the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary in upstate New York is home to numerous shipwrecks, many dating back more than 200 years to the days when the lake was busy with steamships and schooners.

One of the most popular wrecks here is the St Peter – a three-masted schooner that sank in 1898 while carrying a cargo of coal. Divers can explore the ship’s masts and bows, encountering freshwater aquatic life such as bass, trout and perch. Back on land, check out one of the ship’s anchors on display at the Hughes Marina & Campground.

What to know: The best months to dive in the Sanctuary are May, June and October – you'll avoid algal blooms and enjoy the best water clarity. The St Peter is an advanced dive, reaching depths up to 125ft. The water temperature at the bottom ranges from 35°F to 45°F depending on the time of year, and visibility can reach 100ft in good conditions.

How to make it happen: Reach out to Finger Lakes Scuba in Auburn, New York – a full-service snorkeling and diving facility offering all levels of scuba certification, plus equipment rentals and sales and diving trips in Lake Ontario and the neighboring Finger Lakes.

7. The Maze, Islamorada, Florida Keys

What to expect: Off the coast of Islamorada and full of striking marine life such as yellowhead jawfish, green sea turtles and squid, the dive site known as The Maze is great for beginners and advanced divers alike. Diving here offers a chance to see some of the dozens of coral "trees" created by the MOTE Marine Lab.

Underwater, at a depth of 20ft, you can view the spectacular growth of coral species such as elkhorn coral. These corals are grown using a fragmentation process in the lab and then reintroduced to reef environments to help restore the underwater ecosystem.

What to know: Due to the shallow dive depth, it’s only necessary to have a PADI Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent) to explore this dive site. The water temperature can dip into the low 70s in the winter, so a wetsuit may be necessary.  

How to make it happen: Book a two-tank dive with Key Dives based at Bud n Mary’s Marina, a 15-minute drive from the Fiesta Key RV Resort, where you can camp out in a rental RV and pull right up to the edge of the marina for easy access to the dive boat.

Post-dive, visit the coral nursery at the MOTE Marine Lab at Bud n Mary’s Marina to learn more about their efforts to restore some of the coral reef systems in the Keys.