Though you may spend most of your Fort Lauderdale vacation on the beach, we suggest venturing into the ocean for a new perspective! Dive down to explore a secret underwater treasure when you snorkel the Vista Park Reef. This beautiful destination features colorful coral, schools of fish, and other unique marine life. It’s a local hub for snorkeling and scuba diving, with plenty of views to go around. Bring a GoPro and capture some adventures that will live on forever in your memories. Or, just bring yourself and soak in the moment! Here is why you will love snorkeling or scuba diving the Vista Park Reef.
For more information on outdoor activities and water sports to enjoy during your vacation with Fort Lauderdale Stays, you can download our free Vacation Guide. It features a variety of snorkeling hubs such as the Vista Park Reef.
Discover This Secluded Gem
The Vista Park Reef is a hidden treasure, mostly known only to locals. A straight swim out from the Vista Park beach in Fort Lauderdale, the coral reef is located about 1,000 feet from the shore. The water depth in this area is from 8 to 20 feet, so this is why divers particularly love exploring the reef here. Slack high tide provides the clearest water, and the reef itself features patches of coral, a multitude of sea fans, and scattered fish looking for shelter.
Snorkeling the Vista Park Reef
When you snorkel or scuba dive the Vista Park Reef, there will be so much to discover! Covering 100 yards, the reef is large enough for visitors to spend hours there without seeing it all. Vibrant coral, craggy rocks and crevices, and stunning sea fans make great hiding spaces for a variety of marine life. You might see snapper, lobster, angelfish, nurse sharks, parrotfish, and stingrays among the reef. Since it is so close to the shore, the Vista Park Reef is a favorite place to visit on your own without a guided tour. You won’t need a boat ride out into the depths. You’ll just need a dive flag and the proper gear (and we recommend a swimming buddy of course).
Other Great Snorkeling Destinations in Fort Lauderdale
If you’re looking for some other great places to scuba dive or snorkel, consider the Yankee Clipper Rocks or Hollywood North Beach Park. Along with the Vista Park Reef, these locations feature some unique coral reefs and ocean life. Another great area is Pompano Beach. Pompano Beach snorkel and dive sites include a sunken shipwreck, offshore ridges, and a drift diving oasis near the Gulfstream current.
Relax After a Snorkeling Expedition
The perfect way to relax after snorkeling the Vista Park Reef is to retreat to your Fort Lauderdale Stays vacation home. Featuring gorgeous outdoor spaces, lanais, hammocks, barbecue grills by the pool, and tropical gardens, our homes are ideal for a rejuvenating getaway. Curl up with a good book by your private pool and enjoy the last rays of late afternoon sun. Or, let your worries fade away with a lounge chair nap in the shade. Browse our properties today, and start planning your vacation!