United States

Giant manta rays with wingspans up to five meters gather at cleaning stations off Kona for the world's most famous night dive.

Pacific Manta Ray

The world's largest octopus species inhabits the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Pacific Northwest, from Washington to Alaska.

Giant Pacific Octopus

Massive groupers up to 300 kg aggregate on Florida wrecks during summer spawning season, providing extraordinary encounters.

Goliath Grouper

Large schools of sand tiger sharks congregate on North Carolina's Graveyard of the Atlantic wrecks, creating one of the most dramatic shark dives in the temperate world.

Sand Tiger Shark

The United States offers an unparalleled diversity of scuba diving experiences across an extraordinary range of environments, from the tropical coral reefs of Florida and Hawaii to the cold-water kelp forests of the Pacific Northwest, the freshwater shipwreck preserves of the Great Lakes, and the world-class cavern systems of the Florida springs. With coastlines on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico, plus the Caribbean territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and Pacific territories including Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, the US encompasses virtually every type of diving on Earth. Florida alone provides over one thousand miles of reef systems, including the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States, while Hawaii offers pristine volcanic underwater landscapes with endemic species found nowhere else. The Great Lakes hold thousands of remarkably preserved wooden and steel shipwrecks in crystal-clear freshwater, and the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest support giant Pacific octopus, wolf eels, and extraordinary invertebrate communities. The US diving infrastructure is among the most developed in the world, with professional dive operators, liveaboard fleets, artificial reef programs, and marine sanctuaries supporting divers of every certification level. From technical cave diving in the cenote systems of Florida to manta ray night dives off the Kona coast, from WWII wrecks in Guam's Apra Harbor to fossil hunting for megalodon teeth in South Carolina's blackwater rivers, the United States delivers a lifetime of underwater adventure.

Liveaboard diving in the US operates primarily in three regions: Hawaii for remote island diving and manta ray encounters, Florida for the Dry Tortugas and remote Keys reefs, and the Gulf of Mexico for Flower Garden Banks. Several operators also run expeditions to the US Pacific territories and remote California Channel Islands.

Playa Largo Resort & Spa

Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa

La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club

Alabama's Gulf Coast offers surprisingly diverse diving with extensive artificial reefs, the USS Alabama battleship area wrecks, and productive natural reef sys...

Alabama – Gulf Coast

Alaska offers extraordinary cold-water diving in pristine marine environments, from Sitka's kelp forests with giant Pacific octopus and sea lions to Kodiak Isla...

Alaska

American Samoa offers remote pristine diving in the South Pacific with untouched coral reefs, humpback whale encounters, and extraordinary marine biodiversity....

American Samoa

Northern California encompasses some of the finest cold-water diving in North America, from the world-renowned kelp forests of Monterey Bay to the purple hydroc...

California – Northern

Southern California offers exceptional cold-water diving across the Channel Islands National Park, Catalina Island, and the San Diego coast. Channel Islands fea...

California – Southern

Connecticut and Rhode Island offer excellent New England diving with kelp forests, historic wrecks, and productive marine habitats in Long Island Sound and Bloc...

Connecticut & Rhode Island

Florida's Atlantic Coast from Key Largo through John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park offers the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States....

Florida – Atlantic Coast

Broward County from Fort Lauderdale to Pompano Beach offers excellent diving along the third parallel reef system with numerous wrecks and artificial reefs. The...

Florida – Broward County

Florida's Gulf Coast from Tampa Bay through the Panhandle offers diverse diving with artificial reefs, historic wrecks, fossil hunting, and seasonal pelagic enc...

Florida – Gulf Coast (West)

The reef tract between Key Largo and Islamorada features a continuous chain of coral reefs forming part of the only living barrier reef in North America. Alliga...

Florida – Key Largo to Islamorada Reefs

The Lower Keys and Key West offer spectacular diving including Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary with dramatic spur-and-groove coral formations, reef sharks, t...

Florida – Lower Keys & Key West

Miami and Biscayne Bay offer diverse diving within Biscayne National Park including the Mandalay wreck, a steel-hulled schooner, the Alicia 1890 steamer wreckag...

Florida – Miami / Biscayne Bay

West Palm Beach and Jupiter offer world-class diving headlined by the extraordinary goliath grouper spawning aggregation from August through October where 100 t...

Florida – West Palm Beach & Jupiter

Georgia's Atlantic coast offers unique diving characterized by warm subtropical waters, historic wrecks, and productive reef systems along the South Atlantic Bi...

Georgia

The Great Lakes hold thousands of remarkably preserved shipwrecks in crystal-clear freshwater, creating one of the world's premier freshwater diving destination...

Great Lakes

Guam offers extraordinary Western Pacific diving with WWII wrecks, dramatic walls, crystal-clear water, and unique historical underwater sites. Apra Harbor feat...

Guam

The Big Island is home to the world-famous Kona Manta Ray Night Dive where giant Pacific manta rays with wingspans up to five meters swim within inches of diver...

Hawaii – Big Island

Kauai and Niihau represent the most remote and pristine diving in Hawaii, offering encounters with rare Hawaiian monk seals, Galapagos sharks, and massive group...

Hawaii – Kauai & Niihau

Maui and Lanai offer some of Hawaii's most spectacular diving, headlined by the iconic Molokini Crater, a crescent-shaped submerged volcanic caldera with crysta...

Hawaii – Maui & Lanai

Oahu is the gateway to Hawaiian diving, offering an extraordinary mix of volcanic underwater landscapes, WWII wrecks, and endemic marine species found nowhere e...

Hawaii – Oahu

Florida's freshwater springs and the caves of Missouri and Texas represent some of the most extraordinary cavern and cave diving on Earth. Ginnie Springs offers...

Inland Freshwater Springs & Caves

Louisiana's Gulf Coast offers unique diving where the Mississippi River's influence creates productive marine ecosystems around oil platforms, artificial reefs,...

Louisiana – Gulf Coast

Maine offers rugged cold-water diving along America's most dramatic rocky coastline with over 3,500 miles of indented shore, islands, and underwater ledges. Por...

Maine

Massachusetts offers historic New England diving with dramatic rocky coastlines, kelp forests, and an extraordinary concentration of shipwrecks from four centur...

Massachusetts

Mississippi's Gulf Coast provides accessible diving in the northern Gulf of Mexico with artificial reefs, historic wrecks, and productive marine habitats. The U...

Mississippi – Gulf Coast

New Jersey offers unexpectedly diverse wreck diving along one of America's most historically significant coastlines. The state's waters hold hundreds of wrecks...

New Jersey

New York's coastal waters offer surprising wreck diving and marine biodiversity where Atlantic currents meet Long Island Sound. Long Island's south shore provid...

New York

North Carolina is one of America's premier wreck diving destinations, featuring an extraordinary concentration of historic shipwrecks earning it the title "Grav...

North Carolina

The Northern Mariana Islands including Saipan, Tinian, and Rota offer exceptional Western Pacific diving with dramatic caverns, WWII military wrecks, and pristi...

Northern Mariana Islands

Oregon's rugged Pacific coastline offers adventurous cold-water diving with dramatic rocky reefs, kelp forests, and abundant marine life in relatively uncrowded...

Oregon

The United States offers remarkable inland diving beyond the Florida springs, from high-altitude lake diving to unique geothermal springs. Lake Mead and Lake Po...

Other Notable Inland Sites

Puerto Rico offers extraordinary Caribbean diving with pristine coral reefs, dramatic walls, bioluminescent bays, and diverse marine environments across the mai...

Puerto Rico

South Carolina's Atlantic coastline offers diverse diving from historic Charleston Harbor wrecks to productive offshore reefs along the South Atlantic Bight. Ch...

South Carolina

Texas Gulf Coast diving features extensive artificial reefs and oil platform structures creating productive marine habitats throughout the northwestern Gulf of...

Texas – Gulf Coast

The US Virgin Islands offer outstanding Caribbean diving across St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix with coral reefs, historic wrecks, world-class macro shore d...

US Virgin Islands

Virginia and Maryland's Mid-Atlantic coast offers productive diving where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Virginia Beach features numerous wrecks i...

Virginia & Maryland – Mid-Atlantic

Washington state offers world-class cold-water diving in the nutrient-rich waters of Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Seattle'...

Washington

Acadia Kelp Walls

Alki Beach Cove 2

Alabama Artificial Reef Zone

Black Water Night Dive

Block Island Reef

Blue Heron Bridge

Blue Hole Guam

Bonneville Quarry

Breakers Reef

Cane Bay Wall

Cape Cod Wreck Dive

Casino Point Underwater Park

Chetco Point

Crystal River Springs

Fire Island Wreck

Flower Garden Banks

Fono Reef

Georgetown Reef

Ginnie Springs

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Hanauma Bay Marine Reserve

Koloa Landing

Kona Manta Ray Night Dive

La Parguera Wall

Lanai Cathedrals

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Reef

Looe Reef

Mala Pier

Molokini Crater

Neptune Memorial Reef

Place of Refuge (Honaunau Bay)

Point Lobos Marine Reserve

Poverty Point Reef

Presque Isle Shipwreck

Saipan Grotto

Sea Tiger Wreck

Shark's Cove (Pupukea)

Sheraton Caverns

Ship Island Wreck Site

Sitka Kelp Forests

USS Spiegel Grove

USS Thunderbolt Wreck

Tunnels Beach (Makua)

USS Algol Wreck

USS Indiana Wreck

YO-257 & San Pedro Wrecks

The United States is vast and domestic flights are essential for covering long distances between diving regions. Major airlines including American, Delta, United, and Southwest provide extensive networks. For regional exploration, rental cars are essential to reach dispersed dive sites. Amtrak rail service connects some coastal cities but is limited compared to other countries.

Liveaboard Diving in United States

Experience Overview

Featured Operators

Kona Aggressor

Remote Reach

Booking Advice

Where to Stay in United States