Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY 2.0Walk off a Broward beach and you can be over a coral reef in minutes. Up the coast, a shipwreck trail and a state-protected steamship wreck add even more to swim over.
The best Fort Lauderdale snorkeling starts with a very short swim. The top shore entry is in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, where the beach at Datura Avenue puts you over a shallow shipwreck replica trail in about five minutes and a natural reef about 100 yards out. Expect turtles, parrotfish, snappers and the occasional nurse shark.
North of there, boats leave Pompano Beach for the SS Copenhagen, a 1900 steamship wreck that is a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve, and the neighboring Nursery Reef. Both are shallow enough for snorkelers on a calm day. Farther south, Vista Park gives a quieter beach swim off Fort Lauderdale Beach.
This is open Atlantic water beside busy boat lanes, so a dive flag, a calm forecast and a reef-safe approach matter more here than in a sheltered bay. The reef is part of Florida's Coral Reef, protected inside the Kristin Jacobs Coral Aquatic Preserve.
Tap a spot to see what it is like, then open its guide or get directions.
Tap a card for spotting tips and the Guardian rule for each animal. Filter by what you most want to meet.
The turtle you are most likely to meet. Greens graze on algae over shallow reef and rest under ledges. In Hawaii they are protected and very used to snorkelers.
Spotting tip: Scan the rocky edges where waves wash over algae, and sandy cleaning stations where fish pick at their shells.
Guardian rule: Stay at least 10 ft away. Never block a turtle's path to the surface.
Chelonia mydas
A slow, brownish shark that spends the day resting on the bottom under ledges in Florida. It looks sleepy, but it can bite if grabbed.
Guardian rule: Never touch or pull a nurse shark's tail.
Ginglymostoma cirratum
Colorful grazers with fused, beak-like teeth. You can hear them crunch on coral rock, and much of the white sand on tropical beaches passes through them.
Scaridae
Sunken ships and historic wrecks that now work as artificial reefs, covered in coral and full of fish.
Guardian rule: Look, do not take. Historic wrecks in sanctuaries and parks are protected by law.
A small yellow and silver damselfish with five black bars. Bold and curious, it is often the first fish to swim up to you on a Florida reef.
Abudefduf saxatilis
A shore reef about 100 yards off Datura Avenue, south of Anglin's Fishing Pier. Look for turtles, parrotfish and nurse sharks.
Free to swim. Beach parking along El Mar Drive is metered, roughly $2 to $5 a session by one local guide. Pay by app. Directions
A replica shipwreck trail with an anchor, five concrete cannons and a ballast pile, only a short swim from Datura Avenue.
Free. Same metered beach parking as Anglin's Pier reefs. Directions
A 1900 steamship wreck and state archaeological preserve in 15 to 30 ft of water. Boats run out from Pompano Beach.
You pay for the boat trip. Operators did not list a snorkel price on the pages opened. Directions
A shallow reef beside the Copenhagen, named for its resting nurse sharks. Look for healthy coral and a rare patch of staghorn.
You pay for the boat trip. Often combined with the Copenhagen stop. Directions
A quieter Fort Lauderdale beach swim. Kick about 600 to 1,000 ft straight out to a coral reef in 8 to 20 ft of water.
One guide reports a small parking fee and a short walk to the water. Directions
Shore entries with easy parking and calm water on a normal day. Still check the surf and ask the lifeguard.
A shore reef about 100 yards off Datura Avenue, south of Anglin's Fishing Pier. Look for turtles, parrotfish and nurse sharks.
A replica shipwreck trail with an anchor, five concrete cannons and a ballast pile, only a short swim from Datura Avenue.
Calm Choppy Rough. Wave heights are offshore model values.
Loading tides…
Forecast: Open-Meteo. Tides: NOAA station 8722956. Model data, not a lifeguard report. Always check posted warnings.
by Adrenalised
A 90 minute shore-entry guided snorkel at the Anglin's Pier reefs and Shipwreck Snorkel Trail. Mask, snorkel, fins and vest are included. Minimum age 8.
Groups are capped at 6 snorkelers and a PADI pro gives a gear and site briefing first. The operator's motto is to leave nothing but bubbles. Ask about sunscreen when booking.
by Lauderdale Diver
A guided boat snorkel with gear included, with a morning or afternoon slot to choose from. The page does not name the reefs visited or the departure dock.
A local dive shop with guides and gear included. The page lists no group size or conservation details, so ask before booking.
by Square Grouper SoFlo Snorkel Tours
A guided Fort Lauderdale reef snorkel from a small-group and private tour company. Price and meeting point were not confirmed because the booking page blocked automated access.
The company describes itself as eco-conscious and runs small-group and private tours. Confirm group size and sunscreen policy when you book.
by Viator listing
A bookable guided snorkel of the Lauderdale-by-the-Sea shipwreck replica and reef trails. Price not checked because the Viator page returned an error.
by Force-E Scuba Centers
A boat trip to the Copenhagen wreck and the shallow Nursery Reef on a mooring system. The site page lists it for snorkelers as well as divers. No trip price is posted.
The wreck is reached by mooring buoys so no anchor lands on the reef. Call the Pompano Beach shop for dates and snorkel pricing.
We may earn a commission when you book through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which tours we pick. How we choose tours.
April to September is the best window, with warm water and the calmest seas. Winter cold fronts bring stronger currents and chop, and visibility drops after storms and heavy rain.
Early morning, when seas are calm and visibility is usually better. Aim for an incoming tide.
Windy days, seas above 1 to 2 ft, the days after storms and winter cold fronts.
| Row | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snorkel conditions | Fair | Fair | Good | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Good | Fair | Fair |
The beach entries along El Mar Drive give the easiest shore snorkel in Broward County. Datura Avenue is the busiest and has a gear rack and rinse stations. Hibiscus Avenue is quieter. El Prado Park, north of Commercial Boulevard, has the most parking. From Datura, the Shipwreck Snorkel Trail is about a five minute swim in 8 to 10 ft of water. The first natural reef is roughly 100 yards out in 12 to 20 ft. Deeper reefs farther out are better left to boats. Water shoes help on rocky entries.
The SS Copenhagen ran aground on the Pompano Drop-Off in 1900 and now lies scattered in about 15 to 30 ft of water. It became a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve in 1994. Snorkelers reach it by boat on mooring buoys, and a plaque marks the south end. Operators pair it with Nursery Reef, named for resting nurse sharks, where Bermuda chubs gather under the boat. Local sources describe a short kayak paddle from shore, but a boat trip is the safer, supported way to go.
Vista Park on Fort Lauderdale Beach is a quieter alternative to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Guides describe a swim of roughly 600 to 1,000 ft straight out to a reef in 8 to 20 ft of water. That is a longer, more exposed swim than the Datura Avenue trail, so it suits confident swimmers with a flag. Shuffle your feet entering the water to warn stingrays.
Under Fla. Stat. 327.331 a diver includes anyone in the water with a mask and snorkel. A divers-down flag or buoy must be displayed, and divers must stay within 300 ft of it in open water or 100 ft in inlets and channels. Vessels must keep the same distance and slow to idle speed if closer. Local shops rent flags for about $5 to $10.
Broward's reefs are the middle of Florida's Coral Reef, protected inside the Kristin Jacobs Coral Aquatic Preserve. Disease, sedimentation and bleaching have hit the reef hard, and groups like Coral Restoration Foundation and Nova Southeastern University grow and outplant corals off Fort Lauderdale. Snorkelers help most by staying off the coral and using mineral sunscreen.
Fort Lauderdale reefs are state-protected and sit near boat traffic. These are the rules that matter to a snorkeler.
Florida law counts a snorkeler as a diver. Display a divers-down flag at least 12 by 12 inches from the water, or 20 by 24 inches from a vessel. Stay within 300 ft of it in open water, or 100 ft in inlets, rivers and channels. Boats must stay at least that far from the flag. Official rule
Broward's reefs lie in this 105 mile preserve, which runs from St. Lucie Inlet to Biscayne National Park. Anchoring on coral reef is prohibited under the Coral Reef Protection Act. Use mooring buoys, and keep seagrass free of propeller damage. Official rule
Never stand on or touch coral. Hard corals cannot be harvested under Florida's Marine Life Rule. Fire coral also stings. Official rule
The wreck is a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Look and photograph only. Do not remove artifacts. Official rule
Anglers use the pier. Stay well away from the pier and its lines and swim south to the wreck trail instead. Official rule
Do not touch turtles or disturb nesting beaches. Nesting season runs March through June according to local guides. Official rule
How snorkelers protect reefs · Choosing a reef-safe sunscreen
These local groups restore coral, rescue wildlife and keep the water clean. Volunteer a morning, donate, or just follow their work.
Coral nurseries and reef restoration in Florida, including a Fort Lauderdale nursery
A nonprofit that grows and outplants threatened corals. It runs a special-use nursery off Fort Lauderdale with Nova Southeastern University and trains certified divers as volunteers for nursery and outplanting work.
Visit coralrestoration.org →Coral research and restoration on Broward reefs
NSU's oceanographic researchers study and restore Southeast Florida reefs and have worked with Coral Restoration Foundation to expand a nursery of staghorn and elkhorn coral for Broward County.
Visit nsuocean.nova.edu →Regional reef protection across Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Martin counties
A partnership of local, state and federal agencies and organizations that coordinates reef protection and restoration priorities for Southeast Florida's coral reef.
Visit southeastfloridareefs.net →Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, at the Datura Avenue beach entry. The Shipwreck Snorkel Trail is a short swim away and a natural reef lies about 100 yards offshore. For a wreck, take a boat from Pompano Beach to the SS Copenhagen.
Yes. Florida Statute 327.331 treats a snorkeler as a diver and requires a divers-down flag or buoy. Stay within 300 ft of it in open water, or 100 ft in inlets and channels.
Yes, on calm days. The wreck lies in about 15 to 30 ft off Pompano Beach and snorkelers reach it by boat. It is a state archaeological preserve, so do not remove anything.
April to September, early in the morning on an incoming tide with seas of 1 to 2 ft or less. Winter cold fronts bring stronger currents.
Yes. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea has several beach entries on El Mar Drive and Vista Park on Fort Lauderdale Beach has a longer swim to a reef. Parking is metered.
What we pack for every snorkel trip. Each link searches the category on Amazon so you can compare brands and prices.
Non-nano zinc oxide only. No oxybenzone or octinoxate, which Hawaii bans.
Shop on Amazon →The best sun protection is fabric. Less sunscreen in the water, less sunburn on your back.
Shop on Amazon →A low-volume mask that fits beats any rental. Short travel fins pack easily.
Shop on Amazon →An inflatable vest lets you rest without standing on the reef. Lifeguards love them.
Shop on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure.
Forget coral. Clearwater is a Gulf outing, where you drift over seagrass and sand and look for stingrays and dolphins. The real prize is the shallow…
Slip into 72 F spring water and float beside wild West Indian manatees. Crystal River is the one place in the US where you can. Winter is the peak,…
Destin is emerald Gulf water over sand and limestone rock, not coral reef. The East Pass jetties hold the fish, Crab Island is the shallow party…
Picture a 19th century brick fort on a tiny island, 70 miles of open water from Key West. You swim along the outside of its moat wall, where reef…
Islamorada has the Keys' shallowest patch reefs and a lighthouse reef, all a short boat ride from the dock. Expect fewer crowds than Key Largo, with…
Shallow reefs sit a short boat ride offshore, and on the seafloor a bronze Jesus stands waiting. Key Largo is the Upper Keys' snorkel capital, with…
We check fees, rules and access against official sources first, then local operators and recent visitor reports. Conditions change, so always follow posted signs and lifeguards. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
