Texas

Harris County

Divers will travel far and wide to find the best diving. But those who live in the United States have plenty of great diving on their doorstep as well, with plentiful access to the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. From warm-water reefs to temperate seas, here are some of the top places to scuba dive in the United States.

United States



15-minute drive south of downtown Houston

288 Lake is also known as Tiki Lake, The Reef.

Houston

288 Lake

Though it's better known as a training spot for scuba divers, Twin Lakes is the perfect place to cool off without having to fight the traffic, and the crowds, in Galveston. Just 20 minutes south of downtown off the farm roads of 288, this aquifer-fed pool is clear enough for the aforementioned training and features five sunken fishing boats, a school bus and an Airstream trailer. Above ground there are floating docks, picnic tables, overnight campsites and a snack bar. Bass, catfish, turtle and perch live in the water, and if you're not there to dive admission is only $5. Just note that no alcohol or glass containers are allowed on the property. 31 acre lake, bass, catfish, turtles; 50ft deep, 20 ft viz; campsites, picnic tables, air fills; About 20 minutes from Houston, go south on hiway 288 to hiway 6, go east for 1.8 miles to the park.

Twin Lakes Scuba Park

Has many wrecks for all levels of divers. Main attraction is the C-130 aircraft.

Mammoth Lake is located right off Dixie Rd. Hydrosports Scuba is the shop located on the lake. Plenty of parking at the shop or at your own covered pavilion, with the dock located right next to where you park.

The park is closed during the winter season.

Mammoth Lake

This wreck is incredible.  For starters, it's big and the wreck is in a few pieces.  Its cause of sinking was a huge explosion in the ship.  Large schools of fish abound and hammerhead sharks are also seen.  Visibility can vary and there are some stinging corals so consider wearing a wetsuit.

The SS V.A. Fogg went down on February 1, 1972. she is over 572 feet in length.

33 miles Southeast of Freeport

V.A. Fogg

Blue Lagoon Scuba Park outside of Huntsville, TX is a good training site.  Good for OW and Rescue training.  Great camping.

North of Huntsville. Shore entry.

Blue Lagoon Scuba Park



Flower Garden Banks NMS

Stetson Bank is also known as Flower Gardens.

Stetson Bank

The visibility of the lakes and rivers in the area vary from zero to about 2 feet year round. What makes the area unique is that if something falls into the water (and lots of stuff does) it is generally written off without a search.  We have found thousands of items over the years (outboard motors, propellers, boats, automobiles, firearms, fishing and hunting gear to name a few) so diving in these waters is never dull. There are also lots of critters (turtles, gators, garfish and catfish) which are bigger than I am you just never see them until you come into contact with them.  There is some lake diving in the northern part of the state which affords better visibility (upwards of 10 feet in places).  The most popular type of diving in the southern part of the state is offshore rig diving where we can generally achieve 25-40 feet of visibility and the rigs are like vertical reefs with a sizeable accumulation of marine life.  These decommissioned rigs have been in place for 10-20 years and it's similar to an open wreck dive. We also visit the Gardens, which is the northernmost natural coral reef in North America.



Lake Charles

Oil Rig dives are great dives for divers of all skill levels! Great for photography, spearfishing, fish identification, and just good old fashioned fun. Similar to diving a wreck, the rigs are covered in a variety of sea life and all sorts of critters such as barnacle, corals, blennies, gobies, a wide variety of small reef fish, schools of bait fish, and huge pelagic species such as tarpon, cobia, amberjack, and ever whale sharks.

The best way to access the Gulf of Mexico Oil Rig Platforms is by hiring a charter boat. A charter boat is a boat for hire that you can book for a group exclusively or book a single spot and join a group.

Offshore Oil-Rig  Platforms is also known as Rig Diving.

Offshore Oil-Rig  Platforms

Large hard coral.  Manta rays are commonly sighted.  Hammerhead and whale sharks in the right season.

Out in the open Gulf of Mexico.  Mooring buoys in place.

West Flower Garden Banks is also known as Flower Garden Banks NNMS, Texas Flower Gardens.

West Flower Garden Banks

To dive in Spring Lake at Aquarena Springs you have to take a special certification class as a scientific diver.  The lake is the habitat of 5 endangered species as well as home to archeological digs uncovering history from 10,000+ years ago.  Visibility is as good as the Caribbean.  Once you are certified you get to come back and do work dives for free.  There are no purely recreational dives as it is an endangered habitat. Here's the website http://www.aquarena.txstate.edu/Divingscience.html

From Austin, go south on I-35 to San Marcos, take Exit 206, Aquarena Springs Drive, turn right and go through 2 stop lights; immediately after rail road tracks see entrance and sign to Aquarena Center on right side of the road, take a right into golf course, follow the road to the left to the park entrance.  From San Antonio, take I-35 North to San Marcos, take exit 206, Aquarena Springs Drive, go left under I-35 and through 3 stop lights; immediately after railroad tracks on right side of the road, see entrance and sign to Aquarena Center, turn right into golf course follow the road to the left to the park entrance.  The San Marcos River can be accessed from the town without having to go to Aquarena Center

Aquarena Center At Spring Lake

You have to get certified as a Scientific Diver through Aquarena springs prior to diving the lake, there are five endangered species living in this lake along with artifacts dating all the way back to mans first arrival in this area. 

Dive Training site, Dive site for Scientific Divers, 72 degrees spring fed year round 25'- 30' vis. 

288 Lake

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at 288 Lake