United States Dive Sites

1,024 mapped sites

Best dive sites in United States

Showing 469–480 of 1,024

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Georgia · 16.8–22.9 m

A 22-square-mile protected live-bottom reef about 16 miles east of Sapelo Island and 40 miles from Savannah, one of the largest nearshore sandstone reefs in the southeastern US. Ledges and rocky outcrops in 55-75 ft of water carpeted with soft corals, sponges and tunicates host more than 200 fish species, sea turtles and seasonal sharks. Anchoring is prohibited, so all dives are live-boat drift dives timed close to slack tide; the southern third of the sanctuary is a research area closed to diving.

AdvancedBoat entry

Winfield Scott Verified

California · 3–9.1 m

Shallow historic side-wheel steamer wreck at Middle Anacapa Island, protected within Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and National Park. Divers mainly see machinery/paddle-wheel remnants and growth-covered wreckage in kelp-reef habitat rather than an intact hull. This is a boat dive with cold-water exposure and protected-resource rules.

IntermediateBoat entry

Hilton Head Reef

South Carolina · Up to 17.1 m

Artificial reef built from Approximate Center of Reef

Boat entry

San Carlos Beach / Breakwater Wall

California · 3–18.3 m

The most popular shore dive in Monterey, located beside the 1,700-foot Coast Guard breakwater built in the 1930s. A gently sloping sandy beach gives one of the most protected entries in the area, leading to a boulder wall encrusted with strawberry anemones, sponges, tunicates and nudibranchs, with a resident sea lion colony at the breakwater tip. Heavily used by training classes; weekend visibility suffers and parking fills early.

Shore entry

Kismet Reef

New York · 4.9–7.6 m

Kismet Reef is a small 10-acre NYSDEC artificial reef in Great South Bay, just north of the South Beach between Kismet and the National Seashore dock, in 16-25 ft of water. Built from barges, concrete barriers, blocks, slabs, culvert and rubble, it is a sheltered, shallow bay reef good for newer divers. Visibility is limited and tide-dependent; black sea bass, tautog, scup and flounder use the structure.

Boat entry

Atlantic City - Jospeh J. Palladino Reef

New Jersey · 15.5–22.9 m

Artificial reef built from M-60 Patton Main Battle Tank (MBT) NJDEP deployment record: Military vehicle, material: M-60 Patton Main Battle Tank (MBT), deployed 1999.

IntermediateBoat entry

CCA-Edisto 40' Reef

South Carolina · Up to 14.9 m

Artificial reef built from Cooper River Bridge rubble

Boat entry

Point Lookout

Virginia · Up to 4 m

Artificial reef built from Reefballs

Boat entry

Cape May - Captian Henry

New Jersey · 12.8–20.1 m

Artificial reef built from Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM-6) - 56' "Capt. Henry" NJDEP deployment record: Military vehicle, material: Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM-6) - 56' "Capt. Henry", deployed 1990.

IntermediateBoat entry

Shinnecock Reef

New York · 23.2–25.6 m

Shinnecock Reef is an 850-acre NYSDEC artificial reef in the Atlantic Ocean about 2.0 nautical miles south of Shinnecock Inlet, in 76-84 ft of water. It holds numerous scuttled vessels, barges, railcars, a drydock, rock, Tappan Zee Bridge rubble and steel, with the 130' barge Henri and the vessel Asylum added in 2025. A productive advanced boat dive for black sea bass, tautog and scup; visibility typically 10-20 ft. The Half Time charters out of Shinnecock.

AdvancedBoat entry

Louisville State Recreation Area (Lake 2)

Nebraska · —

Louisville SRA, off Highway 50 beside the Platte River between Omaha and Lincoln, contains five sandpit lakes totaling about 50 surface acres. Lake 2, which has the swim beach, is the lake regularly dived by Omaha-area clubs; rangers allow divers to enter to the right of the beach area with a dive flag. Visibility runs up to 10-15 ft and the sandy pits hold abundant panfish, bass, catfish and carp.

Shore entry

Manasquan Inlet - Geiges Memorial Reef

New Jersey · 19.8–22.9 m

Artificial reef built from 65 foot tug boat-"RANGER" NJDEP deployment record: Ship, material: 65 foot tug boat-"RANGER", deployed 2021.

IntermediateBoat entry