Houston receives over 60 million tourists worldwide annually, offering a plethora of unique attractions. It is one of the top 10 American cities for scuba diving where you can explore this thrilling adventure sport along turquoise waters and the treasures hidden under. With state-of-the-art, picturesque settings, scuba diving in Houston is one of the best ways to dive and snorkel around colorful marine creatures. From stunning whale sharks to vibrant mini fish, Houston is a bevy of beautiful freshwater and marine lakes.
Cost and Process of Scuba Diving in Houston
SourceTexas is home to 30 different scuba diving spots including rivers, quarries and the Gulf of Mexico. Houston is one of the best choices in the U.S. for scuba diving with rates beginning at just USD 15 daily. Several diving schools offer season passes costing between USD 150 - USD 265. This includes PADI certification, training and diving equipment. Rates increase with personalised and group scuba sessions.
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Register yourself with a renowned diving school in Houston for lessons. Once you finish 3 to 4 successful training sessions, you can acquire a PADI certificate for solo open diving. The certificate is accredited worldwide, costing USD 300. A full scuba gear with BCD, regulators and tanks costs up to USD 100, which can also be rented onsite. Further air-fills are only USD 5.
Best Time For Scuba Diving in Houston
Scuba Diving Season in Houston - March to October
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Being a neighbor of Mexico, Houston shares the rest of The Lone State’s warm climate and crystalline Gulf of Mexico waters. Nothing pleases Houstonians more than a relaxing and exhilarating scuba dive from the months of March to October when surface water temperatures at lakes and seas vary between 60 and 78 degrees. In case you are out for night diving, you would encounter temperatures between 50 and 58 degrees.
Top 5 Diving Schools in Houston
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Houston has numerous diving schools registered with Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and Scuba Schools International (SSI). Their certifications vary depending on level of diving and roles such as Open Water Diver, Master Scuba Diver, Divemaster and Rescue Diver, Support Diver etc. Smaller diving schools are ideal for beginners.
From hassle-free PADI certification, effective training with professionals and purchasing diving gear for your underwater ventures, scuba diving schools in Houston offer all-inclusive experiences and organized trips. Go Pro packages including internships in Mexico are also offered to those who wish to make scuba diving a career! Here are the top diving schools in Houston: -
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If you are an amateur at scuba diving, Houston’s diving schools keep you covered with futuristic facilities helping divers to perfect their swim. They offer individual scuba training sessions with talented PADI professionals, air-fills, topwater docks and underwater dive sites. Top-notch dive gear, safety equipment and lifeguards are available at nearly every site and school in Houston. You can buy or rent wetsuits, watches, masks, tanks, snorkels, fins and dive bags.
Top 10 Destinations for Scuba Diving in Houston
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Marine sanctuaries, shipwreck sites and abyssal marine life make Houston a perfect destination for both marine and inland freshwater scuba diving. Check out this comprehensive list of the best scuba diving spots in Houston: -
1. 288 Lake
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288 Lake is Houston’s largest shore accessible inland diving site with an area of 20 acres. This crystal clear, spring-fed lake is an oasis in downtown Houston with an ambient year-round temperature of 66-70 degrees. A perfect open water experience awaits you at this stellar scuba diving and triathlon training facility, teeming with endangered aquatic species and captivating views of underwater school buses, cars and aeroplanes. Another significant feature of 288 lake that makes it one of the best in Houston is clear visibility up to 12 meters underwater.
Depth: 12-15 meters Type: Freshwater Suitable For: All
2. Sugar Land
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Sugar Land is one of the largest scuba diving spots in Houston, flanked with big pelagic sea life, playful dolphins, touchable stingrays, starfish, crabs and much more. Crystal clear waters at their massive lake create a riveting backdrop to interact with aquatic life. At Sugar Land, a PADI certified professional would accompany you. Even if you are not too keen about scuba, Sugar Land is a great place to enjoy day trips, picnics and hikes.
Depth: 12 meters Type: Marine Suitable For: All
3. Spring Lake
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Spring Lake is one the clearest places for scuba diving in Houston, formed by the fusion of over 200 artesian springs. Due to well-regulated water pressure and comfortable year-round temperatures of 72 degrees, Spring Lake is ideal for novice divers to explore endangered marine life and coral reefs. It is also home to the densest population of sea turtles in the USA.
Depth: 9 meters Type: Marine Suitable For: All
4. Lake Travis
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Popular due to its widely accessible central location, Lake Travis is a reservoir with unmatched visibility of 30 feet underwater on a sunny day. Apart from thriving species of gorgeous freshwater creatures, you can find construction materials from the dam and the vast Wreck Alley featuring a permanent linear course of centuries-old shipwrecks and abandoned sailboats. Hit the sweet note of laid-back luxury after your scuba session at posh lakeside restaurants offering alfresco dining.
Depth: 64 meters Type: Freshwater Suitable For: Intermediates and professionals
5. Reveille Peak Ranch
Reveille Peak Ranch is an epitome of picturesque Texan countryside with a beautifully maintained ranch, 1,300-acre outdoor event space and officially two of the clearest lakes in Texas. Scuba divers in Houston can reach amazing depths of 100 feet with consistently clear visibility even at 30 feet underwater in the quarry. It is also a popular site for other water sports.
Depth: 30 meters Type: Freshwater Suitable For: All
6. Valhalla Missile Silo
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Known as one of the most unique and rare places to scuba dive in Houston, Valhalla Missile Silo has been around since the 1960s as home to an Atlas nuclear missile. Today, the silo’s concrete walls hold groundwater ripe for exploration. Even though the site gets chilly with average temperatures of 58 degrees and is mostly dark, it is a favorite among diving fans to dig deeper into Texan history.
Depth: 40 meters Type: Marine Suitable For: Intermediates and professionals
7. Clear Springs Scuba Park
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Also known as The Scuba Ranch, Clear Springs Scuba Park is home to a sparkling lake sprawled over 22 acres, filled with breathtaking underwater life. Clear Springs has 6 underwater dive platforms, entry docks and its own professional instruction center with training facilities. This shore-accessible site is also ideal for swimming, kayaking, snorkelling and camping.
Depth: 18 meters Type: Freshwater Suitable For: All
8. The Texas Clipper at Excambion
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The Texas Clipper is a historical World War II clipper ship that served the U.S.S Queens as a troop transport. Today the shipwreck lays 17 miles off of South Padre Island and is America’s third largest artificial coral reef. Experience this extraordinarily large underwater museum amidst clear ocean waters and colorful marine creatures. Divers often say it takes more than one trip to explore every nook and corner of the Texas Clipper.
Depth: 40 meters Type: Marine Suitable For: Intermediates and professionals
9. The Flower Garden
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Pose with hammerhead sharks and whale sharks who swim right up to you at The Flower Garden, a paradise for scuba diving in Houston near Galveston Bay’s pristine waters. Discovered in 1800 by a fisherman, Flower Garden emporium is full of thriving coral reefs, mature marine life and panoramic views. With three separate diving sites namely East Flower Garden, West Flower Garden and Stetson Bank, the site is a hub of recreational underwater sports.
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In 1980, local Houstonians turned a clay quarry into Athens Scuba Park that gathers divers worldwide today. Explore the untouched beauty of 35 shipwrecks, sunken planes, boats and obstacles that have stood at the lakes against the test of time. This world of antique ruins under Athens’ 7-acre lake famous for night diving and scuba diving training in Houston. Swim past magical marine life with underwater spotlights to guide you in the dark.
Depth: 6-11 meters Type: Freshwater Suitable For: All
More On Houston Scuba Diving
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The minimum age for scuba diving is 10 in Texas.
1. While a PADI certification is not mandatory for scuba diving in Houston, obtaining one is recommended for safety purposes. 2. Practicing swimming and yoga a few weeks prior to your dive helps to gain better control underwater. 3. Always make sure your diving gear is intact and covers all wounds. 4. Inform your diving center organizer beforehand about seasickness, nausea or any allergies. 5. Be well-informed about the site, gear and itinerary; ask your instructor about any query without hesitation.
Whether you are trying to cool off for the last weeks of summer or looking forward to a once-in-a-lifetime underwater trip, scuba diving in Houston is all the adventure you need with exotic sea life and sweet sunshine. Share with us your experience, queries and suggestions in the comments below.
