Insects, lizards, and a variety of other wildlife provide wonderful viewing opportunities throughout the park. PEARL HARBOR HI It was also still a very nice boat ride since youll be able to see the amazing water color with a boat ride in the Florida Keys out to the reef! Ask for program schedule at the ranger station or visitor center and aquarium. Pavilions are not rented on holiday weekendsbut are still available on a first-come, first-served basis. Received a call at 9 it was cancelled. Left at 7 to make our 10 voyage. Here.here is where it all came together. We took a group of 12 teenagers on the morning glass-bottom boat tour and it was really wonderful! 31 reviews of Glass Bottom Boat - Pennekamp Park "With 10 minutes to spare, we arrived at Pennekamp Park and were able to purchase tickets to the soon-departing Glass Bottom Boat. Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experiences start time will not be accepted. The Encounter, a wheelchair-friendly snorkeling vessel, features wheelchair tie-downsas well as an over-sized marine restroom for guests. Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance by calling the park at 305-676-3777. Terms and Policies There are two reasons we occasionally have to cancel a tour. The tour guides where very knowledgeable captain Brian gave us a smooth ride the views where awesome II would most definitely recommend this tour a must see, We loved seeing all the islands and hearing the stories. From $50 Daily 2 hours 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. Glass-Bottom Boat Key Largo Hop aboard the M. V. Key Largo Princess for our daily tour to view the exciting and beautiful underwater world of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary. Captain Gary was very skilled showing us the Rivers secrets. This was a wonderful day trip with knowledgeable guides/hosts, both during the cruise and on Rock Island. Ways to Experience John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The pavilions are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but can also be rented in advance. Day-use guests may attend with a special pass obtained at the ranger station, as well as registered campers. Rentals are launched directly behind the concessions Snorkel Shed whichhas a wheelchair-friendly dock. In my head, to see the reef with either shallower waters or somehow protected. FSP.Feedback@FloridaDEP.gov, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Explore gorgeous coral reefs, teeming sea life and mangrove swamps. Well, it was during this time that the boat is bobbing up and down above the coral reef that I started to get nauseous and I left the glass bottom part of the boat to go outside to the open deck. All rights reserved. We are sorry you were disappointed that your tour was cancelled. The snorkel boat trips depart four times per day. There are many smaller aquariums with fish, invertebratesand other marine creatures, including live coral. Each site also has water and sewer hookup, a picnic table and a grill. This will reduce the amount of single-use plastics in landfills and reduce the litter sometimes found along trails, at campsites, on beaches and in Floridas waterways. We are happy to hear you enjoyed exploring Rock Island Lighthouse with us. Rental equipment is available. Prices: Adults - $24, Military & Seniors - $22 and Kids 6 to 12 - $16. Canoeing and kayaking through the park's waters are popular activities; fishing is permitted in designated areas. A small aquarium, very nice. The current rental prices from John Pennekamp are as follows: Canoes - $20 per hour Single kayaks - $12 per hour Double kayaks - $17 per hour Paddleboards - $25 per hour Camping Good news for outdoor enthusiasts: there are 47 camping sites on John Pennekamp State Park's property. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. See it from the water. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. for the money. Trying to avoid big crowds this tour was just perfect! They even handed out little motion sickness tablets as you got on the boat, free for the taking if you wanted one. It was bumpy. VISIT FLORIDA is a service mark of the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation, d/b/a VISIT FLORIDA, registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund. Reservations are recommended for all tours and must be confirmed in person no later that one hour prior to tour time. Copyright 2023 Copyright 2018 Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The playground is temporarily closed for repairs. Key Largos John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is one of a kind, offering an amazing glimpse into the underwater world. So happy to hear you enjoyed our Rock Island Lighthouse Tour. What an excellent adventure! All fishing within park boundaries must conform to regulations concerning size, number, method of capture and season. Stopping at the Rock Island Lighthouse was wonderful. HAWAII EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS Campers may consume alcoholic beverages within their campsites. My son & I have been on this boat a few times and is something we do every time we visit. Welcome aboard our flagship glassbottom boat, Spirit of Pennekamp. 2 Hour Tours Ugggg. But again, I dont know what else was seen the rest of the time. Renowned for being the country's first undersea park, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park encompasses an impressive 70 nautical square miles. One can also see some species in the swimming areas at the land base of the park. This is a open ocean reef with absolutely no protection from weather. BADLANDS SD It is temporarily closed for repairs. More 3 hours 30 minutes Free Cancellation From $65.00 Sunset Cruise on the Florida Bay 167 All Reservations need to be made online, click here to Book Now!For the most up-to-date info call (305) 451-6300. Each of the parks three nature trails offers a different habitat. The park has a PADI Five-Star Gold Palm dive shop, offering a full range of scuba courses from open water through instructor. A 2-hour 45-minute guided tour on a glass-bottomed boat and a visit to the Rock Island Lighthouse. Outdoor showers are available at the day-use restrooms, the dive shopand the boat embarkation area. Box 1560(305) 451-6300Video Equipment used:* Canon M50 https://amzn.to/35BAXva* Sony FDR-X3000 https://amzn.to/3iyduz9* Rode VideoMicro https://amzn.to/3oyTa4TMusic by:Epidemic Sound Accessible only by boat, a quick ride allows you to enjoy pristine beaches, lush mangroves and an offshore reef. Assisted listening devices in the visitor center and aquarium auditorium. There is also a campfire circle available when renting the group camp. If you dont mind getting in the water, I do recommend the John Pennekamp snorkeling tour. Ah, but then we are told - you can't snorkel this reef! Rentals and paddling trail maps are available at the parks concession. Otherwise, try Looe Key for a snorkeling tour!). Named for its tall dunes rising above the emerald waters of the gulf like a ship's sail, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park offers 3 miles of pristine white quartz beaches just minutes from Destin. Glass Bottom Boat Ride at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - Key Largo, Florida 9,165 views May 25, 2019 59 Dislike Share Elementary Explorers 4.4K subscribers Our first stop in the. They didn't get us a chance to get a refund and they didn't tell us HOW bad it would be. OMG. By Terry Gibson. Thank you for the fantastic review! Trust the origin, trust the quality, trust the name. The park has a PADI Five-Star Gold Palm dive shop, offering a full range of scuba courses from open water through instructor. FHA m you for a great experience. After being at the reef for fifteen minutes, there were 38 people upstairs on the deck vomiting. Most Popular Glass Bottom Boat Cruises In The Florida Keys Best Seller! Canoeing and kayaking through the park's waters are popular activities; fishing is permitted in designated areas. The glass-bottom trips depart from the park's docks three timesper day, 365 days a year, weather permitting. Receive boarding pass from our blue ticket booth, This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers. Schedules subject to seasonal change. Once the Spirit of Pennekamp reaches the reef, you will get a window into this fascinating underwater world. Beach wheelchair available upon request at visitor center and aquarium building. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park has four different types ofboat toursto ensure that all park visitors have the best opportunity possible to experience the park's coral reef system. It's about 45 minutes to the reef." Snorkeling give you an up-close view of the expansive underwater habitats at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Comedy, Beautiful experience and our tour guide was excellent. 1 - Weather Conditions, including severe storms or high winds. Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. We thought it was impressive how the captain maneuvered through "the cut", the deepest part between two islands! Additional fees apply for snorkeling and scuba tours, glass-bottom boat excursions and kayak and paddleboard rentals. The boat ride to the lighthouse was a lot of fun. Dont worry, it wont take long. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park encompasses approximately 70 nautical square miles. Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear())2021 VISIT FLORIDA. Change is available at the dive shop. We had planned on taking the 12:15pm boat ride and then stay to swim and snorkel. Jennifer Nelson (Doris Day) works at an aerospace lab, but moonlights as a mermaid to boost sales for her father's glass-bottom boat company. And again, what was our choice? Those amenities include: The Point, an area across from the campground entrancewith an outdoor screen, benchesand a fire circle,provides an area for evening ranger programs in the late fall and winter season. Captain Joe was friendly. The park has several miles of paddling trails through the mangroves and in Largo Sound. The park has a boat ramp (see amenities). HAWAII VOLCANOES HI . Please reference Error Code 2121 when contacting customer service. We highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a nice day cruising on the St. Lawerence and learning more about US history. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is committed to providing a variety of accessible amenities to all of its visitors. And the price was very reasonable. We were up and down on those 4-5 foot swells. MICHIGAN Paul Rice is the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Service Award. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. EVERGLADES FL Times: 9:15am, 12:15pm, 3:15pm Overseas Highway (U.S. 1), MM 102.5 Key Largo, FL 33037 (305) 451-1202 Visit Website . Snorkelers head out to the reef at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. A wheelchair-friendly glass bottom boat, the Spirit of Pennekamp. Box 1560 Spend an hour or so on Rock Island, among the river's Thousand Islands, before cruising back to Clayton. I love this parkbeaches, kayaking, glass bottom boat rides, picnic areas, so much to do! 102601 Overseas Highway (MM 102.5) MOUNT RUSHMORE SD There are no lifeguards on duty. You may be able to see marine creatures among the seagrasses, andreef fish will occasionally swim by. Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/AWindowToTheWorld?sub_confirmation=1#glassbottomboat #coralreef #boattour #johnpennekamp #keylargo #florida #floridakeys. I foolishly assumed that the reef had calmer waters. The park's accessibility features include the wheelchair-friendly glass bottom boat and snorkeling vessel, wheelchair-accessible picnic pavilions, campsites, playground area, and a dock for kayak and canoe rentals. ZION UT Campfires are not allowed elsewhere in the park. Learned alot about history of the river. We had breakfast, viewed the antique boat museum and watched the boats on the river. Some blah fish and one green turtle on the side of the boat. This experience requires good weather. It let me book the boat ride for 1000 islands within 24 hour period and When i reached there driving 3.5 hours, they said its already been overbooked and the website shouldnt have let me book it. The captain and moderator were very nice. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. The group campsite is limited to organized groups of 24 people maximum and a minimum of six people. The boat is spacious, the staff were friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable and what we saw on the reef was spectacular! So on the John Pennekamp glass bottom boat, once you get to the coral reef, the boat stops. Ask Jodi307 about John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Ask mandy292016 about John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Glass Bottom Boat - The info they don't tell you, Ask LBR115 about John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Ask IndianJonny about John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Ask 62sonyap about John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Ask FabEarth about John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Top ways to experience John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Recommended Tours & Sightseeing Outdoor Activities Water Sports Key Largo Coral Reef Glass Bottom Boat Adventure 242 Glass Bottom Boat Tours from $45.00 per adult Half-Day Florida Keys Catamaran Snorkel Adventure 22 Recommended from $65.00 per adult LIKELY TO SELL OUT* Shame on them. Boats leave the dock promptly at published time. If you are camping at the park, two washing machines and two dryers are available in the campground. Just bring a refillable water bottle to replenish your drinking water at the park. If this happens, the park will close temporarilybut reopenas soon as spaces become available. This review is for viator site and not the location. PICTURED ROCKS MI Please click the link below to receive your verification email. Thought we would see more. (The kind they give you on a plane.). This is definitely more spicy than usual..but better than this mornings ride." Copyright Fandango. Key Largo FL 33037, Offshore Island A wheelchair-friendly snorkeling vessel, the Encounter. Great trip. NORTH DAKOTA The park has a playground over the bridge. From Watertown take Route 12 exit (Bradley Street) to Clayton, turn right at the Light, 39621 Chateau Lane is less than a mile on your left! Welcome aboard the flagship glassbottom boat, Spirit of Pennekamp. The ride to and from were not a problem. We only had one more day and were told that the water would be more rough on Saturday. Swimming is at your own risk. We were already strong swimmers, and the . Thank you for choosing our Rock Island Lighthouse on a Glass Bottom Boat Tour. NEW YORK Drama. Additionally, pavilions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Thank you for the fantastic review! Thank you for choosing Clayton Island Tours. Then we began slowing down as we approach the reef. If its canceled due to poor weather, youll be offered a different date or a full refund. We live in Florida and are on boats fairly often but we don't drive boats. Coming Soon, Regal Per-load prices are comparable to local businesses. The glass-bottomed boat experience was a first impression that led me on a lifelong diving and fishing adventure. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park: Pennycamp glass bottom boat - See 7,005 traveler reviews, 2,679 candid photos, and great deals for Key Largo, FL, at Tripadvisor. It should also say that it was really easy to book this trip, Thank you for sharing your experience with us!