Guide to Snorkeling in Tampa, Florida- “Cigar City”

There are surprisingly great options for snorkeling in Tampa, despite the lack of a large reef system and less than great visibility in the area.

There is no bad time in Tampa. Home to approximately 4 million people within the metropolitan area, this “other” city by the bay is the cultural and economic center of west Florida. The beautiful coastline nearby, punctuated by Clearwater Beach, voted as one of the top beaches in the country, demonstrates the best that Florida has to offer. Over fifteen million visitors flock to Tampa annually, and it’s easy to see why. Amidst all the sandy, pristine beaches, there are some hidden underwater gems. Unlike the rest of west Florida, the unique environment of the bay makes snorkeling in Tampa a solid option during your trip.

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Tampa Snorkel Profile

Closest Airport: St. Petersburg – Clearwater International Airport – 15 miles away, 20 minutes to city center; Tampa International Airport – 7 miles away, 10 minutes to city center

Tampa is the bigger airport but St. Pete is growing rapidly as it became a focus city for Allegiant Air, one of the biggest budget airlines in the country. Given the proximity between the two airports, it makes sense to go by price rather than location. Plus, St. Pete is closer to the beaches where the focus should be.

Closest Major Cities: Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater

This is self-explanatory, but a quick summary below. Tampa Bay metro area is the 18th largest metro in the country and the second largest in Florida. Tampa is the most inland among the three big cities, occupying the northeast corner of the bay. St. Pete is on the peninsula which juts out into Tampa Bay, and Clearwater is on the coast in the northeast corner. Transportation around the metro area should be a breeze, although there can be some heavy traffic on the bridges.

Preferred Transportation Methods: Flight into either airports

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Introduction

From its humble beginnings as a frontier outpost, Tampa has flourished due to its ideal location on one of the largest natural harbors in the country. It was the headquarters of Vicente Martinez Ybor’s cigar manufacturing business, growing the city’s population and economic base and earning the nickname, “Cigar City”. The neighborhood Ybor City, which is named after the cigar manufacturer, is now an entertainment hub near downtown Tampa. The area experienced rapid expansion during WWII as a major military base and has been on a positive trajectory since. Now, Tampa and the surrounding area are not only popular tourist spots, but also retirement homes for many Americans.

Most visitors like to keep their head above water when visiting Tampa and the surrounding area. Get some time on the beach during the day and enjoy the nightlife in Tampa when the sun goes down. But there is also some good snorkeling in Tampa that not many are aware of. On the shores of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, there are government protected parks that harbor significant marine life. These are the areas you want to go to if you are seeking underwater adventures.

Snorkeling in Tampa, FL Area

Let’s set realistic expectations before we dive in. West Florida is most famous for its beautiful sandy beaches. As amazing as that sounds, that does not provide a great environment for a marine ecosystem. The miles and miles of sand indicates a lack of coral system, where you will see marine life prosper. The water visibility can be low-to-medium, primarily due to the outflow of Hillsborough River, the main source of water in the area.

However, there are two areas that still provide decent snorkeling in Tampa: Egmont State Park and Shell Key Preserve. Both are islands off the coast of St. Petersburg and require transportation via water vessels, so you need to arrange your own aquatic transportation to these destinations. The ferry ride to both islands take less than thirty minutes and leave from Fort De Soto marina, which is at the southern tip of St. Petersburg.

Snorkeling in Shell Key Preserve

Shell Key Preserve covers approximately 1,800 acres and protects sensitive marine habitats and includes one of the county’s largest undeveloped barrier islands as well as numerous mangrove islands and expansive sea grass beds. There are public areas on the preserve which allow visitors to enjoy boating, beach-going, and even camping overnight. But for folks that want to spend overnight, please be advised that there are no restrooms out here so you need to haul back to mainland for your private endeavors.

Most boats will take you snorkeling in on the southern part of the Shell Key, which is the main island of the Preserve. This section is the only publicly accessible area in the preserve, aside from the western coastlines on the northern part of the island. All the other keys are restricted from access. The best area to snorkel in the Shell Key preserve is the eastern coastline of the Shell Key. There are many islands here to calm the waves coming in and water is generally warm here. While there aren’t any natural reefs in the area, there is marine life you can observe. The most common resident in these areas is the sand dollar, a flat sea urchin that burrows for eternity.

Egmont Key State Park

You can learn more about snorkeling in Egmont Key State Park via our guide. Similar to Shell Key Preserve, it is a great area for snorkeling at the right spots.

Recommended Itinerary for Snorkeling in Tampa

If you can spare a day, or even a half-day, it would be worth it to visit either Shell Key Preserve or Egmont Key State Park. Both are well preserved and worth a ferry, even though the snorkeling may not be as good as those in the Florida Keys or the Caribbean. It is a good break from the pristine, sandy beaches that you will see for miles and miles. Egmont Key would be the better option of the two strictly from a snorkeling standpoint, but you wouldn’t go wrong with Shell Key.