John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, Florida

On a recent trip to Key Largo, Florida, my husband and I discovered America's very first underwater park. The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park rests on the Atlantic Ocean and stretches across 25 miles. The park is rich with tropical mangroves, birds, swamps, beaches and canals.

It also encompasses a large portion of our country's only living coral reef. Some of these reefs which attract beautiful and fascinating marine life have taken over 5,000 years to form. The park invites you to carefully explore these wonders of nature by offering an array of land and water activities for all ages to enjoy.

We opted for snorkeling and were not disappointed. For about $35 a person, we were provided with the proper snorkeling gear, a wet suit and over an hour of water time. A boat took us through a large scenic channel and into the Atlantic Ocean where guides gave us a brief training class and then sent us off to snorkel the reef. We were amazed as schools of colorful fish, barracudas, ballyhoos, and even a harmless nurse shark were in our midst.

Pennekamp also offers glass bottom boat tours for $22 per adult and $15 per child. These tours are two and a half hours long and give you the unique opportunity to view the coral reefs and their incredible fish without actually being in the water. Power boats for fishing or just relaxing are also available for rental. There are full day and half day options ranging from $135-$360.

You can even learn to scuba dive at the park which offers several courses that range in price from $150-$425. The scuba tours themselves are usually four hours long for around $45 per person and provide the chance to explore underwater shipwrecks, canons, statues and spectacular marine life.

Back on dry land, the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park has a 47 site campground available for tents and RVs. You can rent canoes or kayaks to travel through the many water trails at the park for $12-$17 an hour.