Enjoy a Swim with Dolphins and a Snorkel Trip in the Key Largo Area

The Florida Keys are one of the few places in the United States where you can spend part of your day snorkeling a living coral reef and the other part enjoying a dolphin program. For visitors interested in swimming with dolphins from Key West or from South Florida, this makes Key Largo and Islamorada a great combination day trip. Key Largo is known for its turquoise water, tropical scenery, and laid-back island atmosphere, and it gives you the chance to snorkel the coral reef before or after your dolphin experience.

You can spend one part of the day on a snorkel boat exploring the reef, then drive your own car to a dolphin facility in either Key Largo or Islamorada. Timing is everything, but the good news is that the snorkel operators and dolphin facilities are close enough to make both activities possible in the same day with a little planning. Reserve your dolphin program and snorkel trip in advance, leave enough travel time between activities, and you can turn your drive from Key West, Miami or other South Florida Cities, into a full Florida Keys adventure.

Key Largo 1-Day Dolphins and Snorkeling Adventure

The Key Largo 1-Day Dolphins and Snorkeling Adventure is perfect for guests who want to experience two of the area’s most memorable activities in one day. Start your morning with the 9:00 a.m. Christ of the Abyss Snorkel Trip, where you will spend about 1½ hours exploring the coral reef and have the chance to see the famous underwater Jesus Christ statue. It is one of Key Largo’s most iconic sights and a great way to begin your Florida Keys adventure.

In the afternoon, continue with the 1:00 p.m. Key Largo Dolphin Encounter (3;30pm if 1pm is sold out), a shallow-water dolphin program where you can get up close with the dolphins by petting, playing, kissing, and participating in fun trainer-led behaviors. Depending on the program, you may also have the opportunity to enter deeper water, but this experience does not include dolphin rides.

This combination makes for an exciting full day in Key Largo, with snorkeling in the morning and dolphins in the afternoon. Below, you can book the 9:00 a.m. snorkel trip and the 1:00 p.m. Dolphin Encounter separately.

If you are booking both activities for the same day, be sure to double-check both calendars before completing your purchase so the times line up correctly.

Upper Keys 1-Day Dolphin Swim and John Pennekamp Snorkeling Adventure

If you want to go deep with both the dolphins and the snorkeling, this Upper Keys combination day is a great choice. You will travel a little farther south for the 10:30 a.m. Dolphin Swim in Islamorada, then head back north to Key Largo for the 3:00 p.m. John Pennekamp snorkeling trip.

The drive between Islamorada and Key Largo is about 30 minutes, giving you plenty of time to enjoy both experiences without feeling rushed.

The Islamorada Dolphin Swim takes place in approximately 15 to 20 feet of water and is designed for guests ages 8 and older. You will have the chance to pet and play with the dolphins, participate in trainer-led behaviors, and enjoy an exciting dolphin ride across the water.

Later that afternoon, the John Pennekamp snorkeling trip gives you about 1½ hours on the reef, where tropical fish, coral formations, and the underwater beauty of the Florida Keys come alive.

This is a fantastic way to combine two unforgettable marine experiences in one day: dolphins in Islamorada in the morning and reef snorkeling in Key Largo in the afternoon.