John Pennekamp Coral Reef

Araceli Cabrera

Beautiful Stop—Even Without the Tours! We stopped here during our road trip and spent a few hours enjoying the park, even though the tours were cancelled due to high waves. Despite it being a holiday (Mother’s Day), the small beach area didn’t feel crowded at all, which was a pleasant surprise. The kids had the most fun snorkeling in the shallow areas—it was a great way to spend the afternoon. There’s also a neat little aquarium at the visitor center that’s worth checking out. Entry was about \$10 total for our family of four, which felt like a great value. I’d love to come back another time to try the guided snorkeling or kayaking tours. Definitely a spot worth visiting!

Karin Martinez

I absolutely love Florida state parks. This is a fun and different addition to the list. The main thing to do here is water-related. If you’re looking for trails, this may not be for you. I did try the Wild Tamarind trail. It was short and enjoyed the many tree plaque IDs, but its so close to the people and road, there wasn’t much wildlife to be seen except lizards. I went on a Monday and was surprised to see as many ppl as there were, I imagine it’s crazy packed on weekends. There’s a small visitors center if you’re looking for AC, some little aquarium tanks and a film screening room. Right next door is the store, where you can find snorkeling and diving stuff. And in the back of the store are the showers and bathrooms. Canon beach is relatively small and people go swimming from there. The park offers charters for diving and snorkeling on the reef itself. I ended going to Far Beach area and did a little snorkeling there in the seagrass beds. Saw lots of little fish, and it was fun spying different underwater plants. I’m not a serious snorkeler and this was great for beginners. Not deep and had a fun time.

Daniela Anaya

Beautiful place to visit and enjoy the outdoors. Great spot for kayaking and paddling, peaceful, safe and full of wildlife. It’s also a fantastic spot for jet skiing, although the boat ramp is under maintenance and there’s a lot of construction going on, they managed to keep one ramp open. It’s absolutely worth the visit. Get there early so you can make the most out of your day, they close the park at sunset like most parks, and parking with a trailer is limited. Bathrooms are available and also there’s ice bags for sale. We’ll keep visiting for sure 👍🏻

Paige Lipsky

Fantastic place to snorkel and dive. There's a lot of sea life hiding along the coral. I've never seen so many parrotfish or barracudas. Someone on my boat even saw a hammerhead shark along the reef. Regardless of fish and animals - it's just a nice place to swim. The water is warm and clear.

Katy Crocker

We kayaked through the mangroves and canals with our own kayaks. Easy in and out access. We even saw an osprey nest with a baby in it. They have maps of the area so you don't get lost. Well kept park with lots of amenities. Nice clean showers and bathrooms. Interesting visitor center. We plan on coming back to bring our grandkids for one of their snorkeling tours and to spend time on the beach with them.