Hi there!
Calusa Beach is one of the snorkeling beaches in Bahia Honda State Park.
You have a chance to see lots of fish while snorkeling from Calusa Beach on your own. No Bahia Honda snorkeling tour necessary!
And, emphasis on CHANCE…!
The marine life is wild so they do what they want when they want and there’s no guarantee to see them!
The Florida Keys are not generally known for having good snorkeling from shore.
But if you get lucky and go when the fish are there… it can be a fun Florida Keys shore snorkeling experience in Bahia Honda State Park!
Calusa Beach is also the Bahia Honda State Park beach where you can get the best beach view of the iconic old Bahia Honda railway bridge.
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You can snorkel from the beach in Bahia Honda State Park with iconic bridge views!
So, you can go snorkeling from the beach in Bahia Honda State Park with the backdrop of the old bridge… as well as the “new” bridge that’s currently in use which is the main road that goes across the Florida Keys!
As per my experience, the fish may or may not be there when you go snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park!
The first time I went snorkeling at Calusa Beach, what I saw was very limited.
The second time I went snorkeling off of Calusa Beach, there were SO many fish!
I had just finished snorkeling at Loggerhead Beach (another Bahia Honda beach) where I had a happy snorkeling experience.
I decided that I should try snorkeling at Calusa Beach again.
It’s a walk of a few minutes between the 2 beaches so it’s not far at all.
Not to mention I had parked at the Calusa Beach parking lot anyway so Calusa Beach was right there when I returned to my car.
And I am SO glad I tried Calusa Beach again!
The snorkeling experience was different from the first time!
I feel like I saw a lot of fish swimming around!
The Florida Keys are not generally known for having many sandy beaches.
But Calusa Beach is one of the most well-known sandy beaches in the Florida Keys.
👇 Perfect pre-snorkel activity: Hiking the Old Bridge Trail in Bahia Honda State Park to see views of Calusa Beach from above!
There are also picnic tables near the Calusa Beach snorkeling spot.
And so…
Where is the best shore snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park from Calusa Beach?
So now, where can you go in Bahia Honda State Park for the best chance to have good snorkeling at Calusa Beach?!
In short, try swimming around the rocks for the best snorkeling at Calusa Beach when you are in Bahia Honda State Park!
Calusa Beach is not that long and has a swimming area that is roped off.
There is only one rocky area within the swimming area.
As you are facing the water, you will see the the iconic old bridge off to the left.
On the far right end of Calusa Beach, you will see a rocky jetty.
So the Bahia Honda snorkeling spot at Calusa Beach is to the far right of the swimming area.
And actually, even before you go snorkeling, have a walk out onto the jetty.
On the right side of the jetty (non-swimming side), I could actually see a bunch of fish from above.
Another time I was there, there was a lady who said she saw a turtle!
Polarized sunglasses can help you see underwater better when you are looking from above! So add polarized sunglasses to your Florida Keys packing list!
So when you are ready to get in the water, just start swimming along the rocks.
The time when I had good snorkeling at Calusa Beach, there was tons of seaweed along the rocks and there were tons of fish directly along the rocks.
The fish were under the seaweed! Maybe they were there because of the seaweed?! (aka food?!)
At the Bahia Honda beaches, including Calusa Beach, there are signs to not take conch shells or starfish.
This would seem to indicate that you have a chance to find a conch or a starfish if you go snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park.
For this, you might try looking on the sandy bottom or where you see sea grass as you are snorkeling Bahia Honda at Calusa Beach!
As the sign says, if you find one, only look, though!
Snorkeling around rocks at Bahia Honda State Park and the Florida Keys
Not only were the rocks where I saw the most fish at Calusa Beach in Bahia Honda State Park, rocks seem to be a good spot to try no matter where you are snorkeling from shore in the Florida Keys!
It was around rocks that I found good snorkeling at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park in Key West too.
It was also around rocks that I found good snorkeling down the road from Bahia Honda State Park at Horseshoe Beach.
Seaweed at Bahia Honda State Park and the Florida Keys
It is common to see seaweed along the shoreline of the Florida Keys, and that includes Bahia Honda State Park.
Seaweed and sea grass are considered to be an important part of the coastal ecosystem, so most of the time it doesn’t get removed and it’s just a part of your Florida Keys snorkeling experience!
The boring safety message for snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park and any of the beaches in the Florida Keys
The ocean is powerful!
Rip currents exist! Know before you go!
Take care out there!
Look for the beach flag warnings… and take extra caution based on the color of those beach flags!
Once you pass through the Bahia Honda State Park entry station, you can look for the beach flag.
You will also see a beach flag once you are at the Calusa Beach parking lot.
Even if the beach flag color indicates that there are “calm conditions” (green flag), it’s still the ocean, so take care!
Also be mindful of the Calusa Beach swimming area.
It’s a designated swimming area for a reason.
It may also be tempting to snorkel around the rocks off to the far right of Calusa Beach, but this is also outside the swimming area.
The channel that goes under the bridge is considered to be an area that could have high currents which is another reason to stay within the designated swimming area.
More for your Florida Keys road trip
- Snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park
- Things to do in Bahia Honda State Park
- From Bahia Honda: Looe Key snorkeling tour
- Fort Zachary Taylor State Park snorkeling in Key West
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park snorkeling in Key Largo
- What to pack for snorkeling in the Florida Keys
More pictures below of what I saw snorkeling at Calusa Beach!
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What can you see snorkeling from shore in Bahia Honda State Park?
See the pictures below!
In short, when you go snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park from shore on your own, you have the potential to see lots of fish!
My snorkeling trip to Calusa Beach and Bahia Honda State Park was in May 2022. Your experience may vary!
My underwater pictures were taken with my phone.
I put my phone in a cheap waterproof phone case.
This does have its annoyances and you won’t be able to take as crisp of photos as a proper camera.
But if you don’t want to buy a real waterproof camera, then you might be happy with what it can do!
I have found that it’s easiest to take lots of video, and then if you want to make it into a picture, then take a screenshot from the video!
Most of the pictures above of snorkeling at Calusa Beach are screenshots from video taken with my phone. And these pictures are also formatted for the web aka the quality is reduced.
Whether you get a cheap waterproof phone case or a proper waterproof camera, also get a camera float to attach to it!
Then, if you accidentally drop your phone or camera, it won’t sink to the bottom of the ocean!
See more: How a cheap waterproof phone case for snorkeling works
And that’s a bit about snorkeling from shore in Bahia Honda State Park!
More snorkeling in the Florida Keys:
- Bahia Honda State Park snorkeling
- Looe Key
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park snorkeling
- Horseshoe Beach is about a 5 minute drive down the road from Bahia Honda State Park (map)
HAPPY SNORKELING IN BAHIA HONDA STATE PARK!
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