scuba diving trips

Located in the very heart of Central America, Honduras is a short flight from major U.S. gateways — two hours from Miami, and less than three hours from Houston and Atlanta. But once you arrive, it’s a whole new world.

North Carolina is well-known for its wreck diving — more than 650 ships sank off the Outer Banks, the state's barrier islands, between 1526 and 1945. This has given the area the nickname The Graveyard of the Atlantic. On land, western North Carolina consists of rolling hills that ascend to the Blue Ridge and Great Smokey Mountains. North Carolina was one of the 13 original colonies, and it was the last state to join the Confederacy in the Civil War.

National Geographic Adventure named the diving at Bonne Terre Mine in Missouri — explored and filmed by Jacques Cousteau — one of the top 10 adventures in America. Back in the day, the mine’s deepest reaches were not underwater. A massive pump system stemmed the flow of encroaching groundwater as the miners pushed deeper. But when the world’s largest lead mine was closed, the pumps were turned off and water trickled in to fill the void.

Spend a week at your very own luxury private Caribbean island paradise. Turneffe Island Resort is located 30 miles off the Belizean coast on Turneffe Atoll, which is part of the 200-mile Belizean barrier reef, the longest reef system in the western hemisphere. The resort has 21 luxury, mahogany and teakwood rooms with private baths, indoor and outdoor showers. All rooms have screened-in porches that offer breathtaking views. Upgrade to a Private Villa nestled between coconut palm trees for added privacy.