With school just around the corner, this is a perfect time to schedule a few day trips around the Sunshine State. Did you know it’s Coral Reef Awareness Week? Mark your calendars for July 20 to 26, 2026.
Everyone talks about Florida’s springs and beaches, but how many people realize that in the Florida Keys there’s a state park unlike any other? John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo protects a rare piece of the only living coral reef system along North America’s coast.
This isn’t your average park. John Pennekamp holds the title of America’s first undersea park, stretching across 72 nautical miles. People come from all over just to glimpse this vivid coral ecosystem, full of marine life at every turn. The place teems with creatures you’ll find only here.
And things are about to get even more exciting. The park is launching a state-of-the-art Discovery Center and Aquarium in 2028. And they have some big news to share about this project soon, so stay tuned.
If you want to learn more about the upcoming Discovery Center & Aquarium, click here to check out what’s happening at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
