The Midwest's 5 Best Destinations For Scenic Scuba Diving

When scouting for the best scuba diving locations in the world, you may come up with a tropical list of favorites. The vibrant underwater city of Bloody Bay Wall Trench in the Cayman Islands, for example, is considered one of the best scuba sites in the world. In the U.S., Catalina Island offers some of the best and most underrated scuba diving in the country. On the East Coast, Florida has its share of magical beaches perfect for scuba junkies. But the Midwest?

Yes, indeed. The Midwest has some of the best destinations for specialized scuba diving. Don't expect coral reefs and technicolor tropical fish, though. Instead, divers will explore the deep water mysteries of lakes and quarries, including several shipwrecks. Learning to scuba dive is a bucket-list adventure for many, and there are plenty of fantastic destinations where scuba lessons are surprisingly affordable. Getting to those destinations can still be pricey, however. Here's a look at some of the top sites recommended by PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, that may be closer to home. Divers may be surprised at what treasures they find nearby.

Those living in the Chicago area are lucky to have an excellent diving location nearby. Haigh Quarry was previously mined for limestone until the 1970s, when it was flooded with spring water. The quarry still has some of the mining equipment and interesting man-made underwater landscapes to explore. It also has Artifact Park, a PADI recommended dive site for learning to explore delicate underwater archeological sites. 

Once you've got your diving skills, you can head south about 300 miles to Mermet Springs for some spectacular wreck diving. Where else can you explore a Boeing 727 underwater? The plane is actually a giant piece of Hollywood memorabilia, bought from the film U.S. Marshals when it was filming nearby. 

Now, it's the star diving attraction at Mermet Springs. Divers can test their skills by swimming through the 120-foot fuselage. Keep an eye out for this quarry lake's "monster fish", known locally as spoon-fish or paddle-fish. These smooth, shark-like fish have protruding paddle-shaped bills to help them feed. Paddlefish are toothless and harmless to humans, but they're still a thrilling sight for divers.

If you dream of exploring for sunken treasure in shipwrecks, then Michigan's dive sites are a great place to start. The Michigan Shipwreck Research Association says the remains of at least 6,000 shipwrecks lie at the bottom of the Great Lakes, particularly in the most traveled waterways of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. With so many options, it can be difficult to choose just one.

Among the sites PADI recommends, Thunder Bay on the shores of Lake Huron stands out for the sheer number of wrecks lying in easily accessible waters. This "Shipwreck Alley" has been preserved as an underwater sanctuary, perfect for divers of all levels to explore. Among PADI's favorite wrecks in the area is the 236 steam freighter, Montana, which caught fire and sank in 1914.  

On the other side of Michigan's mitten-shaped peninsula is the Manitou Passage Underwater Preserve, a particularly rich trove of shipwrecks. The Francisco Morazán is an ocean freighter that ran aground in a snowstorm, making it a particularly accessible wreck to explore. The location and lighthouse views of South Manitou Island make it a great base for exploring wrecks in this area.

Not to be outdone, next door, Wisconsin has its own share of excellent dive spots, including an impressive list of wreck dives. The Prins Willem V freighter was sailing just a few miles from Milwaukee when she collided with the towing cables of a nearby barge and sank in 1954. Today, it is a popular and easily accessible site for divers to explore. There's more to explore as well. 

The overlooked shoreline north of Milwaukee also has some of the best-preserved shipwrecks. It has recently been designated as the Shipwreck Coast Marine Preserve. At least 36 wreck sites have been identified. Another 60 are believed to be resting on the lake floor, waiting to be discovered. 

For inland dives, PADI also recommends Lake Wazee for the exceptional clarity of the water. Known as Wisconsin's deepest lake, its pristine waters have made it popular for all kinds of water sports. The waters run so deep that divers will experience the thermocline, the dramatic drop in temperature between layers of water. While on the surface it can be a balmy 70 degrees, it plummets to 34 degrees at about 600 feet.

Ohio is another Great Lake State with a wide selection of wreck dives and inland quarry dives. The Ohio Shipwreck Inventory estimates that there are about 600 shipwrecks within state waters along Lake Erie. Kelleys Island has three wreck sites, all of which are a good choice for family diving and snorkeling expeditions. Two 19th-century schooners, the W.R. Hanna and the Adventure, are situated close by and easily visited together from a single anchor point. This "island for all seasons" is a favorite getaway destination for divers and landlubbers alike.

For inland dives, Gilboa Quarry is a premier diving destination with plenty to explore underwater, including a Sikorsky Helicopter and a Grumman Airplane. The quarry has a shallow area with a maximum depth of 65 feet for recreational divers, but it also has a deeper area for advanced technical training with a depth of more than 130 feet. It's also very popular. If you're looking for a similar location with fewer crowds, try the turquoise waters at this little-known quarry-diving destination as an alternative.

The Bonne Terre Mine is a legendary scuba location for the most intrepid divers. This former mine was once the world's largest producer of lead ore, carving out a huge underground cavern that was flooded. When the mine closed in the 1960s, it became the world's largest man-made subterranean lake and a diver's paradise. 

It's a water wonderland so big that James Cameron filmed underwater scenes from his 1989 movie, "The Abyss," inside. PADI describes Bonne Terre Mine as "one of the best adventures in the United States, with one of the largest man-made caverns. Its underwater pillars, shafts, archways, walls, and ceilings stretch for miles in all directions, a sprawling maze beneath the town."

Sadly, the Bonne Terre Mine is currently closed. We add it to this list because it has been one of the standout locations for Midwest diving, and there are plans to open again soon. It was the largest freshwater scuba venue in the world, with five levels of dive sites and multiple trails to explore abandoned mining shafts and discarded equipment. Stadium lighting allowed divers to see into the clear water, and the temperature was kept at a comfortable 58 degrees Fahrenheit.

To compile this list of the 5 best Midwest destinations for scenic scuba diving, we looked at recommended sites from PADI, the professional divers association, as well as reviews of locations from diving communities such as Scuba Board. Accessibility and unique points of interest were also considered in making this list. 

There are many more Midwest destinations beyond these states. Minnesota, for example, has more than 50 dive sites, from shipwrecks to a former mine that is now one of the deepest lakes in the state. It's not just about the Great Lakes states, either. Landlocked Nebraska also has hubs for snorkeling and diving. 

If you've always wanted to try this underwater sport, a beginner scuba-diving course is a must. There are specific techniques that must be learned to safely breathe underwater. A course usually takes at least 3 days with a practical element and a test at the end. Once you learn it, though, there's a whole new underwater world to discover.