Undersea Lodge Water Shacks

stay; or $37.50 per adult and $25 per child
per night. Visit ClubFLA.org/TreeHouse.aspx.
Undersea Lodge
Located in the tropical mangrove habitat
of Emerald Lagoon at Key Largo Undersea
Park, Jules’ Undesea Lodge is the world’s only
underwater hotel! To enter the Lodge, one
must scuba dive 21 feet beneath the surface of
the sea. Soak up the amenities of this cottagesized building complete with cozy beds beside
windows to a sea of ocean life, plus a stocked
kitchen and more.
Jules’ actually began as La Chalupa
Research Laboratory, a habitat used to explore
the continental shelf off the coast of Puerto
Rico. Today, tropical angelfish, parrotfish,
barracuda, and snappers swim by the seethrough walls to the delight of underworld
vacationers.
Jules’ requires diver certification, so
either bring proof or take the Discover Scuba
Diving course onsite for $95 (not a full
certification; must be 10 years old). Overnight
stays options: Jules’ Undersea Luxury For
Two package
is $800 and
includes a
pizza dinner,
breakfast,
and dive
gear; group
economy
packages are $300-$350 per person. Want to
day trip instead? Enjoy a three hour visit to
Jules’ with a pizza lunch for $150 per person
or explore the Lagoon only: snorkel for $15
per person, dive for $35 per person, or night
dive for $40 per person. Visit Jul.com.
Water Shacks
Picture brilliantly hued homes hovering
over the water near Key Biscayne! Accessible
only by boat, these seven wooden stilt
structures are just a few miles off downtown
Miami but light-years from the city’s hustle
and bustle. “Stiltsville” dates back to the
1930s when “Crawfish Eddie Walker” built
the first shack to sell bait and beverages.
The water colony grew to 27 houses by
1959 but, overtime, devastating hurricanes
and ownership disputes threatened to sink
Stiltsville.
Today, a nonprofit called the Stiltsville
Trust preserves these historic properties with
the National Park Service and grants access for
weekend to weeklong rentals. Your waterlovin’ family can lounge on the veranda to
watch the current carry bonefish across the
flats, take a dip off the porch, or snorkel the
nearby pristine coral reefs. Finish the day by
grilling your fresh catch and watching the
Miami lights flicker beyond the sunset.
Arrange for your own boat transportation
and complete a rental application at
StiltsvilleTrust.org.
Photo credits: Katie’s Lighthouse images courtesy of Jumping
Rocks; Stiltsville images courtesy of BrianCallPhotography.com.
a day of Family Fun, Birthdays, and
Educational Activities for All Ages!
• Sand pile • Duck Races
• Super Slide • Fishing
•
15426 County Road 48
Astatula, FL 34705
(352) 742-8180
StanleyPondFarm.com
www.OrlandoFamilyMagazine.com
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