FLORIDA: CONSERVATION IS KEY

 Activities

• PADI Scuba: Get certified as a PADI Open Water or Advanced Open Water dive; specialty courses are available depending on level and experience

• Diving: Dive down to one of the many incredible shipwrecks off the coast of the Upper Keys

• Snorkel: Florida Keys

• Explore: Wild Bird Center at Key Largo, The Everglades, Underwater Wreck, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

• REEF Classes: Fish Identification Study and Lion Fish Education

SWIMMING ABILITY

Due to the nature of this program, it is required that participants are comfortable being in the water and swimming in various depths.

Service

A Certificate of Community Service indicating the total number of hours worked and a group Presidential Volunteer Service Award will be issued upon successful completion of the program. Service work could include some of the following:

• Work with local conservation experts on water-based projects related to the repopulation and protection of staghorn and elkhorn coral. 

• Other service opportunities include volunteering at a bird sanctuary and beach clean-ups in the area.

WHAT IS INCLUDED AND EXCLUDED IN TRIP TUITION

The trip tuition listed above includes accommodations, activities, meals, and group gear. The tuition does not include personal gear and clothing, travel insurance, spending money, E-Learning for scuba diving, and travel expenses such as airfare to and from the start and end of the program, unaccompanied minor fees, and baggage fees.

SCUBA COURSES and E-Learning Requirements

All RLT participants signed up for a scuba diving program are required to complete the classroom portion of the course prior to the start date of their program. This is a separate fee not included in your RLT tuition. Upon enrolling in a program, you will receive additional information regarding E-Learning. It is important that you do not begin E-Learning before receiving these details from our Admissions Team and/or your course instructors. For more details, please visit our scuba diving information page. If you are unsure which course would be best for you, please call us in the office at 773-342-5200.

• PADI Junior Open Water Certification

• PADI Open Water Certification

• PADI Advanced Open Water Certification

• PADI Specialty Courses: (for those already Open Water Certified)

  • Peak Performance Buoyancy

  • Fish Identification

  • Underwater Navigation

AccommodationS and showering

We sleep in a private home (Airbnb-style) for the entire program. Bedrooms in the private home will be divided by gender and participants will sleep slumber party-style – rotating available beds nightly, and sharing beds as needed.

In an effort to save time and conserve water resources in the areas we are traveling, participants will have access to showers every 3-4 days even when showers are readily available in private housing accommodations. On days with ocean-based activities, participants will be able to rinse off with fresh water. Bathrooms are flush toilets.

food

Participants on this trip will plan, prepare, and eat meals as a group. Split up into smaller cook crews, each crew will have the chance to prepare a meal approximately once per day. This process is supervised by staff who offer advice on nutrition, and menu planning, and ensure safe food storage, preparation, and handling.

Meals are prepared in the kitchen of our Airbnb-style accommodations with access to a full kitchen. The nature of cooking for a large group sometimes requires a simpler menu than a restaurant or home cook might allow.

We are able to accommodate all dietary requirements and preferences.

TRAVEL

Families are individually responsible for booking their own airfare or making their own travel arrangements to get their student from home to Miami Airport (MIA) on the first day of the trip, and from Miami (MIA) to home on the last day of the trip. RLT will provide exact windows of time that we require all students to arrive and depart within. It is imperative that no one make any travel arrangements until RLT directs them to do so.

TRAVEL INSURANCE RECOMMENDATIONS

The Road Less Traveled does not provide its own insurance nor do we require travel insurance for domestic trips. However, travel insurance can protect your investment in your participant's trip from the risk of unexpected expenses from last-minute cancellations or early trip departure. If you are interested in more details regarding travel insurance, please visit our FAQ page or you may contact a member of our team at info@theroadlesstraveled.com or 773-342-5200.

TECHNOLOGY

As part of the RLT experience, our trips are electronic-free. While it is encouraged to travel with cell phones, leaders will collect phones and any other personal devices after all participants arrive on the first day. It can feel tough initially to not have access to your phone, but it really helps everyone in the group to connect and have a really great trip experience. This includes phones, iPods, tablets, gaming devices, music devices, smartwatches, etc. All electronics will be held by RLT leaders, kept safe and dry for the duration of the trip, and returned at the end of the program. All cameras, go pros, etc. are acceptable and can be kept with you! If you do not have a camera, please note that leaders will also be taking photos throughout the program, and these photos will be shared through an online gallery.