You spend enough time on land. For your next vacation, consider heading under the sea. Swap your shoes for fins and clothes for swim suits, then embark on an aquatic escapade. Here are eight options, which include exploring an underwater art museum, dining in a submerged restaurant and even sleeping with the fishes (in a very alive way).
Eat at Under, Lindesnes, Norway
Halfway submerged in the icy waters of the North Sea is Under, a “striking” restaurant with a focus on just-caught seafood and seasonal ingredients, said The Michelin Guide. Under calls itself a “living periscope,” and diners are seated in front of a 36-foot panoramic window that looks out into the water and doubles as a “marine-themed art installation.” Its innovative menus and delightful ambiance earned the restaurant a Michelin star.
Explore the Museum of Underwater Art, Australia
Snorkelers and scuba divers glide by dozens of underwater art installations at this museum filled with sunken treasures. The Museum of Underwater Art is in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and features work by eco-sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, whose “fascinating” art brings “greater awareness to our threatened oceans,” said Afar. Highlights include “Coral Greenhouse,” the world’s largest underwater art structure, and “Ocean Sentinels,” a series of “hybrid-human figure sculptures” of marine scientists and conservationists who protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Go to an underwater winery in Hvar, Croatia
Winemaking has been a vital part of sunny Hvar’s heritage for thousands of years. The grapes may grow above ground, but sometimes the final product can be found underwater. Edivo winery keeps a few bottles of its Navis Mysterium wine inside a shipwreck near the coast of Drace, and organizes dives for visitors who want to explore this unusual cellar. Zlatan Otok provides a similar opportunity, offering wine tastings inside its “stone cellar under the sea,” said Travel and Leisure.
Imbibe at Sip ’N Dip, Great Falls, Montana
Mermaids are real — and they can be found in the middle of Montana. The Sip ’N Dip lounge opened inside the O’Haire Inn in 1962 and quickly became a “national curiosity,” due to its large glass windows that looked into the swimming pool, said KRTV. During those early days, swimmers entertained patrons, before being replaced by mermaids with shiny tails. Every night, they splash around in front of excited crowds enjoying classic tiki sips, offering a kitschy throwback to the days of funky roadside attractions.
Splash around at Aquaventure at Atlantis, Bahamas
There are plenty of fun things to do at the massive Atlantis resort and tackling Aquaventure is at the “top of the list,” said The Boston Globe. The behemoth, 20-million-gallon water park covers 141 acres and has 14 pools, a rapid river and some of the most exhilarating water slides anywhere. Several plunge thrillseekers deep underwater, like the Leap of Faith, which includes a vertical drop into a “clear tunnel submerged in a shark-filled lagoon,” and the corkscrew Serpent Slide that ends with a leisurely ride in a tunnel surrounded by marine life.
Stay in the Underwater Room at Manta Resort Pemba Island, Tanzania
It doesn’t get more immersive than this. The “one-of-a-kind” Underwater Room at Manta Resort Pemba Island is a three-level floating suite about 800 feet from shore, with the bedroom below the surface of the Indian Ocean, said Travel and Leisure. The bed is surrounded by almost 360 degrees of glass, and schools of fish, octopus and squid regularly travel by (at night, dim lights are activated to attract nocturnal marine life). There’s also a sunbathing deck and shaded lounge area, and guests are given snorkeling gear and curated meals delivered by boat. All profits from stays in the Underwater Room go back into area marine conservation projects.
Swim with humpbacks, Mo’orea
Whales are respected in French Polynesia, and Mo’orea is a “prime destination for swimming with the gentle giants,” said the BBC. Guided tours are available for small groups, with strict protections in place for the safety of the whales; boats and swimmers must keep their distance. The peak season is July through November, and those lucky enough to come across a majestic humpback on their tour can expect an “otherworldly” and “humbling” opportunity to “witness the magnificence of nature.”
Visit Reefline, Miami Beach, Florida
Art and sustainability collide at Reefline. Stretching seven miles off the shore of Miami Beach, it is an “art installation, a restoration of the island’s coral habitat and an underwater tourist attraction,” said NPR. The sculptures are made to support fish, marine life and corals, and the plan is to plant thousands of corals here over the next decade. Because it’s only about 600 feet from shore, Reefline is easily accessible without a boat, and divers can paddle out or swim. The project launched in late 2025, and the inaugural installation is Leandro Etrlich’s “Concrete Coral,” featuring 22 cars made of marine-grade concrete.
It’s time to make a splash
