Visit

Visit

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is located 80-125 miles from the Texas and Louisiana coastlines, which makes it a challenge to visit in person. Nevertheless, anglers have been visiting the sanctuary for over 100 years, while divers and researchers have been exploring there for over 50 years. You can visit too. It just takes some planning.

Dive boat moored in the sanctuary at dusk under a purple and orange sky.

DIVE CHARTERS

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary does not provide trips to the sanctuary. For your convenience, we provide a listing of dive charter operators that may provide those services.

Fishing boat moored in the sanctuary with a platform visible in the background.

FISHING CHARTERS

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary does not provide trips to the sanctuary. For your convenience, we provide a listing of fishing charter operators that may provide those services.

An orange sun casts its rays through clouds as it sets over a calm sea,

OFFSHORE CONDITIONS

What are the wind, wave, and weather conditions in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary? Know before you go!

Lobster and fish tucked into a crevice between corals as more fish swim overhead.

REEF ETIQUETTE

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is a national treasure and we all have a responsibility to protect it. Here are some tips for those diving or boating in the sanctuary.

Ribbons of tiny yellow eggs draped across a spawning sponge.

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS

While everything you'll see at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is pretty amazing, there are some events that truly stand out. Check out this list of notable natural occurrences.

Close-up of a rock hind resting on the reef.

WHAT WILL I SEE?

Take a virtual dive on the reefs of East and West Flower Garden Banks through a series of photographs. This is your chance to explore the beauty of our reefs without getting wet!

Map showing sanctuary boundaries

SANCTUARY BOUNDARIES

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary has 19 separate boundary areas encompassing all or part of 17 different reefs and banks off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. 

A loggerhead sea turtle swimming toward the viewer, with scuba divers visible in the background

PREPARE FOR YOUR VISIT

No matter how you choose to get to Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, your trip will require preparation. Here is a basic checklist to help you plan.

Close up map with red and yellow circles around East Flower Garden, West Flower Garden, and Stetson Banks showing the 10 mile and 50 mile ciguatera advisory zones identified by the FDA.

CIGUATERA FISH POISONING

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is a known hotspot for ciguatera fish poisoning. Please be aware of the FDA advisory before consuming or purchasing fish caught in or near the sanctuary.

View into the Secret Reef exhibit at Tennessee Aquarium

Z00 & AQUARIUM EXHIBITS

Since not everyone can visit Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in person, we bring the sanctuary to you through collaborations with zoos and aquariums. We encourage you to see the sanctuary by visiting these exhibits.

View into the Secret Reef exhibit at Tennessee Aquarium

SANCTUARY ART

Despite its remote location, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary has inspired artists working in a variety of media. These inspirational pieces provide another way to enjoy the sanctuary from land.