Fantasy Lake Scuba Park , North Carolina

Fantasy Lake started as a quarry in the 1850s and provided a good portion of the rock for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Someone struck a spring in the mid-1950s and mining ceased. Nowadays divers will discover an old public transit bus, a submerged Volkswagen Bug, and a couple of glass-bottom boats, among other features. Walk-in ramps provide easy access to the lake from several points along the shore. Floating buoys mark many of the sites of interest under the lake, and underwater platforms are also available for training purposes. Only certified divers are allowed to dive. They must sign a release at the entrance to the park.

Depths to: 100 feet (30 m).

Visibility: 40 feet (12 m) in May, and 10-15 feet (3-5 m) in the summer.

Water temperature:  59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) in May and about 84 F (29 C) in the summer.

Aquatic life: Freshwater fish, and other freshwater plant and sea life. Spongy orange algae is common.

Fees: $15 a day, $5 a night for camping, $5 for night diving.

On-site amenities: Campsites, concessions, air fills.

More info: Visit www.fantasylakescubapark.com.

Open: 9 a.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. weekends year-round.

Getting there: To get there from Raleigh , North Carolina , take U.S. 401 north to Rolesville. Go right on Young Street out of town, then left on Quarry Road . Fantasy Lake is on the left.