How to Get PADI Certification in Denver

Getting our scuba diving license was a huge decision for Sam and I. Once we sat down and officially decided that we wanted to get our PADI certification in Denver, our next step was answering the question, how do we do it?

Before we walk you through the process, we wanted to answer some popular questions we have received about getting scuba certified in Denver!

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Why Did We Choose to Get PADI Certification in Denver?

Sam and I are really into outdoor adventures and hobbies. We are big skiers and snowboarders, hikers, campers, and kayakers.

I have been scared of the ocean (specifically sharks) basically my entire life. I decided that I no longer wanted this fear to stop me from enjoying the ocean and I asked Sam if he would get PADI certified with me! He quickly said yes and that is when our PADI Certification in Denver experience began!

How Much Does it Cost to Get Scuba Certified in Colorado?

It initially cost us $399 per person but included PADI e-learning, classroom and pool training, wetsuits, and equipment.

Next, in order to complete our open water dives it was $200 per person and included the 4 dives, certification processing fee, tanks and weights.

Lastly, we paid $80-$90 per person to rent equipment.

Overall, in our experience, it costs about $700 per person to get fully scuba certified in Colorado.

Is PADI Certification Good for Life?

YES! PADI Certification is good for life! This is why believe the initial invest (although very costly) is so worth it! Sam and I got our PADI Certification in Denver while in our 20’s, this means we have so much of our lives to continue using our license. We both agree that this invest is totally worth it for a lifelong hobby and endless adventures!

What Are Some Scuba Diving Essentials?

Dock and Bay Beach Towel– This is our all time favorite beach towels! They are quick drying, compact, and come in a variety of colors!

Sun Bum Reef Safe Sunscreen– It is extremely important to wear reef safe sunscreen when scuba diving in order to keep or reefs safe! Plus, it’s very important to wear sunscreen for yourself while scuba diving because you don’t want to ruin your time at the beach by getting an incredibly awful sunburn!

Cressi Snorkel with Splash Guard– Both Sam and I cannot recommend these snorkels enough. We love that they come with a splash guard on them so ocean waves won’t fill your snorkel up with water! Additionally, we love the variety of color options they have so you can pick which is your favorite to match the rest of your gear!

Tusa Freedom One Scuba Diving Mask– I cannot recommend this scuba diving mask enough. I bought it before we started our confined water dives and used it through my entire certification and continue to use it when scuba diving in the ocean or just snorkeling around at the surface!

Mask Strap Cover– This mask strap is incredible for guys or girls with long hair scuba diving! The neoprene does not pull on your hair and allows your mask to fit comfortable around your head.

Mask Defog– We LOVE this defog. It makes such a difference when diving. If you are just starting out on your scuba diving journey… you will quickly learn that your mask fogs up SO MUCH. We highly recommend this mask defog so that you can see clearly underwater and have a great time checking out all of the underwater life without having your mask constantly fog up.

Scubapro Seawing Supernova Fins– Buying the best scuba fins for travel is a great way to invest in scuba gear that is not only great for diving but can also be easily transported and travel with you. We highly recommend that you buy your own fins for the best possible diving experince!

Now that we’ve answered some popular questions… we’ll walk you through the steps on how to get scuba diving certification in Denver below!

Step 1. Research the Best PADI 5 Star Dive Shops in Denver

There were a handful of dive shops that came up around the metro area. Ultimately, after reading reviews, we really liked One World Dive and Travel. From there we headed to their website for more information about the process.

What We Specifically Liked About One World Dive and Travel:

Right away, we noticed that their previous customers had great reviews about their experiences with this Denver dive shop. As we dove into their website, we really enjoyed the in-depth information they had to offer on costs, classes, and equipment.

Researching the best dive shops in your area, is definitely the first step that anyone should take when looking into a dive shop or how to get your PADI certification. We recommend that you read countless reviews and check out their website so that you feel confident in their capabilities and customer service.

Step 2. Visit the Dive Shop or Dive Resort, If Possible

The next step before we fully committed to One World Dive and Travel, was to check out the dive shop in person! We checked their hours to make sure they were open and hopped in the car to go talk with them.

Once we arrived, we loved the atmosphere of the dive shop and all of the equipment and dive trips they had to offer. The first thing we noticed as we walked in was that their dive shop is exceptionally clean and welcoming.

This Denver scuba shop has endless options of dive equipment neatly organized throughout the shop. They even offer group travel trips and travel consulting.

We were immediately met with smiling faces and asked if we needed any help! Once we told the shop owner that we were interested in getting our PADI scuba certification in Denver, she could not have been more helpful and encouraging.

The dive shop owner talked us through the step by step process, handed us some pamphlets, showed us around the dive shop, and she even allowed us to see the dive pool and classrooms that are at the bottom of the shop! We were immediately hooked and knew that we had to get our scuba diving license from One World Dive and Travel.

Step 3. Commit Payment and Select Your Dates

After leaving the dive shop, we talked on the way home to make sure that we were both 100% positive about getting our PADI certification in Denver and after getting home we finally pulled the trigger on getting certified. We sat down and went to One World Dive and Travel’s website where we selected Learn to Dive – Basic Open Water Scuba Diver.

This course was $399 per person but included PADI e-learning, classroom and pool training, wetsuits, and equipment. Although this may seem like a hefty amount of money, it is actually a great price with all that is included in the program. Additionally, keep in mind that this is a long term investment. Once you are licensed, you are licensed for life! 

The next step in the process is picking out what dates you want to complete your classroom and pool dives. This is a super easy process and can be done through their website on the same page, Learn to Dive – Basic Open Water Scuba Diver under the category Select Available Date. They have countless options to choose from, so pick what works best with you!

Keep in mind that once you pick your sessions, you can’t reschedule them. (The shop might let you on a case by case basis but remember that you are reserving a spot for yourself which in return takes that spot from someone else so they are counting on you to show up!)

We decided to go with a Monday, Wednesday, Friday option from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. After picking out all of our details, we checked out and began studying our e-learning over the next few weeks before our in person classroom and pool lessons!

Make sure that you give yourself plenty of time in between your registration and your pool training so that you can finish your e-learning (it took us both 12+ hours to complete).

It’s extremely important to finish all your e-learning in advance for two reasons. Number one is because you are required to, but secondly is so that you can be prepared and confident for your confined-water dives and understand what your instructor is going over in the classroom and pool.

Step 4. Classroom Instruction and Confined Water Dives

After a few weeks passed by, we finished our e-learning and it was time to do our classroom and pool dives. We were met with our instructor (who we loved!) to go over some classroom instructions before we setup our gear and did our pool dives!

You’ll be required to do several different things on the surface and below the surface, all of which, your e-learning went over, your instructor taught in the classroom, and your instructor demonstrates for you in the pool before you have to do it yourself!

The whole process made us feel really confident and our instructor was extremely encouraging. You’ll also have to demonstrate one time that you can tread water for 10 minutes and swim 200 meters. I was super stressed about this part because I always thought I was a good swimmer but I’ve never been timed or told to swim an exact amount. BUT don’t worry it is super easy to do and you should not be stressed about it at all.

After each of our sessions ended, we would take apart our equipment, rinse them, and go back home. On Friday, we had to take a short assessment over everything that we had learned (don’t stress about this part either, it is very easy and all the material was taught by your instructor and the e-learning modules) and after passing all 5 confined water dives and our assessment, we filled out our log books and had officially passed part one! 

Step 5. FINAL STEP! Open Water Certification in Denver!

The final step in the process is to do your 4 Open Water dives! You can pick to do these dives at a dive resort on vacation (called referral dives) or you can sign up for these dives at your local dive shop.

We decided to do our dives with One World Dive and Travel. We signed up for these dives online under their Open Water Certification Dives and selected our dates for a Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Aurora Reservoir.

The cost for this was $200 per person and included the 4 dives, certification processing fee, tanks and weights. However, the equipment was not included this time. The equipment was about $80-$90 per person to rent. 

From there, we picked up our gear a few days later and headed to the Aurora Reservoir where we did 2 dives a day.

During your 4 open water dives you’ll get used to going to deeper depths as well as perform various tasks similar to your pool dives but not nearly as many! It’s important to note, the Aurora Reservoir is nothing luxurious but it gets the job done! The water is super murky and cold but the dive shop is very open about that from step one.

Although the conditions are not ideal, we still managed to have a great time and loved our two instructors! Additionally, the dive shop provides snacks and water for after you have completed your dives each day. You can grab some refreshments before filling out your log books together.

On Sunday, after we completed our dives and filled out our log books, we received paper copies of our dive certificates saying that we had passed and even received One World Dive and Travel t-shirts.

Overall, we had a great experience at the reservoir and even though the conditions were not the best. The reason that we chose to do our open-water dives with our local dive shop was because we wanted to get all of our certification requirements out of the way before going on vacation. That way when we go on vacation and want to dive, we aren’t stuck with two days of finishing up our certification requirements.

We are so happy that we did all of our certification requirements with One World and now we are beyond excited to go diving in Hawaii with our PADI Open Water Diver license! We hope this answered all your questions on how to get scuba certified in Denver.