Shop Class, Chicago

Michigan might not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of excellent dive shops, but The Dive Shop aims to change that. Their mission is to do more than just educate beginners on the wonders of scuba diving, but to help beginners and master divers alike be among "the safest and most educated in the world." The staff's materials, equipment, and training techniques are always kept as up to date as possible. Read on to learn more about what makes this Midwestern shop so special:

• Take a trip around the world: The shop organizes excursions to some of the world's best dive sites such as Cozumel, Mexico and the reefs of Roatan, Honduras.
• Bold and adventurous classes: Once students have mastered the basics, they can dive in (literally) to more niche classes such as the ice-diving course that teaches how to handle frozen waters and a wreck-diving course that'll help add to their pile of pirate booty.
• Commit to your equipment: If customers fall in love with diving (as the staff expects they might), they can purchase all the gear they'll need onsite; it's a full-service dealer for Aqua Lung, Scubapro, and Henderson.
• Heated pool on location: The Dive Shop has a private heated indoor pool on premise, so customers in scuba training only need to make one stop instead of meeting at a different location.