We are halfway through the course now. Ended up going with a place in Sarasota. The girlfriend got us a deal for $200 that included everything except fins, snorkel and mask. We went ahead and signed up for Nitrox certification for an extra $100 so we have it. I also bought a dive watch for $185; after doing the dive tables and realizing the impact of having to take the most conservative approach, it seemed a worthwhile investment. For our open-water dives, the instructor wanted to do a road trip to Key Largo, but we have a mother in the class who can't get coverage for her kids so it looks like we'll be going to Avon Park or somewhere in Sarasota depending on the weather.