OP, if you did this trip, will you please report back with details? Thanks!

Recently spent 5 days in Sao Miguel with teenagers and we all loved it! Rented a car. Stayed at the Octant in Ponta Delgada. Did hot springs in Furnas and Caldeira Velha. Also a tour on 4x4s at Sete Cicades. Kids did surfing while I went on whale watching tour. Definitely recommend renting a car and exploring the island on your own. Would definitely go back to Azores. Would love to have had more time to explore some of the other islands.

I wrote this yesterday on a different Azores post and the reference to snorkeling is because the original poster asked specifically about that:

Which island(s) are you going to? We were only on Sao Miguel and found lots to do. We stayed part of the time at the Azor hotel in Ponta Delgada. We hired a driver one day to take us all around the Sete Cidades area with the famous blue and green lake; we drove ourselves to Caloura (that's a hidden gem and the seafood restaurant along the water is amazing), all around the southern shore; we also did the tea plantations along the northern shore and stayed a few days in Furnas doing the hot springs, Terre Nostra botanic gardens, etc. The town of Ponta Delgada has a few interesting things for a couple hours of walking. I don't know if there is snorkeling anywhere (nowhere we saw along the various coastal spots) but we went to an area where you could hang out in this cove and they had ropes to hang on to within the water. I don't recall the name b/c our driver took us there. Enjoy! We loved our trip there and it was a very easy flight from Boston.

OP, I'm also planning a trip to Azores, though not until next summer. Google suggested itineraries. I've found many with varying lengths, and they have a lot of same recommendations. It does not sound any harder to plan.

Anonymous wrote:We went a few years ago for spring break and it was awesome! (though not super warm yet/that time of year). We stayed on the main island and rented a car. Natural hot springs; excellent windswept scenery; beautiful lakes; cute main town/city; hikes; not very crowded (at least in April). Go for it!

OP here: Thank you for your response. Did you book everything on your own or have a travel agent help you? An agent recommended this location but has never been so I'm not sure if we need to find someone who has more knowledge of the Azores (or am I overthinking this - we normally plan our vacations but they've all been domestic).

We went a few years ago for spring break and it was awesome! (though not super warm yet/that time of year). We stayed on the main island and rented a car. Natural hot springs; excellent windswept scenery; beautiful lakes; cute main town/city; hikes; not very crowded (at least in April). Go for it!

We are exploring going to the Azores this August with 3 teens. Has anyone been and can offer advice on lodging, things to so, etc? We love beach/warm locations that aren’t super crowded and hoping this might fit that? I would prefer to go to Hawaii but they want to try someplace different. Thank you!