The Institute is built right over the water with excellent dock facilities for boats and easy access to a wide variety of marine habitats. All diving and snorkeling sites are 2-15 minutes away. Dive and snorkeling gear are stored in lockers on the RIMS dock. Facilities at RIMS include a wet lab, which has a flow through sea water system that permits the collection of and observation of species and their release unharmed. Each unit has a ceiling fan, 24-hour electricity and hot water.
Laundry services are available.
Accommodations are based on quadruple occupancy. Just a short walk away is the open-air dining room where three meals a day are served. Recreation RIMS students have full access to the recreational services and facilities at Anthony's Key Resort. These include the dive shop and gear rental, photo store with camera and video rentals and slide processing. A five-minute walk from the resort leads to the Carambola Gardens, a botanical reserve where visitors can observe the native plants and terrestrial animals of the island.