Technically speaking, the Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent. At its largest width, it is over 900 miles wide and is approximately 615,000 square miles in size. Because of it’s narrow connection to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico experiences very small tidal ranges. The Gulf of Mexico offers unlimited boating, deep sea fishing, scuba diving, sailing, and a plethora of other water related activities and experiences for the vacationer or the full time resident.