We love visiting National Parks. Often our road trips are planned around seeing the parks. We like to view the highlights, hike, and explore. But we are not hardcore, you won’t see long day hikes or crazy adventures here. We also try to limit our spending, so you won’t find too many guided tours or extra-cost experiences. We usually only stay a few days and occasionally stay in the park lodges. I created itineraries for some of the National Parks to help make your planning easier. This itinerary is for Dry Tortugas National Park. This park is one of the exceptions to our rule of not spending too much. Dry Tortugas is almost 70 miles west of Key West and only accessible by boat or seaplane. The transportation options are not cheap, but we loved our day at this underrated gem in the national park system.
One of our favorite parts of the trip was how empty the park felt. Dry Tortugas is one of the least visited national parks partly because of the difficulty in getting to the islands. Check the National Parks website to find out the most recent prices on the ferry or seaplanes. There is also the option to take a personal or charter boat. With a little over 220 people visiting per day, you have 100 square miles with mostly open water to explore. Here is a simple itinerary for you to follow at Dry Tortugas.
Simple Itinerary:
Unless you plan to camp on the islands, then you only have one day to explore the park. The main attraction is Fort Jefferson, but we loved snorkeling in the blue waters and checking out the coral reefs and marine life. The seaplane is the quickest way to get to Dry Tortugas National Park, but we chose to take the Yankee Freedom ferry for a little cheaper option.
- Check-in at the ferry terminal
- Ferry Ride with breakfast
- Arrive at the island
- Fort Tour
- Lunch on the ferry boat
- Snorkeling
- Beach time
- Return Ferry Ride
Check-in at Ferry Terminal
Reserve this trip far in advance; the ferry does tend to sell out. Arrive early to the terminal, because it does get crowded and you don’t want to miss your boat. Bring your National Park Pass if you have one to save on the overall trip cost, you will have to show the pass at check-in. There are some other items you should make sure you have packed for the day trip: bathing suit, sunscreen, sunglasses and hat, beach towel, change of clothing, walking shoes, and personal snorkeling gear if you wish (snorkeling gear is provided). If you did not reserve early, there is a standby option if you choose to get there very early.
Ferry Ride with Breakfast
It is a beautiful ride that will take about 2 hours. On the ferry ride we saw the Marquesa and Boca Grande keys. You also have an opportunity to see turtles and dolphins. We enjoyed listening to the stories and pirate legends. It was a comfortable trip with inside and outside areas. There are bars on both decks with snacks and other items for purchase. We were provided a bagged breakfast with a bagel with cream cheese and peanut butter, fruit, yogurt and juice.
Arrive at the island
The Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson is seven remote islands surrounded with coral reefs, and white sandy beaches. When you get off the boat, you just have to decide what you want to do. You can explore the fort, hit one of the beaches or jump in the water to snorkel.
Fort Tour
You have the option of joining a 45- to 60-minute guided tour of the fort led by a naturalist. They will tell stories of the fort and its history. There is also a self-guided tour that you can download. At the height of the fort in the 1860s, nearly 2,000 lived on this remote island. It was an interesting tour to hear about the struggles of the people who built the fort.
Lunch on the ferry boat
We got back on the boat to enjoy our provided lunch of Jersey Mike’s subs. We had a choice of turkey or ham with chips, cookies and drinks. Be sure to let them know ahead of time If someone in your party has dietary restrictions. After lunch we got changed to get in the water and grabbed our snorkeling gear, sunscreen and towels.
Snorkeling
Dry Tortugas offers some of the best snorkeling in North America. The shallow waters make it easy for beginners. It is easy to access the snorkeling sites directly from the sandy beach. There were many varieties of tropical fish, starfish, and queen conchs. The living coral was breathtaking. The reef stretches from the Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico to Miami in the Atlantic Ocean and is the third largest in the world. On the ferry ride, they took time to educate us on the dangers of touching the coral and damaging the delicate polyps that can make corals susceptible to bleaching and disease. The ferry provides complimentary fins, mask and snorkel, but we chose to bring our own. One of the most popular snorkel areas is located near the western edge of the moat wall. If you are more experienced, you can explore the South Coaling Dock Ruins.
Beach time
Only 1% of Dry Tortugas National Park is dry ground, but the beaches are a nice place to enjoy the afternoon. There are four beaches on Garden Key: South Beach, North Beach, Seaplane Beach and Dinghy Beach. The best two beaches to lounge around are South Beach and North Beach. The water is crystal clear and the sand is white and soft. There are no lifeguards and the current can get strong if you go out further. You cannot swim in the moat or dive from the walls.
Return Ferry Ride
After a long day on the island, we used Yankee Freedom‘s fresh water rinses before the return trip to rinse our clothes and snorkel gear. We changed into dry clothes and got comfortable for the ride back. There was a fully stocked cash bar and snacks for purchase. Several people enjoyed an ice cream bar on the return trip. They also sell souvenirs. It was nice to have the air-conditioned cabin to nap and read during the trip back to Key West.
Enjoy your time and make memories
We were glad we chose to spend the money on transportation to the park. Whether you choose to snorkel, swim, tour the fort or just lay on the beach, Dry Tortugas is worth the visit. Whatever you choose to do at the park… make memories.