Dry Tortugas National Park Day Trip: The Complete Guide
If you are visiting Key West, you can’t miss a Dry Tortugas National Park day trip. Learn about the adventure to Dry Tortugas on the Yankee Freedom and what you should do immediately once you arrive. We discuss what to expect on your trip and what to bring with you as well. Let’s set sail!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read our full disclosure for more information.
Need to Know Info
- There is a fee to visit Dry Tortugas National Park. If you are taking the Yankee Freedom, this cost is included in your ticket price. However, if you have an interagency pass, you will get this added cost back! Be sure to show your pass when you check in for your Ferry before departure, and you will get a refund for the cost of the park admission.
- Visit our Gear page to purchase your America the Beautiful Pass online at REI’s website. In some cases, you can purchase an annual pass at the entrance of some parks.
- Another option to get to Dry Tortugas National Park is to take a seaplane.
- Whichever method you decide on, book your trip early as soon as you know the date, because these tours sell out fast!
- Lastly, you can bring your own boat to Dry Tortugas National Park or take a private charter.
- Camping is available in Dry Tortugas National Park, but make plans early because camping spots and permits sell out quickly! To help with your camping plans, visit the National Park website.
➡️ Check out our full Florida National Parks Itinerary for more fun.
Weather and Safety in Dry Tortugas National Park
- Cell phone coverage: Don’t count on it, but you should be disconnected anyway to enjoy your trip!
- Water, snacks, and food will be provided on the Yankee Freedom, including breakfast and lunch. Additional items are available for purchase.
- Make sure to use and apply sunscreen often. The sun and UV index can be intense in Florida. While enjoying the water in Dry Tortugas National Park, please wear reef-safe sunscreen. Please help protect our ocean ecosystems. Get our favorites here!
- There are no lifeguards at Dry Tortugas National Park, so you will swim at your own risk.
- Dry Tortugas National Park is remote! It’s 70 miles from Key West, so if you get hurt, things will get complicated.
- Other things to bring include a change of clothes, a bathing suit, a towel, and a camera.
- As a reminder, Hurricane season in Florida lasts from June 1 through November 30. Peak season is mid-August through mid-October. Plan accordingly!
Animal Safety in Dry Tortugas National Park
There are many animals present, including those above and below the water. Some animals you may see include Sooty Terns (birds), many species of fish and birds, endangered sea turtles, and nurse sharks. Dry Tortugas National Park is also home to some of the most vibrant and gorgeous coral reefs in the Florida Keys.
🛏️ Still trying to decide where to stay? Check out Expedia and book your stay at one of the top hotels in Key West!
What To Expect During Your Day Trip
It’s time to hit the open ocean and head to the amazing deserted islands of Dry Tortugas. Here is what to expect and what things you can do while visiting this bucket list park.
Riding on the Yankee Freedom
We opted to arrive on the Yankee Freedom. Get ready for some fun! First up, if you get seasick, a Dry Tortugas National Park day trip on the Yankee Freedom might not be the best idea for you. In some cases, sea swells in the Gulf of Mexico will be high, and you’ll be rocking and rolling all the way to Dry Tortugas.
I’ll admit, I thought it was fun! Call me crazy! Some of the folks on the trip took Dramamine, and that did not even help them. If you are sensitive, a seaplane is your best option, but it will cost you more.
Your Dry Tortugas National Park day trip starts at the Key West Bight Ferry Terminal in Key West at 7:00 am. Once you arrive, check in and get comfortable until boarding starts at 7:30. You will be given a number for your boarding order based on when you check in.
Departure is at 8:00 am, and you’ll arrive on the island around 10:30 am. You’ll depart Garden Key at 3:00 pm and arrive in Key West around 5:30 pm. When at the park, time goes way too fast!
➡️Read next: How to Spend 1 Day in Key West.
During the voyage, you will have an opportunity to see turtles and dolphins swimming along the boat. You can travel inside an air-conditioned cabin or enjoy the sights outside on the upper and lower decks.
Breakfast is provided, and there are options to purchase more food and drinks at one of the bars. Make sure you bring cash or a credit card. Additionally, there are four restrooms on board the Yankee Freedom.
Arrival at Dry Tortugas National Park
The Yankee Freedom arrives at Dry Tortugas around 10:30 am. This might be earlier or later, depending on conditions at sea. Upon arrival, you are free to do as you please! There is a guided tour offered at 11:00 am with the National Park Service.
You can also explore on your own, swim, snorkel, or relax. Pick up your lunch anytime from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and enjoy a picnic on the beach.
Walk the Moat Wall First!
One of our insider tips is to walk the moat wall, or counterscarp, first, right after you get off the Yankee Freedom. We found that most folks will either take the Fort Jefferson Tour or head inside to explore the fort before heading to the counterscarp.
When you get off the Yankee Freedom, head to the right and around the fort to the moat before you cross the bridge to enter the Fort.
This path will take you around to the moat wall, where you will likely have it all to yourself! You’ll find the wall right near the North Swim Beach. Note that in some places, the wall has collapsed, and you’ll need to turn back.
The walls were damaged from previous hurricanes, and the National Park Service is working to fix the counterscarp, so some of this area may be closed or under construction.
🛏️Don’t forget to book your stay at the Best Western Hibiscus Motel. This hotel is the best value in Key West.
Explore Fort Jefferson
Your Dry Tortugas National Park day trip is definitely not complete without exploring Fort Jefferson. Fort Jefferson is one of the largest masonry structures in the Western Hemisphere. Construction began in 1846. Just imagine how long it took to move 16 million bricks to this remote location.
Once inside the fort, you are free to explore everything except the staff quarters. Get lost in the mazes of the structure and explore the dungeon. Fort Jefferson was once used as a prison.
Take the stairs all the way up to the top of Fort Jefferson for a birds-eye view of Dry Tortugas National Park.
Be sure to stop and learn about the history of Dry Tortugas as you explore the grounds. We opted out of the ranger-guided tour, but that is also a great option to learn the history of Fort Jefferson in detail. Dry Tortugas National Park is definitely a bucket list park.
Dry Tortugas Snorkeling
The snorkeling at Dry Tortugas National Park is some of the best around, especially if the water is clear. During your Dry Tortugas National Park day trip, you can obtain snorkel gear for free here near the dock!
Enter the water at the North or South Swim Beach. You can even enter both locations if you have enough time. Additionally, the snorkel trail at Dry Tortugas goes around the entire moat wall. If these areas are open, it’s a great location to snorkel as you make your way around Fort Jefferson!
When you are out snorkeling, remember to look and don’t touch. Never snorkel alone and always use the buddy system when in the water.
Finally, head back to the dock, where there is a changing area so you don’t have to ride all the way back to Key West in a wet bathing suit. That would be no fun.
Where to Stay in Key West
🌴Here are some of the best hotels and accommodations in Key West!
- Best Western Hibiscus Motel – free breakfast, close to the Southernmost Point & Duval Street. We stayed here for 2 nights, and it was wonderful! The price was right for Key West as well, which is known to be a bit expensive. Check it out now on Expedia.
- Simonton Court Historic Inn and Cottages – a nice inn with multiple pools and a central location. Book your stay now on Expedia or Booking.com.
- Southernmost House – adults-only, gorgeous historic mansion waterfront property. Stay here if you want to splurge! This place looks so cool!
- Margaritaville Beach House Key West – modern coastal luxury with a lagoon-style waterfall pool. Reserve a room on Expedia or Booking.com.
Final Thoughts
Enjoying a Dry Tortugas National Park day trip is a 100% must-do! This park is amazing, beautiful, and historic. The Yankee Freedom does a great job navigating the Gulf of Mexico to ensure the smoothest ride possible, but some may still get seasick.
We don’t camp, but this is one location that we would love to come back and spend a night or two visiting. On summer nights during a new moon, the Milky Way is in full view as you relax on a “desert island”. Now that would be awesome!
If you are following our itinerary, once you get back to Key West, head north to the Miami area to prepare for a beach day. Alternatively, you can stay anywhere you want along the Florida Keys, but staying as close to the airport as you can will make your flight out a bit less stressful. However, you can plan to stay another night in Key West and enjoy the sights for another day!
🛎️Staying overnight in Key West? Check out the best hotels here! Don’t forget to have some fun when the lights go down. Learn about Key West activities here.
Don’t forget to pin this post for future planning! Just click the save button located on any image.
