Intro

Dry Tortuga’s National Park is located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean around 70 miles west of Key West, Florida and the Florida Keys. This park is an oceanic paradise rich in coral reef and marine life. It is also full of history. Taking a trip to Dry Tortuga’s is a very unique and awe-inspiring experience. You will be marveled by the stunning structure of Fort Jefferson and mesmerized by the bright blue color of the ocean. Now you may be wondering how you get to this amazing national park and where to start your planning. With this guide, I will lay out everything you need to know to visit this extraordinary park so you can really enjoy your trip!

How Do I Get To Dry Tortuga’s National Park?

Unlike most national parks, the Dry Tortuga’s is a very special one in that you can’t drive there. There are only two ways to get to Dry Tortuga’s National Park: by boat or by seaplane.

Getting To Dry Tortuga’s By Seaplane

There is only one permitted seaplane service for taking visitors to the Dry Tortuga’s, Key West Seaplane Charters.

Service costs: $494 per adult for a half day and $868 per adult for a full day.

Duration: A half day excursion would be just under four hours. A full day excursion would be just under 8 hours.

Official Website: To read more about Key West Seaplane Charters and to book your charter, click here.

Getting to Dry Tortuga’s By Ferry

If you take a boat, the Yankee Freedom is the authorized ferry service concessioner for this park. And at only $235, taking the Yankee Freedom from Key West really is the most affordable option.

Service Costs: $235 per adult. However, if you present your America The Beautiful National Park pass, you can get a $15 discount for yourself and anyone in your party.

Duration: It is a 2 hour and 10 minute ferry ride one way. Once you arrive, you will have roughly 4.5 hours to enjoy Fort Jefferson and Garden Key before departing. To see the itinerary for the ferry, you can click here.

Official Website: To read more about the Yankee Freedom and to book your excursion, click here.

I personally chose to take the Yankee Freedom because it was way more affordable than taking the seaplane. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the seaplane wouldn’t be a wonderful option! It would most definitely be a thrilling and once-in-a-lifetime experience. But for those of you who opted for the Yankee Freedom, I will be going more in depth sharing my experience.

Day Trip on the Yankee Freedom

Arrival

Ferry Terminal Location: 100 Grinnell Street.

Parking Location: 300 Grinnell Street. It will cost $40 a day to park. There is unfortunately no free parking.

You will be asked for the reservation name upon check in which is located upstairs of the ferry terminal. There is lots of signage when you arrive so you should not get lost. There is a parking garage for you to park your car located across the street from the ferry terminal. I opted to take a Lyft since I was already staying in Key West. And it was cheaper than paying for the parking. After you are all checked in and you’re waiting for the ferry to board, the tour guides will go over the rules of the ferry and explain how you will board. There’s an optional waiver you can sign during this time which lets you check out snorkel gear and floaties for you to use when you get to Dry Tortuga’s. There are restrooms available for use while you are waiting.

Amenities

Complimentary breakfast and lunch are served as part of your expensive ticket purchase (although not as bad as the seaplane). The breakfast I had was a plain bagel with cream cheese. There were juice options as well as yogurt, fruit cups and coffee. For lunch, they served Jersey Mikes! They were also accommodating towards food allergies. There was a gluten free bread option and you’re able to ask for no cheese if you can’t have dairy. They had a vegetarian/vegan lunch option as well. Of course, you’re able to bring all the snacks and drinks you can carry with you so if you have any severe food allergies, make sure to take lots of food with you. There are additional snacks and drinks you can purchase onboard the boat.

Additionally, the ferry also has cushioned seats and is well air conditioned inside. This is such a luxury to have, especially if you are visiting during the summer. There are also restrooms onboard the ferry and there are freshwater rinse showers located on the outside deck of the ferry. So if you were looking to rinse yourself off after swimming or snorkeling in the ocean, you have the option too. If you are wanting to enjoy the ocean air, there is an upper deck and a sun deck that you may sit on.

The ride to the Dry Tortuga’s is honestly really comfortable. However, if you’re prone to motion sickness then definitely do not forget to pack dramamine. I enjoyed looking out the window and watching the ocean waves. I didn’t see any wildlife, but you might get lucky and see some dolphins or sea turtles during your voyage! If you think you will be bored during the ferry ride, then I would recommend bringing a book, deck of cards or headphones to listen to music and podcasts to keep yourself occupied.

Arriving at Dry Tortuga’s National Park

After around two hours and ten minutes, you will finally arrive at Dry Tortuga’s National Park! Once you arrive, you will exit the dock. From there, you’re able to turn left towards South Beach, turn right towards North Beach or go straight ahead towards Fort Jefferson. You may choose to follow the guided tour of Fort Jefferson or walk around at your own leisure. The tour is completely optional so you don’t have to take it if you’re eager to jump into the water. The guided tour is also available for download via QR code which you will want to download before you depart the ferry terminal. 

Important Note

Before I left for Florida, I had a friend tell me she knew someone who said the tour was better than the snorkeling. I thought “What?! Is this person crazy?” and I opted out of the guided tour so I could hop right into the water. Well it turns out that they were right. To me, the snorkeling isn’t as exciting compared to other places and I do wish I had taken the guided tour. Everyone is different, but it’s something to consider.

Exploring Dry Tortuga’s National Park

Beaches, Swimming & Snorkeling

Dry Tortuga’s has two main beaches; North and South Beach. Both beaches are ideal for swimming and snorkeling. On the ferry ride, I had the unique opportunity to speak with a park ranger and his wife about the Dry Tortuga’s. She told me once we get off the boat, to take a right towards North Beach because it is less crowded. She was right.

If you’re looking for less of a crowd and to have some space from the other tourists, you will want to take a right once you exit the ferry and leave the dock. If you prefer the crowds for fear of sharks (and crocodiles – yep, they swim that far) then South Beach is just fine. You will be able to enjoy coral reefs regardless of what beach you choose. North Beach is more sandy whereas South Beach is basically a bunch of crushed up seashells. It’s actually quite beautiful to look at, although you want to be careful to not get them stuck in your shoes.

There are also certain areas you are not allowed to snorkel in so it’s important to look at the snorkeling map before you go. You will also get a paper copy on board the Yankee Freedom for you to keep. You can see the snorkeling map here.

Fort Jefferson

If you’re not in the mood to swim or snorkel and laying on the beach isn’t really your thing, then you could easily spend your day walking around Fort Jefferson! It is such a gem for history lovers and those who simply want to learn more about how Fort Jefferson came to be.

Fort Jefferson was constructed from 16 million hand made bricks. It was built between 1846 and 1875, but the fort was never completed due to its sensitive location. The weight from the bricks was causing the fort to sink which is why the second tier was intentionally left incomplete. The fort was built to protect the southern coastline of the United States and to protect the nation’s access to the Gulf of Mexico. During the Civil War, Fort Jefferson was used as a prison for Union soldiers and deserters.

Fort Jefferson became a national monument thanks to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on January 4th, 1935. Then in October 26, 1992 it became a national park and is now run by the National Park Service! There is so much history behind this national park. If you are interested in reading more about it, you can read more on the parks service page here. Or you can wait till you take the tour and learn it while you’re there in the flesh!

Garden Key

Garden Key is essentially the island which Fort Jefferson occupies. It is the second largest island out of the 7 islands in Dry Tortuga’s at 14 acres. It is home to the park headquarters, the visitor center and campgrounds. Besides swimming, snorkeling and exploring the fort, you can also enjoy Garden Key by bird watching. Around 300 species of birds have been reported in the park and is considered a top rated birding destination!

You can even elevate your Dry Tortuga’s experience by camping there. It does take some advanced planning, but would certainly be worth while. You can read more about camping in the Dry Tortuga’s here.

Things To Keep In Mind

Time

Time flies by when you’re at the Tortuga’s. It certainly does not feel like there is enough time to explore. Even though they will not leave without you, you still want to be mindful of the time and to come back when the staff ask you to be back by. Plus, the earlier you get on the boat, the more seating options there will be for you to sit and the line for concessions won’t be as long. Ice cold smoothies really hit the spot after snorkeling!

Staying Comfortable

There are restrooms on sight at the Tortuga’s, but I was picking up that the Yankee Freedom staff would prefer you to use the restrooms on the boat. There are also changing stalls at the Tortugas but there are only two for each sex. And there are quite a lot of people who join on this excursion. So before departing, either give yourself time to dry and put your clothes over your swimsuit, or prepare to wait in the heat for a chance to get into one of the changing stalls. If you give yourself some extra time by changing early before everyone else starts to gather, then you’ll have a better chance of not waiting as long. 

There is a visitor center inside the fort that has gifts and souvenirs you can buy as well as maps and some historical artifacts from the fort. It also has AC as well as onboard the Yankee Freedom which is such a blessing after being in the heat for several hours.

Surroundings

While most people who visit the Dry Tortuga’s have a lovely time and leave unharmed, things can still happen. Be aware of your surroundings as you snorkel. You also want to be mindful of the moat wall and how far out you snorkel. There are also a lot of loose bricks that are laying around the beaches and throughout the fort. When you are on the top of Fort Jefferson, there are no fences or anything to prevent a fall from happening and some parts of the fort actually get pretty dark, especially the staircases, so just watch your step as you explore the fort and consider using your phone flash or a flashlight when needed. 

The Heat & Hydration

This might not apply much in the winter months but in the summer, it’s no joke. When I was there in late July, the temperature of the water was just as hot as the temperature of the air, meaning I could not cool down. I expended a lot of energy snorkeling and walking around the fort. I was beginning to show signs of a heat stroke. My fiancé took me back to the boat where there was AC and got me a cold smoothie. After a while I was able to cool down. With that being said, don’t always expect the ocean to cool you off. Even if the temperatures don’t bother you, you are still burning energy when swimming and snorkeling. Bring and drink lots of water. And bring electrolytes to keep you hydrated. If you’re going in the summer, bring kool ties to keep you cool.

Conclusion

You should know the two options for getting to Dry Tortuga’s National Park, what to expect when you arrive and what you can do to explore the national park. Taking extra precautions while you are there just helps ensure that everyone has a good time. This park is an unreal experience and most definitely worth the journey. If you’re wondering what to pack to be well prepared, take a look at my packing list where I will break down what some must-have items are to ensure you have a good trip to Dry Tortuga’s National Park. Enjoy this remote oceanic paradise and I hope this guide was helpful to you and that you have a blast on your trip!

Additional Information

Free Packing List For Visiting Dry Tortuga’s National Park in 2025