Best Things to Do in Dry Tortugas National Park: One Day Itinerary and Ultimate Guide
Are you looking to spend one day in Dry Tortugas National Park? We got you covered! In this post, we will share everything you need to know about taking a day trip to the Dry Tortugas, including how to get there, all the best things to do in Dry Tortugas National Park, and how to spend one perfect day in this stunning paradise.
When you think of America’s National Parks, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For us anyway, it was always the vast deserts in California, or the epic valley of Yosemite National Park, or the jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains.
But did you think of palm trees, tropical beaches, and white sand beaches? Yea, we didn’t either!
Until we learned about Dry Tortugas National Park, that is!
The Dry Tortugas are a strand of tiny remote islands in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico that will make you feel like you’ve been transported to a tiny slice of paradise without ever leaving the United States.
But since they are islands, you can imagine the logistics of traveling to this National Park might be a little tricky. Because of this, most visitors can only spend just one day in Dry Tortugas National Park, which is hardly enough to enjoy this underrated gem.
So, how exactly do you get to the Dry Tortugas and how should you plan your time with only one day to explore? Don’t worry! We gotcha covered. In this post, we’ll share all the best things to do in Dry Tortugas National Park and give you a perfect one day itinerary for Dry Tortugas National Park so that you can make the most of your limited time there. We’ll also go over how to get there, costs, what to pack, and all the logistics so you can start planning your own trip.
Once you’ve read through this entire post, you’ll be ready to book your flights, pack your bags, and set off to paradise…so let’s get started!
Article Contents
Where is Dry Tortugas National Park?
Map of Dry Tortugas National Park
Places to go in Dry Tortugas National Park
Why visit Dry Tortugas National Park?
Best time to visit Dry Tortugas National Park
How much does it cost to visit Dry Tortugas National Park?
How to get to Dry Tortugas National Park
How to get to Dry Tortugas National Park by ferry
How to get to Dry Tortugas National Park by sea plane
How to get to Dry Tortugas National Park by private boat
Best things to do in Dry Tortugas National Park
How to spend one day in Dry Tortugas National Park
Camping in Dry Tortugas National Park
What to pack for Dry Tortugas National Park
What to do before or after your day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park
One Week Florida National Park Itinerary
Best Things to Do in Everglades National Park
Where is Dry Tortugas National Park?
Before you commit to spending one day in Dry Tortugas National Park, you might first want to know where the heck they even are!
Dry Tortugas National Park is a chain of seven small islands that make up the southwest edge of the Florida Keys. They lie in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, about 70 miles off the coast of Key West.
Out here, you’re truly remote! There’s no cell service, no food, no fresh water, no lodging, and no civilization.
Map of Dry Tortugas National Park
Below is a Dry Tortugas National Park Map that orients you a little bit to all the different islands of the park. The main places to go in Dry Tortugas is Garden Key, Bush Key, and Loggerhead Key, which we describe below!
Map of Dry Tortugas National Park courtesy of the NPS Park Brochure. This map shows Garden Key, Bush Key, and Loggerhead Key, which are the main places to go in the Dry Tortugas (explained below!).
And just to give you more of an idea of where Dry Tortugas National Park is located in relation to the Florida mainland, here is an image from Google Maps…you’re pretty far out there!
Source: Google Maps
Places to go in Dry Tortugas National Park
There are three main islands of Dry Tortugas National Park that visitors go to.
Garden Key, at just 14 acres, is the second largest of the Dry Tortugas islands, and is the one you’ll most likely spend your time on. Here, you can find the park’s headquarters and visitor center, as well as the iconic Fort Jefferson that this park is so well known for. If you are taking a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park and arrive by public ferry or sea plane (more on that below), then you’ll arrive at Garden Key and spend all your time here, which is not a problem, since many of the best things to do in Dry Tortugas National Park are found right here!
View from the top of Fort Jefferson over a beach on Garden Key
Bush Key is another island that you can visit, even on just a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park, but it depends on the time of year. Bush Key is home to one of the only significant breeding colonies of sooty terns (about 80,000 of them!) between February to September. Only outside of these months can visitors explore Bush Key via a short one mile round trip hiking trail. However, based on tides and water levels, sometimes Bush Key is connected to Garden Key by a narrow land bridge, and sometimes the land bridge becomes submerged, requiring a kayak to access Bush Key. So it all depends on your timing whether or not you can visit this tiny 16 acre island.
The view of Bush Key from Garden Key
Since all public transportation only arrives at Garden Key, to visit most of the other areas of the park requires your own private boat, or a kayak that you can use to paddle from Garden Key once you get there. Keep in mind that there are no boat rental services in the park, so you have to bring your own. Also, on a Dry Tortugas National Park day trip, it won’t really give you enough time to make any sort of excursion to a separate island, so really, this only becomes an option for those on a longer trip.
If you fall into this category of being able to stay for longer, a common destination to visit is Loggerhead Key. This is the park’s largest island, located 3 miles from Garden Key. It’s home to an iconic lighthouse, and the site of shipwrecks (like the famous Windjammer Shipwreck) and home to lots of wildlife like loggerhead turtles (hence its name), making it a great spot for snorkeling and diving.
Why visit Dry Tortugas National Park?
What makes this park special and is it even worth going to Dry Tortugas National Park?
Aside from their gorgeous tropical vibes, the islands of Dry Tortugas National Park lie at the very edge of the Florida Reef, which is the world’s third largest coral reef system!
In fact, while this park is pretty tiny in National Park standards (just 100 square miles), over 99% of it is underwater! That means to really experience the Dry Tortugas, you have to get into the water.
While you can visit and snorkel at the Florida Reef all along the Florida Keys, it’s extra special out here in the Tortugas. Because of its remote location, this part of the reef has been relatively removed from a lot of the damaging human influences that the rest of the reef along the Keys has been exposed to. Without these damaging effects, the purples, oranges, and yellows of a truly healthy coral reef can be seen quite easily when snorkeling right from the beach! This makes snorkeling in Dry Tortugas National Park an amazing experience.
In short, even though it’s a bit of a journey to get out here, it is absolutely worth going to Dry Tortugas National Park.
Why is it called the Dry Tortugas?
Because of the implication of “turtles” in its very name, I was very hopeful of maybe getting to see and snorkel alongside a sea turtle (a life dream of mine!) during our one day in Dry Tortugas National Park.
While we didn’t get so lucky, they are there. On his first visit in the early 16th century, Juan Ponce de Leon dubbed this chain of islands the Tortugas due to the fact that he and his crew spotted and caught a ton of sea turtles. Later, “Dry” was put in front due to the lack of any available fresh water.
Will you see turtles today if you visit? Maybe. We didn’t see any during our visit, but they are often found by snorkelers and divers. They also nest on the beaches during the summer months. Still, it’s not too likely if you’ll just be spending one day in Dry Tortugas National Park, as they often come up to nest at night.
Where we did see the turtles was on the ferry ride to and from the islands (more on the ferry coming up in just a minute!). If you stand at the bow of the boat, look carefully, and have some patience, you might spot some at the surface of the water.
Best Time to Visit Dry Tortugas National Park
If you’ve only got one day in Dry Tortugas National Park, you definitely want to make sure you have good weather and go at the right time. There are a few considerations to keep in mind when deciding on when to go to Dry Tortugas National Park, and it really depends on what you’re looking to do while you are there (and we will go over all the awesome things to do in Dry Tortugas National Park in just a bit!). Each season in Dry Tortugas has its pros and cons that you need to weigh.
Spring in the Dry Tortugas means prime birding season
Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding on when to go to Dry Tortugas National Park.
Summer and early fall in Dry Tortugas National Park (June to November)
Visiting Dry Tortugas National Park in the summer is great weather wise and ideal for snorkeling, but coincides with the hurricane season and potentially stormy weather.
Pros of summer in Dry Tortugas National Park
The water is warm and for the most part calm, which makes for good snorkeling in the Dry Tortugas with high visibility.
These months are also the sea turtle nesting season! So there’s a better chance of spotting these guys, although probably not on land since they tend to nest at night.
Cons of summer in Dry Tortugas National Park
During these months, there’s a higher chance of isolated rain and storms. The ferry trips do not cancel for rain, but they do cancel if the captain deems the waters too rough and choppy from storms.
Summer can get unbearably hot and the sun can be intense.
Keep in mind that the hurricane season is June 1st to November 30th, which could affect travel plans and may cause cancellations.
Winter in Dry Tortugas National Park (December to March)
Visiting Dry Tortugas National Park in the winter brings typical benefits (and challenges) of travelling in an off season.
Pros of winter in Dry Tortugas National Park
Cooler temperatures means you won’t be enduring the intense summer heat.
Crowds will also be a bit thinner, with the exception of school breaks around the holidays.
Mid October to January is the brief period of time when Bush Key is open to visitors, so you’ll get to wander over to a lesser visited part of the park.
If you’re into birding, this is a good time to visit Dry Tortugas National Park as lots of birds fly through here with the blowing winds.
Cons of winter in Dry Tortugas National Park
The water will probably be too cold, and with poor visibility, to swim or snorkel in (and honestly, these are two of the very best things to do in Dry Tortugas National Park!)
These months bring strong cold fronts and lots of wind, which may lead to rough seas that cancel the ferry trips out to the park.
Spring in Dry Tortugas National Park (April to May)
Spring seemed, to us, to be the overall best time to visit Dry Tortugas National Park. Here’s why:
Pros of spring in Dry Tortugas National Park
The weather is getting warmer at this time without being too overbearing.
The water is warm enough to snorkel at this time. It was a little cool to get in at first but you get used to it pretty quick!
By this point, the winter winds have also died down, so the chance of choppy waters is slimmer, meaning your ferry ride out to the Dry Tortugas is less likely to be cancelled, or too rough.
These months are also best for birders, as this is the peak migration season, and you will literally see hundreds and hundreds of birds flocking over Bush Key.
Cons of spring in Dry Tortugas National Park
Early spring (April) is really a transition time between the seasons and conditions, so it can be hit or miss and you really just have to cross your fingers and hope for the best.
When did we visit Dry Tortugas National Park?
We visited Dry Tortugas National Park at the end of April and had a great experience. The water wasn’t like bath water to get into, but we got used to it pretty quickly.
The water was still a bit choppy at this time…there were two foot swells on the way out on the ferry according to the captain. But this didn’t hinder the snorkeling…it was still pretty darn good! On one side of the fort, the water was a bit rough for snorkeling but still doable and clear, but the other side of the fort was blocked from the waves and therefore had perfect snorkeling conditions.
The crowd factor was also pretty low. We were worried that since it’s such a tiny park it would seem crowded and congested. But that wasn’t the case at all. Everyone spreads out among the different beaches and snorkeling areas, and around the huge fort. Plus, the limited spaces on public transportation each day naturally limits the number of visitors.
Our overall take: If you taking a day trip to the Dry Tortugas and want to be able to do some of the best things that Dry Tortugas National Park has to offer, spring would be your best bet!
For more info: You can also check the current conditions and forecast here on the National Park Service site.
How Much Does it Cost to Visit Dry Tortugas National Park?
You will need a National Parks Pass to visit Dry Tortugas National Park. But unlike other national parks where a park pass covers a vehicle with multiple people, entrance to Dry Tortugas National Park costs $15 per person. But like other national parks, this fee covers 7 consecutive days. The Annual America the Beautiful National Parks Pass also applies here.
The entrance fee itself is not what makes Dry Tortugas National Park such an expensive National Park to visit…it’s the logistics of getting there that make it quite a pricey endeavor.
Speaking of which, let’s get into all your options for actually getting to Dry Tortugas National Park…
How to Get to Dry Tortugas National Park
Because Dry Tortugas National Park comprises a series of islands, you might guess that it may be a little more challenging to get to than most other national parks.
As expected, Dry Tortugas National Park is only accessible by boat or sea plane. There are basically three different ways of getting there:
Take the Yankee Freedom III, which is the public ferry that goes to Dry Tortugas National Park
Take a sea plane
Arrive on your own private boat
Each has its own pros and cons, which we’ll go over next!
Taking the ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park
The absolute most common way to get to Dry Tortugas National Park is to take the public ferry. Most visitors don’t have their own boat docked in a Florida harbor to bring over to the Dry Tortugas, and, as you will see in just a bit, the sea plane can be prohibitively expensive for most. So, the public ferry it is…
The only public ferry that takes visitors to Dry Tortugas National Park is the Yankee Freedom III, a high- speed catamaran that brings people out for both day trips in Dry Tortugas National Park, or for overnight stays.
Because slots are limited for those who want to stay overnight and camp in the Dry Tortugas, most visitors go on a day trip via the ferry and spend just one day in Dry Tortugas National Park. (We’ll talk about taking the ferry for overnight stays below when we talk more about camping in Dry Tortugas National Park.)
How to take the Yankee Freedom III for a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park
Reservations: You will definitely need to make a reservation for the Dry Tortugas Ferry. Check out the Yankee Freedom III website for a ton of information and to make your reservation up to six months in advance.
Tickets can sell out months in advance, especially around school breaks and holidays. We were able to snag a ticket for a day trip to Dry Tortugas about two months in advance for an April departure date without any problems.
Cost: The current cost for the ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park is $190 per person/$135 for children (which is slightly higher than when we went). Because of its high cost, it can certainly be a budget buster, but it’s still way cheaper than taking a plane here. And trust us, it’s worth it to see this park!
What’s included? You actually get a lot for the cost of the ferry. Your ticket includes:
A full continental breakfast served onboard the ferry (cereal, bagels, eggs, yogurt, fruit, etc)
Lunch served on board the ferry (cold cut sandwiches, chips, cookies, fruit, etc)
Snorkel gear rental
A guided tour of Fort Jefferson on Dry Tortugas
The entrance fee to Dry Tortugas National Park
Our thoughts on the Dry Tortugas ferry: We had a really great experience on the Yankee Freedom III. The crew was super friendly and enthusiastic. Our tour guide, Hollywood, was particularly energetic. He’s the guy who herded everyone around for the day and provided the tours of the fort. Even if you’re not too into history, listening to him talk about it makes you excited and interested to learn more! You can tell these guys love their jobs.
One day itinerary for Dry Tortugas National Park on the ferry
If you take the ferry, your day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park will look something like this:
7:00 am: Check in at the ferry terminal. There is a parking garage right next to the ferry terminal (you’ll get directions to this via email after you’ve reserved your spot on the ferry – it’s a parking garage located at 300 Grinnell Street). Parking is $32 dollars for the day (at least when we visited), so you’ll have to factor that into your costs.
Check-in is super easy, and you’ll get the run down for the day while you wait to board in the ferry terminal. You can tell these guys have been doing this for a while. They have a system down for getting everyone boarded on the boat both in Key West and at the end of the day in Dry Tortugas that’s super fast and efficient.
8:00 am: The ferry leaves for Dry Tortugas! The ride takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes, getting you to the National Park by about 10:30 am. The ferry itself is pretty big…it can bring over almost 200 passengers to the island at a time. Seating is mostly inside, and unless you’re with a big party, you’ll be sitting with other people, and can get a little cramped when they are serving food. You can also stand at the bow of the boat to get the best views and search for wildlife, which is basically what I did the entire time. Hollywood pointed out different islands as we passed, and noted times when we were in areas of high sea turtle concentrations. On the trip out and back, we did see dolphins, sea turtles, and some cool little flying fish that were jumping out around the bow of the boat.
During the trip out, the staff serves a nice breakfast, they collect waivers from everyone who wants to go snorkeling, and provide you with a bunch of information about the park in terms of what to see and do, so the ride goes by pretty fast. It’s really exciting when you see Dry Tortugas in the distance with its iconic fort, and it’s cool to watch the sea planes come in for landing and take off as you get closer.
10:30 am: Arrive at Dry Tortugas National Park! The ferry docks at Garden Key, and, as we mentioned above, if you are just spending one day in Dry Tortugas National Park, this is where you will spend all your time.
1030 am – 2:45 pm: This is your time! Feel free to explore Garden Key to your heart’s content. We’ll talk about all the amazing things to do in Dry Tortugas National Park in just a bit!
11:00 am: At 11 am, the Yankee Freedom III staff offers tours optional tours of Fort Jefferson, which we’ll talk about more below. You’ll meet right at the park entrance sign.
11:00 am – 1:00 pm: Lunch is served! For two hours, the ferry staff serve lunch inside the ferry so you’re free to board the boat at any time during this period to grab some food.
2:45 pm: It’s time to board the ferry for a 3:00 pm departure to end your day in Dry Tortugas National Park. Until next time!
5:15 pm: Arrive back in Key West.
We had a really great experience with the Dry Tortugas ferry, but if you want to explore other options, here they are!
Taking the sea plane to Dry Tortugas National Park
If you’d like to take the more scenic, more exciting, and more expensive route, then taking the sea plane might be a good option for you.
We didn’t take the sea plane to Dry Tortugas National Park so really can’t say much about it. But the only company providing public sea plane rides to the park is Key West Seaplane Adventures.
Taking a plane cuts down significantly on travel time, as it takes just 40 minutes each between Key West and Dry Tortugas National Park. You’ll also get a bird’s eye view of everything, which has to be pretty awesome!
You have two options when it comes to taking the plane to Dry Tortugas:
Half day trip to Dry Tortugas: This option costs $361 per adult and $288.80 per child. Yes…significantly more than the ferry…especially considering what is (and is not) included. This half day excursion lasts four hours, including 40 minutes of fly time each way and just 2.5 hours of island time. The ferry doesn’t seem so expensive now, does it?!
Full day trip to Dry Tortugas: This costs a whopping $634 per adult and $507.20 per child, but it gives you 6.5 hours of total time in Dry Tortugas National Park.
A note for those who intend to camp in Dry Tortugas National Park: Taking the sea plane to Dry Tortugas will not be an option for you, as weight restrictions won’t allow for the transport of camping gear and equipment in the plane.
Getting to Dry Tortugas National Park with a private boat or tour
If you’re lucky enough to have your own private boat, you can absolutely visit Dry Tortugas National Park on your own…affording you with much more time and flexibility while on the island. Just grab a free boat permit here. Remember to bring cash (or check) with you to purchase the park pass on arrival.
Having your own boat is definitely the best way to be able to explore Dry Tortugas so that your time is your own, but it’s likely you won’t have this option, and this Dry Tortugas itinerary focuses on how to explore the park with just a small window of time!
Private tour options: There are a few permitted tour operators who run snorkel, diving, and fishing tours in Dry Tortugas. We have no experience with this but you can learn more here.
Best Things to Do in Dry Tortugas National Park With One Day
Okay, now that we’ve gone over where they are, how to get there, and how much it costs, let’s get into the real reason why you came to this post!
What exactly is there to do on a remote island that has no cell service, restaurants, stores, or wifi?!
A lot, actually! You might be thinking one day in Dry Tortugas National Park is certainly enough time to explore this tiny location…but trust us, it’s not. To help you plan out your time, let’s get into some of the best things to do in Dry Tortugas National Park.
Here, we’re going to focus on Garden Key, since this is the only part of the park that most visitors will explore, especially on a day trip with the ferry or sea plane (and don’t worry…there’s plenty of things to do just here!).
Explore Fort Jefferson on your own
Fort Jefferson is the iconic historic structure that sits on Garden Key and is the first thing you see as the park comes into view from the ferry. Exploring this amazing structure is definitely one of the best things do in Dry Tortugas National Park.
The Fort is packed with history that you have the opportunity to learn about during your visit. Its construction was started in the 1850s, and was left unfinished almost 20 years later. In that time, it became the largest brick structure in the Western Hemisphere, comprised of 16 million bricks! Perhaps its most well-known history is that the fort was used after the American Civil War as a prison for Union deserters, most famously for Samuel Mudd, the doctor who aided John Wilkes Booth during his escape to the South.
But even if you’re not a history buff, it’s certainly sure to exceed your expectations when you see it in person. Just the sheer size of it is amazing, especially considering you’re standing 70 miles in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico!
Fort Jefferson can be freely explored on your own time. Informational plaques around the fort help put your location into context. The Yankee Freedom also provides a downloadable self-guided tour that you can use on your phone. Just be sure to download it before leaving the ferry terminal, as service is lost rather quickly after leaving Key West.
Even if it’s only for 20 minutes, take some time to wander around this impressive fortress, making sure to climb up to the third story and take in those gorgeous views.
Take a guided tour of Fort Jefferson
If you’re really into the fort and its history, you’ll be happy to know that as part of your ferry ticket, you can hop on a guided tour of Fort Jefferson with the Yankee Freedom III staff.
The ferry offers two guided options for exploring the fort.
The first is a simple 20-minute talk that gives a quick rundown of the history and intrigue surrounding Fort Jefferson and answers the popular question, “Why was this fort built way out here in the middle of nowhere?”. This is the option we did, and the talk was given by Hollywood, our guide for the day, and we loved it. It was just enough information to satisfy our curiosity without eating too much out of our short time in the park.
The second option is to take a fully-guided 45-minute tour of the entire fort. If you’re a history buff and came here specifically to experience and learn about the fort, then definitely take advantage of this option. But, if you’re like us, and intrigued but not enough to spend a quarter of your time on it, the 20-minute talk and a little bit of your own exploration is more than sufficient to quell your curiosity.
These tours start at 11:00 am, just shortly after you dock, and then you have the rest of the day to explore on your own!
Even if you didn’t take the ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park, you can hop on a ranger-guided tour to get the inside scoop as well.
Go snorkeling in Dry Tortugas
If there’s anything you do on your day trip to Dry Tortugas…make it snorkeling. Snorkeling is hands down the best thing to do in Dry Tortugas National Park (in our humble opinion anyway). Remember, 99% of this park lies underwater, and it is here that you can see some truly amazing wildlife and coral reef.
Like we said above, the Dry Tortugas sits at the end of the Florida Reef system, the third largest in the world, and because of its location, far away from human impact, the coral here are super vibrant and colorful. The Dry Tortugas provides some of the best snorkeling along any of the Florida Keys!
A parrotfish!
If you came to Dry Tortugas National Park on the ferry, snorkel gear is included in your ticket price, and on the ride out, they will give recommendations for the best places to snorkel. Most are directly off shore, so all you have to do is strap on your mask and flippers and jump right in from the beach…easy peasy!
Here are two awesome places to snorkel in Dry Tortugas to see lots of fish and coral:
Along the moat wall. Coral grows all along this structure, and wildlife, such as lobsters and urchins can be seen hiding here.
The coaling pier pilings. There are two sets of these (one is pictured below) and if you snorkel among either one you’ll see tons of fish! You’ll swim through schools of smaller fish but we also saw larger ones like barracuda and groupers and, my personal favorite, parrot fish!
For a map of the best places to snorkel in Dry Tortugas National Park, check out this page from the Yankee Freedom III Ferry website!
Important: As you’re snorkeling in Dry Tortugas National Park (and really this goes for anywhere), just be extra cautious about your surroundings and never touch the coral. Touching the coral can damage and kill it, and we really want to try to preserve this still relatively undamaged part of the Florida Reef and keep it so special!
Relax on a tropical beach
When we say this water is blue, we really mean it. Dry Tortugas National Park has some of the bluest, clearest, most tropical looking water we have ever seen. With this blue water and pure white sand, you will definitely feel like you’re in paradise. Simply relaxing and enjoying the beautiful views around you is a must-do in the Dry Tortugas.
We typically aren’t huge beach people, but this place had me smitten, and I wish we had spent more time just relaxing and soaking it all in. There are two main beaches in Dry Tortugas National Park, the North and South beaches, and either are great to just relax, go for a swim, or do a little snorkeling close to shore.
I mean, just look at that water!
Take a walk
Another relaxing thing to do in Dry Tortugas National Park is to take some short easy walks around Garden Key.
The best place to do this is around Fort Jefferson’s moat. During its construction, a moat was built around the fort to protect it from storm surges and sea life. Today, it makes for a great walk, as you can explore the fort from the outside and also peer into the water for tropical fish and coral that grows along its sides.
During certain times of the year, Bush Key is another place to explore on foot. Bush Key is the narrow offshoot of land that can be seen from the top of Fort Jefferson. However, you can only explore this island between October and January when nesting season is over. Also, the land bridge connecting Bush Key to Garden Key is often submerged, making it accessible only to those with a kayak.
Join a ranger program
Stop in at the visitor center to see what programs they offer, such as guided walks and informational talks. If you came on the Yankee Ferry, though, you can just take the tour provided by the staff.
Go birding
Dry Tortugas is a special place for birders as it provides nesting sites for thousands of birds during the spring migration, and it’s the only place to see breeding colonies in the United States of some of these birds, like the sooty tern. You’ll see tons of birds in the spring time flying over Bush Key…swarms of them! So be sure to bring your binoculars!
How to Spend One Day in Dry Tortugas National Park
If you read the ferry itinerary above for a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park, you noticed that you arrive at the park at about 10:30 am, and you must be boarded back onto the ferry by 2:45 pm. So, if you do the math, that means you have just about four short hours to enjoy the Dry Tortugas. Not a whole lot of time!
Even though Garden Key is pretty small, four hours is not enough time by any means and will go by insanely fast. In fact, we felt very rushed trying to squeeze in everything we wanted to see and do that it almost took away slightly from the enjoyment of being there, and we definitely wished we had more time.
Our biggest advice to you if you have just one day in Dry Tortugas National Park? Just know and accept the fact that your time is very limited and that it will be impossible to do everything you want. Plan out your four hours in advance (and hey, good thing you’re reading this so you know all the fun things to do in Dry Tortugas to help you plan!).
For a realistic one day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park, I would recommend picking the 2 or 3 activities that get you the most excited and stick to those when you’re there.
How did we spend one day in Dry Tortugas National Park?
Our day looked a little something like this:
Our two top priorities were snorkeling and exploring Fort Jefferson. We got off the ferry and wandered around for a bit until the 20 minute Fort Jefferson talk at 11 am. After that, we took about an hour to explore the fort on our own, reading the informational plaques, taking pictures, and admiring the views from the top.
We ate a very quick lunch back on the ferry and then spent two hours snorkeling…we did an hour in the North Beach coaling docks and then headed over to the South beach to snorkel around the moat wall.
Before we knew it, it was time to leave!
Camping in Dry Tortugas National Park
If you’re reading this and thinking “Just one day in Dry Tortugas National Park isn’t enough, can’t I stay for longer?”...the answer is…yes you can!
You can absolutely camp in Dry Tortugas National Park and spend the night on a remote tropical island. In fact, camping is probably the best thing to do in Dry Tortugas National Park! Unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to do this, but we can imagine that camping here would be such a unique experience, sharing a remote island with just a handful of other people.
Plus, you would get to experience the park for so much longer.
About the Dry Tortugas campground
There is a just a single campground in Dry Tortugas National Park, located right on Garden Key near the ferry docks. It has 8 tent sites but there is an overflow area. They are first come first served sites (except the group sites) but if you’ve made a reservation with the ferry you are guaranteed a spot to pitch your tent…the park staff will work with you to help you find a good place.
It’s important to know that the campsites are primitive, meaning you need to bring in everything. This includes your tent, all of your food and water for the entire time you’re there (plus extra in case your return ferry gets cancelled for some reason such as due to rough waters). The bathrooms are composting toilets. There are no stores to buy or rent extra supplies, no running water, and no places to get food…and of course, no cell service or electric hookups. There is also no fuel allowed on the ferry in but there are charcoal grills you can use to cook. So come prepared and make sure you pack everything back out with you!
The other thing that people will warn you about is protecting your food. Rats (eek!) and crabs can get to it if left out, and the rats in particular can chew through tents and packs if they smell yummy things in it.
The logistics of camping in Dry Tortugas National Park
Camping on a tropical island…sign me up, am I right?! Well, the only way to camp in Dry Tortugas National Park, apart from getting to the park with your own boat, is to take the Yankee Freedom ferry. The sea plane does not transport campers because of weight restrictions.
The ferry, though, only takes up to ten campers per day to the park. So, space is limited and you must make your reservations months and months in advance by calling the Yankee Freedom number (you can’t make these online). When we called in February, they didn’t have spaces for campers available on the ferry until June.
How much does it cost to camp in Dry Tortugas National Park?
Camping will run you only $15 per night ($30 for the group site)…not a bad deal to sleep on a secluded island! This is paid upon arrival at a self service station…so bring cash! This fee is not included in the cost of the ferry. However, the ferry is a bit more for campers…each ticket is $210 rather than $190 (and $155 for children).
Why camp in Dry Tortugas National Park?
So, why do we keep telling you that you need to camp here?
Being one of only a handful of people on a tropical island out in the middle of nowhere sounds pretty cool, right? After the crowds leave on the ferry and seaplanes, you will basically have the island to yourself.
A huge benefit of camping in Dry Tortugas National Park is that you won’t have to feel rushed trying to squeeze everything into four short hours.
Being so far away from any civilization and light pollution, the night sky viewing is amazing out there on a clear night.
Camping also opens up more options. If you bring your own kayak along on the ferry, you can go out to other parts of the park that day trippers don’t have time to see. Loggerhead Key is the largest of the islands and takes a few hours to paddle to, but it’s another popular area, especially for snorkeling and diving. There are a few shipwrecks in that area, the most famous being the Windjammer Wreck, that is popular with divers. If you want to bring your kayak, you’ll have to discuss this ahead of time with the ferry staff (when you make your reservations) to ensure that they have the space and so you can make arrangements).
What to Pack For Dry Tortugas National Park
Whether you’re in Dry Tortugas National Park for one day or more, there are some essentials that you absolutely have to bring!
Sunscreen!! The sun is strong out here. Remember to reapply! We were in the water snorkeling for a few hours without reapplying. Please don’t do that.
Hat and sunglasses
Bathing suit and towel
Comfortable shoes for walking around the fort and moat. Water shoes would be a good choice here for being able to swim and then still walk around easily.
A light jacket in case it’s windy, and for the ferry if you plan on sitting or standing outside of the cabin
Change of dry clothes
Binoculars – for spotting birds, and turtles and dolphins from the boat!
Camera
Go Pro - for underwater shots and video!
What to Do Before or After Your Day Trip to Dry Tortugas National Park
If you’re looking for things to do near the Dry Tortugas so that you can spend more time in Florida and make a whole trip out of it, then we got ya covered!
Did you know that Florida also has two other totally awesome National Parks? The Everglades and Biscayne National Parks aren’t too far from Key West, and all three parks can easily be visited with just a week. Check out our other Florida guides for all the details and info you need!
How to visit Florida’s National Parks in One Week: A one week Florida National Park itinerary plus extra stops in the Florida Keys!
Best things to do in Everglades National Park: All the best spots and suggested itineraries!
Best places to find wildlife in the Everglades: Searching for gators? Then be sure to read this post!
Are you planning to take a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park? We hope you found this guide helpful, and please feel free to ask us any questions!
