Seriously gorgeous beyond words. We LOVED this place. Could have spent way more time here. The water is beautiful. The snorkeling was a blast. Walking the wall you can see a lot of fish. We happened to see a shark as well and a couple barracudas. Fort Jefferson is full of history and a very unique fort. So fun!

Absolutely bucket list worthy. We took our trip to Fort Jefferson on the Yankee Freedom ferry on 12/05/23. It's like being in a movie. The water is a perfect color and wildlife is everywhere. While walking around the mote, we seen a sea turtle and an abundance of fish. While snorkeling we got to see the coral reef. The beach is perfect. The whole time you'll be in amazement that the fort was able to be built. The size and brickwork is stunning. For gear we brought everything you'd typically bring for a beach trip (dont forget the towel and sunscreen), some snacks (the ferry provides food and water if you take it), and snorkeling gear (also provided by the ferry). Camera gear is a must for such a beautiful place! Camping is allowed with a permit, we didn't get the chance this time. Side note: the staff on the Yankee Freedom are top notch and its absolutely worth the trip.

This place is beyond beautiful! Took the tour boat to the island, where they had breakfast and lunch prepared with the tour. When we reached to island there was complementary snorkeling gear that you can use to snorkel. We took pictures and enjoyed the clear blue waters! The sand was beautiful! With plenty of shells and fishes. Lots of beautiful places to take pictures. It was so relaxing and worth it. Wish I could’ve stayed longer. If I go again, I’ll definitely stay the night and camp there.

Wow! This is such a fun national park to visit! We took the seaplane out. I highly recommend it because it cuts your travel time tremendously and the views are spectacular. They will do a smooth water landing and drop you right off on the beach. Once you’re there you can take advantage of some really beautiful snorkeling around the entire fort. I saw a ton of fish and coral and it was incredibly relaxing. It wasn’t crowded at all. You can walk about the entire fort and catch some incredible views afterwards. Stop in the visitor center and get a stamp and cancellation in your national park book (get one before you go!) Bring lots of water and sunscreen! There’s little to no shade and it got blazing hot while I was there. Changing rooms let you get on some dry clothes before you head back to key west. You can camp overnight, I saw some sites while there.

NPS delivers again. Quirky place, Small but worth the trip for the National Park aficionados. I've only spent 4 hours here and felt like I needed more time. 1 hour in the fort, 2 hours swimming and 1 hour over the sandy beach looking at birds and dead corrals. No signal and no wifi (although someone is connected since NPS accepts credit cards). Went snorkeling (cloudy day) and had fun. The corals reef is very minimal, almost all around the fort and some sparse 400' away. However, there are still a ton of tropical fishes (and some are big). Tip: Swim towards the big reef on the south side, follow the line of the fort and keep going straight, you can find big and old submerged anchor. Camping looked really basic, not sure how comfortable it is, no bathrooms and no water. And the fort apparently closes overnight. Definitely not a summer activity. I will definitely come back and spend the night on a catamaran. Hopefully NPS will get a special stamp for that occasion that doesn't look like a lighthouse. I've seen families with kids around, elderly couples and people from all over the world getting there with the boat. It is not an impossible task.

The ferry is expensive and if you go in the winter, the water is murky and too rough to snorkel. They also don’t allow changes or cancellations for weather so if the weather is bad, you are out of luck. Almost everyone was sea sick to and from the island and for the four hours we were docked, there was lightning and torrential downpour so the only thing to do was walk laps around the fort or sit in the boat.

This place is amazing ans what an experience we had. Good sized fort and with detailed education on the great history and purpose. The snorkeling around was really good. Park is well maintained and the views are stunning. Be prepared to be Off grid! The staff was very nice and really seem to enjoy their jobs.

Headed to "Dry Tortugas National Park", about 70 miles from Key West by speed boat. It was built in the 1800's as a military fort. The fort is made of bricks around to the entire island and is almost a regular hexagon shape. It was 2 hours free time tour, after we heard the explanation about the history of this fort from the nature guide. we enjoyed going around the island with a snorkel. The Ocean was extremely clear and blue, fishes were hiding in the coral growing along the fort very visible. It would be nice to expand your travel plan to visit here if you plan to visit to Florida Keys.

Definitely worth going to see if you have a day to spend during your visit to key west. We took the ferry (cheapest transportation option to us). The views are amazing and historical info. Staff were friendly and helpful in answering questions about the fort. There’s no bathroom available so if using the ferry you can go back on to use once docked.

Breathtaking Park. Only accessible by the Yankee Freedom Ferry, Seaplane ($$$) or Private boat large enough to make the 140 mile round trip to the Fort. I'm glad this park is not inundated by visitors as it is a precious eco system and still pristine. The Yankee Freedom Ferry only brings a handful of folks to the park every day. The small island is beautiful, with snorkeling, swimming, fort tour and bird watching to name a few things. If you are a photographer, the entire place is your subject. You will not be able to fully see everything in one visit. Plan to come back. If you plan to go and want to take the ferry, make sure you plan ahead and book your tickets well in advance on the Yankee Freedom site. National Park pass holders get a tiny break on the fee. Bring the following for your visit, sunscreen, hat, beach towel, beach chair, camera, bathing suit, comfortable footwear, something to read, and curiosity. Possibly the best part of this park is that cell phones don't work. So you are spared that nuisance and allowed to enjoy the beauty. For the folks that gave the park fewer stars due to the weather, I don't see it that way. If you have rain, sun, clouds, sun or wind, this is still an amazing experience. Be grateful. 10 stars.

Stunning National Park! We visited in early November and took a seaplane from Key West. It was a magical experience to fly low over the water spotting sea turtles and other critters. It's not cheap, but if you go by plane you can intentionally avoid when the ferry is present and enjoy the island with 10-15 people rather than 150. If you value peace and quiet and a bucket list National Park experience, it's a good investment. The park itself has many beautiful beaches and lots of room to roam around the fort. We did some snorkeling, walked around the fort's outer perimeter watching fish, played with hermit crabs, and relaxed on the beach. There's a small National Park office/store, and good restroom/shower facilities on the island. A truly wonderful way to spend a day getting away from the hubbub of Key West.

A great place to visit. The full day is the best. Great snorkeling, beaches, views. We did the full day plane tour with Key West sea plane charters, they made it extra special. One of the most fun days we’ve had in a while.

If you can visit, you must go! An absolute bucket list of a trip that our family of 5 (2 adults abd 3 kids, ages 9, 14 and 16) will remember forever. Highlights: Yankee Freedom - faultless. Service is exceptional. Snorkeling - we saw more here snorkeling here than we did on scuba dives on the Key Largo reefs! Easy to do and suits any age with or without prior experience. Fort Jefferson - from when it first comes into sight on the horizon to walking around it, the fort is incredible and interesting. Definitely definitely worth going, so if you are in Key West do not miss the chance to go - but book well in advance of your trip.

A definite must do if you are in the key west area. This is an island 70 miles off the coast of key west. The only way to it is by seaplane or the yankee freedom ferry. We did the ferry @ $190 a person. After the 2 hr 30min ride You arrive at 10:30 and have until 2:45 to freely explore. Snorkeling was a blast. Wish we had more time so we could’ve explored more of the fort!

Ferry ride to and from the park was wonderful, relaxing, informative, and crew was friendly and accommodating. Opted to explore the Fort on our own for about 30 minutes, then spent the rest of the time snorkeling in the prestine waters. Snorkeling was OK... I thought it would be AMAZING based on other reviews, but I was a little disappointed with the amount of dead coral. We did see some cool fish and conch shells, but as far as snorkeling went, I'm not sure I would go back just for that. Overall though, I felt it was well worth the money for the amount of time we had at the park & the experience.

An AMAZING national park with both historical and natural importance! HOW TO GET HERE: We got to Dry Tortugas by taking the Yankee Freedom ship. You can also take a Seaplane, which is faster but much more expensive. The ship is still expensive, but unfortunately for this park, you will need to splurge if you want to see it (it's worth it though!). YANKEE FREEDOM: The ferry ride is 2 1/2 hours one way, so you will spend a lot of your time on the ship. However, the ships crew is amazing and is happy to help out with things such as seasickness. There is a snackbar as well in case you are hungry. If conditions are okay, you can also stand out in the deck to take in the beauty of the Gulf. It was a pretty rough day when we went, which made the ride VERY bumpy (it was like riding a roller coaster - we had AIRTIME) WHAT TO DO: On Garden Key, we explored Fort Jefferson, which has a bunch of POI such as Dr Mudds Cell and the Magazine. The visitor center is small but cool (it's inside the fort walls) with lots of exhibits and a small amount of souvenirs to buy. Don't forget to get your National Park Stamp! There's the main stamp, a stamp for the Underground Railroad, and two stamps for the park's two lighthouses. After exploring the fort on the free tour and on our own, we made our way to South Beach, which is by the campground. We wanted to snorkel, and did a little bit, but unfortunately, it didn't work out well. The rough water conditions stirred up sediments, so you couldn't see ANYTHING underwater. We still got to enjoy swimming and seeing the fort from the water though. After that, we headed back to Key West. CONCLUSION / TLDR: Dry Tortugas is an expensive park to get to, but it is worth it. From snorkeling on a beach to exploring a massive fort, this isolated park gives you a different experience than you would get from a lot of other parks. If you have some money saved up, I highly recommend taking the trip.

Very unique nature and history experience. Great snorkeling. Awesome beaching. Pretty darn secluded. Fabulous nature viewing. We took the boat. It’s a ways but it goes by fast, watching other keys, waves, and fish. We saw several sea turtles and tons of flying fish. Great bird watching here. Great fish to see while snorkeling. Also legitimately sandy beach. (Not common in keys.)

What a gem of a National Park! Only reachable by ferry, boat, or seaplane, this remote park is nothing like any other one on the mainland. The land area of the park is extremely small, but we’ll worth the visit! We found the massive fort to be a fascinating structure to explore and the two beaches on the island are stunning!

This is a great day trip. We took the Yankee Freedom ferry. Nice 2.5 hour ferry ride. The fort is cool, the included tour is informative and the included snorkeling is fun, and you are 70 miles from Key West in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Don't miss this!

We finally made it to the Dry Tortugas! Our trip was cancelled last year because of inclement weather. Don’t forget sunscreen, hats and umbrellas as there is almost no shade on the island . Outbound travel was tough, both kids got sea sick on the way there but they did not seem to mind once arrived and we enjoyed discovering the fort, obtaining our junior ranger badges! We also enjoyed swimming and snorkelling on South Beach (recommended on that day by the Yankee Freedom staff who were very helpful to plan the few hours spent onsite) and by the pontoons (where most of the fish are).Time flies when you are on the island so my advice is prepare before you go (Yankee Freedom staff will help with the practical stuff on the day but they might not have time to go into as much details as one needs because they are busy helping everyone on the way there). Having done some readings about the fort prior to going allowed us to do the self-guided tour and junior ranger program (vs. The one offered by Yankee Freedom staff - we did the 20 min intro that was really good and then explored the fort on our own with the kids). Feedback from people who did the additional 1h tour were very positive so if you don’t want to spend too long on the beach, you have that option. I decided to put my dad hat that day (vs. History geek that I am). I would have loved to do the in-depth tour and spend a little longer in the fort itself but managed to see almost everything I wanted. We even had time to chat with one of the NSP rangers who live there. Overall, it was a really nice day out in the middle of nowhere! The place is beautiful! Travel back was much smoother and we were told that it is normally the case. No one got sick and the kiddos even slept after all the activities.

What an amazing Fort! It's the largest I've ever seen. We were able to freely explore on all 3 levels. The beaches were beautiful.

Yep. Worth it. The hype doesn’t do it justice. Stunningly gorgeous national park with once in a lifetime views and wildlife. You do need to travel by boat or plane to access the park. There a limited number of visitors per day so this is one of those places that requires a well planned visit. We went via seaplane and although it was more expensive than the ferry the aerial views and shortened commuting time made it worth every penny. There’s a cute conditioned visitors center and small gift shop, but everywhere else is open to the elements. The fort is very interesting and has an easy-to-follow self-guided tour that takes about 40-minutes. Definitely be sure to go all the way to the top of the battlement for an unbeatable bird’s eye view of the island and neighboring lighthouse. There’s plenty to explore even if you’re not big into snorkeling, but being in the water was easily my favorite part. I understand that it can be very windy in the winter, but it was very calm when we visited at the end of January. There are small changing areas on the dock and restrooms are only on the ferry. Incredibly memorable. Highest recommendation!

It is an interesting piece of history. Great views, clear and warm water. There's a lot of remodeling going on so places are restricted including swimming areas and a large section of the mote walk way. The park participates in the Jr ranger badge thingy. You get a wood badge for completing an activity book. That's pretty cool. There is camping for those who want to know what it's like to be stranded on an island without water, food, shade, bathrooms, mobile service, etc.

one of the best trips I've ever done. We got there by ferry, it was a good experience, everything was very clean, the only thing we didn't like was the food, the rest, excellent service. the park is spectacular, Fort Jefferson is impressive, there are no shades so you have to go with an umbrella and plenty of sunscreen. what I liked the most was the snorkeling experience, many fish and corals to see. DEFINITELY 100% recommended.

Amazing place. The water is so blue. And the Fort is amazing. There’s no shade so bring a hat and sunscreen. The ferry provides water but it’s a pack in pack out so bring a reusable water bottle. The beach is basically broken up sea shells but it’s comfortable to walk on. I highly recommend.

A very unique, peaceful and beautiful area. Takes three plus hours to reach the Dry Tortugas by ferry or private boat from Key West. The waters are pristine, clear, aqua color. You are able to see the bottom with its inhabitants ninty feet (30m) down. Fort Jefferson is the center piece where most people visit. However, if you come by private boat, there are many more Keys to visit. For example Loggerhead Key with one of the most remote lighthouse. If you have an opportunity while in Key West, plan one day for a visit to the Dry Tortugas.

Wow. The most inaccessible national park in the most beautiful part of our country. Came over on the float plane for the day to snorkel and check the place out. Amazing views , lots of fish 🐠 🐟 while snorkeling. Hot hot hot in august but few crowds made it worth the trip.

Absolutely stunning fort with impressive history. Taking the journey there was a memory that will last. The crew of the Yankee Freedom 3 was more than accommodating. This is also the best snorkeling experience I’ve ever had!

Great place to visit although options for transportation are limited to ferry, seaplane, or private charter. I did the seaplane and had a great time for the money. Could’ve used an extra hour on the island but otherwise greatly enjoyed it.

I booked my ferry ticket 2 months early, and I am glad I did. I may not have gotten a ticket if I waited. Although the ferry ride and I did not get along, it was well worth it when I returned to dry land. Stepping off the ferry was a massive fort. We were advised to look.yp before stopping to take pictures. The fort is still under preservation efforts, and there are places that it is evident it needs a little "loving care," but the views are amazing. The water outside the moat is so clear, and the fish are beautiful. I hope to make a trip back at a future date. I didn't have the time I wanted to walk around and enjoy.