Dry Tortugas National Park
An out-to-sea national park and fortress
Back to Dry Tortugas National Park
Planning a trip to go back and camp. This place is so awesome! The water is so blue, clear, and clean! We did a quick tour of part of the Fort, and then jumped in the water to snorkel. I went on the fast cat, and they served us a yummy lunch, with homemade potato salad under the palm trees in front of the fort. It is a whole day, but it is by far the best!
Reviewed by: Dixie P from on Oct 12 2009
We booked our trip through www.totallykeywest.com and the whole experience was fantastic! The trip took 2 hr 15 minutes to get there from Key West, aboard the Yankee Freedom II and they fed us breakfast as soon as we got onboard. Then, when we got there, we went on the tour which was a little boring but what history doesn't have something boring about it...Right?
Reviewed by: Gretchen G from on Jun 05 2009
The day started at 7:45 on the docks between William and Margaret Street where we all checked in before boarding the Yankee Freedom. Nice ferry with plenty of seating available both in the sun or shade and two heads inside the cabin. During the 2 hour transit, a naturalist spoke about the history of the park, snorkeling and bird watching in the area, the captain allowed visitors to the wheel house and the crew laid out a pretty nice continental breakfast. Snorkeling gear was included in the $160, and although I ALWAYS bring my own snorkel, I was happy to get a pair of fins to use. I can’t be the only one that is grossed out by the thought of using someone else’s snorkel…ewww!
Reviewed by: beachexaminer from on Jun 01 2009
I sailed my 26 foot Pearson from St. Petersburg and stayed a week before heading to Key West and back. Beautiful scenery topsides and underwater. I dove over teh side to check my anchor and was greeted by a spotted eagle ray, five feet across from wing tip to wing tip. He (she?) was munching on lobster heads dropped off by a previously anchored lobster boat. Saw a Jew fish the size of a Volkswagen Beetle near the ship wreck buoy off Loggerhead Key. Did you know that one of the final scenes of the movie, " Romancing the Stone" (fire barrel, Jack Colton with a gun to his back) was filmed in the fort? If you remember the movie you will be able to find the location with the brick archways. Super cool. Just the kind of place you might meet Captain Jack Sparrow as he passes through.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Jan 30 2009
This place had a magical feel about it that cant be explained unless you see for yourself. Worth it in everyway, walking through the fort gave you a sense of what it was like to be out there back in the civil war times with alot of the original items left behind.
Reviewed by: cjack from on Sep 08 2008
Although it cost well over $300 for the trip to the island for myself and my wife, this was one of the most unique and memorable parts of our trip to Key West. The trip started with leaving port and traveling on a two hour boat ride to Fort Jefferson. We were supplied with breakfast and lunch and, while it was 4 star dining, it was suffice. We were also supplied with snorkling gear and had the better part of the day to explore coral out in the Gulf of Mexico. The Fort itself is an amazing structure, as the ammount of bricks used in building it is astounishing. There is a self-guided tour to get the history of the facilities. We found a number of travelers on our tour were primarily interested in bird watching, as the island is a major migratory path and a number of rare species were seen on the day of our trip.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Apr 13 2008
This is such a unique experience that you MUST do it at least once if you are visiting the keys. The fort is very interesting to tour, the surrounding water is great for snorkeling, and the grounds themselves are a perfect pininc place. We took one of the fast boats over for a day trip, but you can get there by plane also.
Reviewed by: Gary from on Oct 19 2007
the boat ride is rough , bring sea sick pills if you get sick easily!!!
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Aug 16 2007
Awesome! One of those things in life that I said I "Gotta do" and it was a remarkable trip. The Fort is filled with history and the Snorkling was refreshing. A little Expensive with the sea plane but very worth it! Much wildlife seen from the Air. I actually saw a Marlin or Sailfish chasing down baitfish! Awesome sight!!!!
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Jul 21 2007
Dry Tortugas was a real treat; the staff on at the national park were so interesting to talk to. Very nice people. A faint drawback - a generator droned all the time - the power source for the staff. Wish wind power was available for them in this era of global warming.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Jul 18 2007
An out-to-sea national park and fortress
Back to Dry Tortugas National Park
Planning a trip to go back and camp. This place is so awesome! The water is so blue, clear, and clean! We did a quick tour of part of the Fort, and then jumped in the water to snorkel. I went on the fast cat, and they served us a yummy lunch, with homemade potato salad under the palm trees in front of the fort. It is a whole day, but it is by far the best!
Reviewed by: Dixie P from on Oct 12 2009
We booked our trip through www.totallykeywest.com and the whole experience was fantastic! The trip took 2 hr 15 minutes to get there from Key West, aboard the Yankee Freedom II and they fed us breakfast as soon as we got onboard. Then, when we got there, we went on the tour which was a little boring but what history doesn't have something boring about it...Right?
Reviewed by: Gretchen G from on Jun 05 2009
The day started at 7:45 on the docks between William and Margaret Street where we all checked in before boarding the Yankee Freedom. Nice ferry with plenty of seating available both in the sun or shade and two heads inside the cabin. During the 2 hour transit, a naturalist spoke about the history of the park, snorkeling and bird watching in the area, the captain allowed visitors to the wheel house and the crew laid out a pretty nice continental breakfast. Snorkeling gear was included in the $160, and although I ALWAYS bring my own snorkel, I was happy to get a pair of fins to use. I can’t be the only one that is grossed out by the thought of using someone else’s snorkel…ewww!
Reviewed by: beachexaminer from on Jun 01 2009
I sailed my 26 foot Pearson from St. Petersburg and stayed a week before heading to Key West and back. Beautiful scenery topsides and underwater. I dove over teh side to check my anchor and was greeted by a spotted eagle ray, five feet across from wing tip to wing tip. He (she?) was munching on lobster heads dropped off by a previously anchored lobster boat. Saw a Jew fish the size of a Volkswagen Beetle near the ship wreck buoy off Loggerhead Key. Did you know that one of the final scenes of the movie, " Romancing the Stone" (fire barrel, Jack Colton with a gun to his back) was filmed in the fort? If you remember the movie you will be able to find the location with the brick archways. Super cool. Just the kind of place you might meet Captain Jack Sparrow as he passes through.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Jan 30 2009
This place had a magical feel about it that cant be explained unless you see for yourself. Worth it in everyway, walking through the fort gave you a sense of what it was like to be out there back in the civil war times with alot of the original items left behind.
Reviewed by: cjack from on Sep 08 2008
Although it cost well over $300 for the trip to the island for myself and my wife, this was one of the most unique and memorable parts of our trip to Key West. The trip started with leaving port and traveling on a two hour boat ride to Fort Jefferson. We were supplied with breakfast and lunch and, while it was 4 star dining, it was suffice. We were also supplied with snorkling gear and had the better part of the day to explore coral out in the Gulf of Mexico. The Fort itself is an amazing structure, as the ammount of bricks used in building it is astounishing. There is a self-guided tour to get the history of the facilities. We found a number of travelers on our tour were primarily interested in bird watching, as the island is a major migratory path and a number of rare species were seen on the day of our trip.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Apr 13 2008
This is such a unique experience that you MUST do it at least once if you are visiting the keys. The fort is very interesting to tour, the surrounding water is great for snorkeling, and the grounds themselves are a perfect pininc place. We took one of the fast boats over for a day trip, but you can get there by plane also.
Reviewed by: Gary from on Oct 19 2007
the boat ride is rough , bring sea sick pills if you get sick easily!!!
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Aug 16 2007
Awesome! One of those things in life that I said I "Gotta do" and it was a remarkable trip. The Fort is filled with history and the Snorkling was refreshing. A little Expensive with the sea plane but very worth it! Much wildlife seen from the Air. I actually saw a Marlin or Sailfish chasing down baitfish! Awesome sight!!!!
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Jul 21 2007
Dry Tortugas was a real treat; the staff on at the national park were so interesting to talk to. Very nice people. A faint drawback - a generator droned all the time - the power source for the staff. Wish wind power was available for them in this era of global warming.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Jul 18 2007
Hotel Deals
Travel Deals
Map
City Committee
