Playa Tortugas 4.5 /5 ( 331 reviews ) Watch fishermen unload their catches at the marina, mingle with locals or just watch the ferries come and go; downtown Cancun's closest beach buzzes with activity. PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you plan to camp at Dry Tortugas National Park, you will have to take the ferry or a private boat to get here. Campers at Dry Tortugas National Park are allowed to bring kayaks, subject to certain restrictions and availability of transport space on board the Yankee Freedom ferry. Guess what, we are NOT a quiet family. There is also a big price difference between taking the seaplane flight and the Yankee Freedom Ferry. There are a handful of maintenance workers and park rangers that actually live inthe fort at the Dry Tortugas. Im sure some people have gotten on, but with the no cancellation refund policy it has become very unusual for someone to not show up. All rights reserved. To reserve, call Yankee Freedom's phone at 1-800-634-0939. Unfortunately, I was an idiot and didn't book reservations for the ferry to Dry Tortugas early enough. Ticket includes entrance fee to Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson. And while you're heading down there/back up, try to do the Everglades too! Yankee Freedom Ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park Experience a journey like no other aboard the Yankee Freedom. We have been to a lot of beaches but this is the first time we had seen so many in once place. Parking is free and plentiful at the seaplane terminal. There is no other way to do it. When you take the ferry to the Dry Tortugas, you get to the island at about 10:30am. Ferry details: Address: 100 Grinnell St, Key West, FL 33040 Contact number: (305) 294-7009 Prices: $190 for adults and $135 for children (4 to 16 years old) Tickets can be booked online directly with the Yankee Freedom III Seaplane to Dry Tortugas From Key West Airport, you can reach the national park via seaplane. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112874403', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');plane. tour of the Fort Beach walking, snorkel, swim, or just relax in the sun No Hidden Fees. WOW! - See 2,588 traveler reviews, 2,466 candid photos, and great deals for Key West, FL, at Tripadvisor. . Q: Do you have spaces for xx/xx/xxxx? I`ve been dreaming to go there for a long time. Dry Tortugas is made up of seven islands: Garden Key, Loggerhead Key, Bush Key, Long Key, Hospital Key, Middle Key, and East Key The word tortugas is Spanish for turtles, due to the large amount that inhabit the surrounding waters. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. If you want a day trip you can book a ferry to Bimini or Grand Bahamas from Ft Lauderdale and come back the same day. A: Camping reservations must be made over the phone by calling 305-294-7009. We were blown away by the colors of the water with the contrast of the fort. Here are some of the highlights of my countless trips to the three National Parks (Banff, Jasper and Yoho) in the Canadian Rockies. Camping is completely sold out through April 2021. We also have a detailed guide to the best things to do in the Dry Tortugas. Thanks for the helpful guide on Dry Tortugas National Park. Whether swimming, sun bathing or just plain strolling, you will enjoy the crystal blue waters, swaying palm trees and soft, powdery sand of this island paradise. While the Dry Tortugas is a special trip and the Fort is unique, I think you would find a small charter out to the backcountry or snorkeling at the reef on a boat like Floridays just as enjoyable in its own way. NATIONAL PARKS: In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries. 4 Where to Stay when Visiting the Dry Tortugas. You spend 4.5 hours in the park. It was so cool to see. | As you pull in it is absolutely gorgeous. Powered by BigCommerce, Dry Tortugas/Fort Jefferson, Key West, FL - Travel Thru History Show. 4. I agree with everyone about the sea (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Camping in the Dry Tortugas National Park is definitely an experience of a lifetime! Fort Jefferson is the largest masonry structure in the western hemisphere consisting of more than 16 million bricks. Seriously how can the water be those colors?! Shipwrecks and Treasure Content from this Website may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced or used without written permission! The first floor was gorgeous with all of the arches. It gave us plenty of time to walk around the island and explore but when we had to leave we were not ready to go!! Line up in the order you arrive on the benches along the wall next to the front door of the Terminal. The Dry Tortugas National Park Ferry is called theYankee Freedomiii. Click for Privacy Policy / Disclosure Policy. The seven tiny islands of Dry Tortugas are a vital layover for migrating birds traveling between South America and the United States making a staple in the Great Florida Birding Trail. We do not keep a waiting list and will not call you in case of cancellations. Dry Tortugas National Park: Fun trip - See 5,527 traveler reviews, 4,181 candid photos, and great deals for Key West, FL, at Tripadvisor. Book the first flight of the day. The journey takes about 2 hours 15 minutes. The boat leaves at 2:45pm so you only have about 4 hours to explore. Duration to : 2.5 hours each way. View our ADA Accessibility Policy. No other way to see that beautiful water! And remember about the cost of the seaplane. I think I remember reading that they changed their cancellation policy so this tends to happen less often nowadays. Learn about the special connection between the most remote US Fort built by Thomas Jeffereson and Dr. Samuel Mudd, an alleged conspirator of the Lincoln assassination. Ferry ticket includes entrance fee to Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson. See here for other Florida beaches you have never heard of. If you are coming just to go to the Dry Tortugas, then you should stay in Key West. Enjoy the natural beauty of this top destination with your own personal seaplane charter. We visit Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas on the show. The dates below are scheduled maintenance days when the ferry will not be running: Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson Ferry Service. [CDATA[ (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/97/1032023597.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, "script", "aweber-wjs-9fl4orvz7")); // ]]> Craig and I got up at 4:30am in the morning so we could get ready and drive an hour to get to Key West to be there by 6:30 so we could park and get to the terminal. During your voyage, youll enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Marquesa Islands, Boca Grande. Please read my disclosure for more info. The half-day excursion for four hours from Seaplane Adventures costs between $250 and $400 per person, while the full-day excursion for eight hours costs between $515 and $650 per person. Since we didnt have the kids with us we figured we would take advantage of the fact that we could close our eyes and get some sleep! If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. For the last 6+ years they have explored all over North America and share their top tips on things to do in locations with kids, along with road trip ideas and tips on RVing. This group of islands are the last keys in the Florida Keys. . That is why I am considering this year to do the three night camping option. It's the stuff that bucket lists are made of. 2023 KeyWestTour.com | Sitemap I was not disappointed. ed by the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior to serve the public at Dry Tortugas National Park. There is no way to know if there will be space on any given day, it is completely random. Although Dry Tortugas Beach is located some 70 miles away within Fort Jefferson National Park, its beach is considered part of Key West's seaside offerings thanks to the Dry Tortugas Ferry. After you factor in lunch time and fully exploring Ft. Jefferson I found even that was too little time with the ferry option. Content from this Website may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced or used without written permission! 2. Yankee Freedom Dry Tortugas Ferry Tickets route/stop changes on the day of your tour. I would not bother. The ferry is sold out for our dates that we are in town and the sea (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Q: Do you have a waiting list I can put my name on? Please note that the National Park Service does not keep a . Rescheduling: *Prices from January 2021. Q: How do I make a new day trip reservation? If you have any questions about how to get to Dry Tortugas National Park, let us know in the comment section below. We arrived just past 8:30 and for almost two hours, it was just us, the other 18 people from the two seaplane flights, a few campers, and some park rangers. The soft sand in our toes, the teal water, and the ocean breeze. But if you are visiting the Florida Keys for longer, we recommend Fiesta RV Resort, Sunshine Key RV Resort, Pelican RV Resort & Marina, and Hawks Cay Hotel and Resort. Camping is $200 per adult. Then the second floor had these amazing arched openings with these views that seemed to be a canvas that an artist had painted. //