The crystal clear waters and low-lying keys of Dry Tortugas are an incredible sight against the blue of the Caribbean. The handful of small keys comprise less than 1% of the National Park, which is mostly underwater.
We help you break down the best things to do in Dry Tortugas National Park. Some of these however require you to stay overnight while others may be accessible for those with their own watercraft. Be sure to check our overall Dry Tortugas guide for more information on the park and how to get there.
Garden Key
The main island of the National Park houses the main fort, docking, campsites, and administrative areas of the park. If you visit the National Park, you are guaranteed to end up here. There are quite a few things to do and explore on the island. Fort Jefferson, camping, snorkeling, and wildlife viewing are some activities to do here, some of which will be detailed below.
Bush Key
Located adjacent to Garden Key, Bush Key is home to beautiful wildlife, many of which are not seen in the continental US. Occasionally, the island is even connected to Garden Key via a Land Bridge (otherwise, you can access it via kayak/canoe).
The island is only open for visitors during the late fall/winter, as it is a critical bird-nesting area during other times. When walking the key, be sure to stay on the beach to avoid damaging delicate vegetation.
Fort Jefferson
This is the centerpiece of Dry Tortugas, as shown in all the photos. It is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and one of the largest forts ever built. It is also the largest masonry brick structure in the Americas. And the fact that they built it out here on this remote island is impressive.
Built in 1861, the fort never saw battle, but it was used as a resupply and prison at various periods in its history. Union ships used the port during the Civil War to block Confederate shipping. It even had minor roles in the two world wars. These days its chapter as a military outpost is long past, but its construction and history are what draw most visitors to the island.
Swimming
Snorkeling or swimming is one of the best activities in the park. The Tortugas’s beautiful, warm, and clear water is perfect for getting out and about. You can swim along the fort’s outer walls here in Garden Key, and it’s pretty impressive to see the fort from various angles in the water. It is even possible to swim around the entirety of the fort.
Just be sure to check with the ferry or visitor center about any restrictions on where to swim.
Snorkeling
One of the best things to do in Dry Tortugas is snorkeling. Most visitors do this as part of a tour of Garden Key. The snorkeling by Garden Key is…okay. I wasn’t impressed by the underwater sights here. There are some fish and other marine life, but it felt sparser than I expected. You can also snorkel at other reefs throughout the park, but these require your own boat to visit.
If you plan to snorkel during a short visit to the park, keep an eye on the time and how far you’ve traveled. It can take longer to return to the shore than you realize. A bit of a current kept pushing us away as we swam back.
Loggerhead Key
The other large island you can see is Garden Key. The island is named for the loggerhead turtles that frequent the key. The main attraction on the island is the lighthouse, the tallest structure in the park. Visitors can explore the beaches here and snorkel in the area. Visits here are limited to private boats (ships, kayaks, canoes). You must check in at Garden Key before visiting Loggerhead Key.
Windjammer Wreck
The windjammer wreck is a Norwegian Avanti sunk in 1907 en route to Montevideo, Uruguay. Even though it sank in 1907 it wasn’t discovered until 1970! The shipwreck sits about 1 mile southwest of Loggerhead Key. It’s a popular spot for folks to snorkel and scuba dive.
Kayaking / Canoeing
Kayaking and Canoeing are great options to explore away from Garden Key. You can bring kayaks or canoes along with you on the ferries for camping trips (for an additional fee). This is a great way to explore other areas, such as Loggerhead Key [above].
Note: You’ll need to call to book space for kayaks/canoes on the Yankee Freedom ferries.
Wildlife Viewing
There’s plenty of wildlife to see and experience in the Dry Tortugas. From birds to sealife to even small creatures among the sand. I was amazed just looking around and noticing tiny jellyfish and hermit crabs. It’s easy to overlook them if you are not looking closely.
In the water, I saw incredible blue starfish and a variety of colorful fish. I even saw a lionfish, an invasive species in the Caribbean. Plenty of birds too, with over 300 species spotted visiting the island. Some birds you’ll see nowhere else in the United States but on these keys.
Stargazing
For those staying the night, the clear and remote skies of the Dry Tortugas make stargazing one of the top attractions. The park does its best to limit the amount of non-natural light in the park so even the lighthouse illuminates only once every 20 seconds. This still provides boats with needed navigation while reducing the amount of unwanted light for night sky viewing.
On a clear night, Garden Key offers a view of many stars. You may also see distant lights from vessels or oil rigs.
Camping
Camping on Dry Tortugas is a rare treat for those interested in this experience. There are only eight primitive sites in the entire park; those are the only people who experience nights on this remote island.
Camping fills up quickly, and those who get a spot will have a level of quietude not heard of in many places. You’ll have dark skies and just the hint of a lighthouse in the distance. You’ll get to have experiences with animals and wandering on the site after all the day-trippers have left.
Camping here requires some planning though. You’ll need to pack in and out everything. There’s no water on the island so you’ll even need to bring the water you’ll need for your stay. You also need a tent as you cannot camp without one due to the wildlife.
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