For even more information, check out our Dry Tortugas National Park Travel Guide. The snorkeling is actually better at the reef. This is a very popular trip that will sell out weeks in advance. Yeah, there is definite sticker shock, but it was so worth it! 3.4 Camping on Garden Key. Copyright 2023 Yankee Freedom III, LLC. You can rent a bareboat, or a captained boat, for a few hours or a few days. At that point, we only had 30 minutes left on Dry Tortugas before flying back to Key West. If you're early risers be there at boarding time by 7:30am & you'll know by 8am when they leave if there's any open spots. We also found some older shells that were seriously gigantic. I don't know what their availability is in April but I just recently booked for May and they have quite a few openings. Yankee Freedom Dry Tortugas Ferry 4.7. Its worth it, if you have that kind of money to spend, and if you want to take your time here. Because of these special requirements, you will need to speak with a reservation agent to determine availability of kayak transport for your dates of interest. View our ADA Accessibility Policy. The plane parks at a beach on Garden Key and this is where you get off. 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. Privacy PolicyThis website meets WCAG 2.0/2.1 AA standards set by the ADA. The first floor was gorgeous with all of the arches. Read all of our articles about Florida in our Florida Travel Guide and the United States in our United States Travel Guide. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. I was iffy upon seeing the initial cost but it looks phenomenal and highly likely Ill do it. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-96972143', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');plane - once in a lifetime experience! If you have any questions about how to get to Dry Tortugas National Park, let us know in the comment section below. Not sure what your budget is but you could always try the sea (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? If you return you'll know to book early. Yankee Freedom III, LLC is authorized by the NPS and the Department of the Interior to serve the public at Dry Tortugas National Park. Saint Augustine is pretty cool too- a national park/iconic . We have friends who have done the snorkeling in the past and it looked amazing! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112876696', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');plane. Thanks for the helpful guide on Dry Tortugas National Park. It was so cool to see. The ferry is sold out for our dates that we are in town and the sea (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? It is the largest island in the Dry Tortugas and is supposed to have a lot of loggerhead sea turtles and also a Lighthouse. Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson Ferry Service. How To Get Around Dry Tortugas National Park. 3.1 Snorkeling in the Dry Tortugas. We did not bring the kids with us this time since we didnt think they would enjoy being a boat for 2 1/2 hours there and 2 1/2 back all in one day. Check-in time is at 7 am (6:30 am for campers). The best flights are the first and last flights of the day, when you will visit the park with fewer people. For more information on Dry Tortugas camping, visit the park's website. There are 3 of us who would need tickets. The soft sand in our toes, the teal water, and the ocean breeze. We headed for the moat wall. Dry Tortugas National Park: Fantastic Day Trip - See 5,527 traveler reviews, 4,181 candid photos, and great deals for Key West, FL, at Tripadvisor. All rights reserved. Web Visit website. READ NEXT: Best Things to Do in Dry Tortugas National Park. [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. more. However, if you would like to standby for the trip to the Dry Tortugas in case there are no-shows, you must go to the Ferry Terminal (100 Grinnell St.) as EARLY as you can get there on the morning you would like to travel. 7 - 10 Day Florida Keys Itinerary: Miami, Key West & the National Parks, 12 Best National Parks to Visit in January 2023 (USA), 18 Great Things to do in Key West, Florida. I would not bother. The most popular ways to get to Dry Tortugas National Park are the Yankee Freedom ferry and Key West Seaplane Adventures, but you can also get there using a permitted personal boat or a private charter. 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. If you are coming just to go to the Dry Tortugas, then you should stay in Key West. 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. It is accessible only by boat or seaplane. We do not keep a waiting list and will not call you in case of cancellations. We especially liked the view of the beach where we had found the conch shells. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you can, try to do Dry Tortugas but that's a whole day while you're down there. Get on the ferry wait list, you might get lucky. 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. The color of the fresh water and marine life is surreal, the conch shells are amazing, the beach is beautiful, and visiting the historic Fort Jefferson, which is located on garden key, was really cool. It's a very small airport with just one waiting area and very few services. When you arrive, you can tour, explore the fort, swim at one of the beaches, or climb the lighthouse! Yankee Freedom Ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park Experience a journey like no other aboard the Yankee Freedom. Yankee Freedom Dry Tortugas Ferry Tickets route/stop changes on the day of your tour. On the day we were here, Yankee Freedom must have been using a different boat, since this is not their typical boat they use to go to the Dry Tortugas. But I'll agree with the others that the seaplane is totally worth it. Here is an overview of the best time to visit Dry Tortugas National Park for specific conditions: You'll experience the mildest weather in Dry Tortugas National Park in January, February, March, November, and December. 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!! There is no way to know if there will be space on any given day, it is completely random. There was a snorkeling spot that we wanted to try, and we never got to it because we ran out of time. The rainiest months are June, July, August . We ate breakfast right away and then took seats outside of the deck of the ship so we could take in the views. Nothing like fishing the crystal clear waters 5.0 / 5 . We took the ferry over. We are already on the waitlist for the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Fastest way to and from Dry Tortugas National Park, Can visit the Dry Tortugas with low crowds before the ferry arrives or late in the date once the ferry departs, The full day tour seems a little too long, Cant bring camping gear or scuba equipment, 4.5 hours on the Dry Tortugas, a nice amount of time on the islands, Can bring camping gear, scuba equipment, and kayaks, More crowded experience on the Dry Tortugas, Private tour of Dry Tortugas National Park. The days are delightfully warm in Key West and the Florida Keys. Yankee Freedom Ferry (includes the National Park Fee): More Information for Your Trip to Florida, Read all of our articles about Florida in our. Yankee Freedom Dry tortugas national park ferry. Drive, walk or ride your bicycle aboard one of our three ferries. The ride can be very choppy so if you are prone to motion sickness this may not be the best way to . We went in the fort first then quickly realized we didnt want to be inside but instead wanted to be out by the beautiful beach and water so we headed to the beach. - See 2,588 traveler reviews, 2,466 candid photos, and great deals for Key West, FL, at Tripadvisor. There is no other way to do it. Yankee Freedom, LLC is authori The Yankee Freedom is the ferry that connects Key West to Dry Tortugas National Park. from my point of view don't hesitate to send me a pm. Re: Options for Dry Tortugas National Park if ferry sold out 4 years ago Save Get on the Yankee Freedom III ferry waiting list now. Unfortunately, I struck out with both the seaplane and ferry when I tried to make it to Dry Tortugas on a recent Key West trip. General availability can be checked by going to https://www.drytortugas.com/rates-reservations/ and clicking on the Book Now button. The Dry Tortugas are a group of small islands composed of coral reefs located in the Gulf of Mexico at the end of the Florida Keys, United States. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Yankee Freedom: Wow! Departing from the Historic Seaport area of Key West each morning, it's quite the boat trip. The boat leaves at about 2:45pm so you only have about 4 hours to explore. Learn more on the National Park Service website. Youll hear captivating stories about the fort, its remarkable history and its surroundings. Luckily the ride back wasnt as rocky and Craig and I actually both took a nap. I spent several years working as a tour guide in Western-Canada, including the Rocky Mountains. It felt like we had the place to ourselves. If you love Key West snorkeling, then Dry Tortugas National Park offers some of the best snorkeling and skin diving in North America, just 70 miles from Key West and the Florida Keys. It's the stuff that bucket lists are made of. Also if you are looking for more activities to do in Key West check out the Aquarium, the Shipwreck Museum, the Conch Train and our favorite Key West water activities! The Dry Tortugas has kind of been loved to death these days. In order to get to the Dry Tortugas you can charter a high speed private boat, take a seaplane, or the Dry Tortugas ferry that runs from Key West to the Dry Tortugas. The trip was about 2.5 hours each way. Content from this Website may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced or used without written permission! 4. Julie Last updated: January 31, 2023 United States 2 Comments. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Has anyone ever had luck getting there at 6:00 and going standby? Book the first flight of the day. RESERVE EARLY! WOW! The ferry is your only "cheap" option. A: Camping reservations must be made over the phone by calling 305-294-7009. 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. Dry Tortugas National Park: Nice trip! //