In February 2018, we visited Dry Tortugas National Park as part of a trip we took to the Florida Keys. Dry Tortugas is a mile and a half off the coast of Key West, Florida
We took the Yankee Freedom ferry from the ferry terminal. The cost was $175 per person and included our ride and national park entrance, as well as breakfast and lunch. Snorkling equipment was available, but we decided to stay dry. Full disclosure, I got seasick on the ride out to the island, but I would 100% do this day trip again.
The first thing we did was listen to an explanation about the history of the Dry Tortugas islands and Fort Jefferson. It’s an amazing history of how the US protected its interests in the Gulf of Mexico by building (but not finishing) and operating out of Fort Jefferson on a tiny island.
Beautiful turquoise ocean view through a crumbling window at Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park
Once you listen to your history lesson, you can roam freely around the fort and the island. The first thing we did was climb to the top of the fort and appreciate the view. On the top, you will also find old cannons.
View of the Yankee Freedom at dock from the top of Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park
Next, we walked along the beach out towards the offshoot you see in the picture above. We enjoyed the soft sand and beautiful water. We watched the frigatebirds who have nests on the island.
We walked far enough to find this shipwreck, handiwork of Hurricane Irma (2017).
Our trip to Dry Tortugas National Park was beautiful and relaxing. We enjoyed learning the history of the place. I’d be more than glad to visit again, but I’ve heard that traveling by seaplane is even better with birdseye views of dolphins and turtles.
Budget Breakdown
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$175 per person, $350 total
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Refund of $20 for national park entrance fee (if you have a national park pass)
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$18 for parking by the ferry terminal
These days the same day trip will cost you $190 per adult. I couldn’t find this experience in the Chase Travel Portal. You could consider using a Capital One Venture Card and using the travel purchase eraser feature (but be cautious because I do not have personal experience with how Capital one codes this expense). However, this may not be the best use of Capital One miles since the update today that Capital One miles transfer 1:1 to more travel partners.