Yankee Freedom Ferry docks at Garden Key in Dry Tortugas National Park
DAY TRIPS
Around 65,000 people visit Dry Tortugas National Park each year, and the large majority of them come for the day on the Yankee Freedom Ferry, which departs from Key West and is operated by an approved park concessionaire. For tourists without their own boat, this is the most economical way to get to the park despite the $220/person fee (2024 adult fare). The only other option is a seaplane, and needless to say, that’s a lot more expensive.
Reservations for the trip can be made online at the Yankee Freedom website, www.drytortugas.com. The ticket price includes the entrance fee into the park, use of snorkeling gear, breakfast, and lunch. If you have a National Park Pass, you will be refunded the entrance fee when you check in. The Yankee Freedom website also serves as an excellent source of information on Dry Tortugas National Park.
The ferry stops at Garden Key, which is the only island in the park with amenities for tourists. There are six other islands, but only two of them are open to visitors. To get to them you need either a kayak or a canoe, for both islands are within paddling distance of Garden Key. There are no rentals on the island, but the ferry can take up to three boats per trip (campers only, maximum length of 17 feet). Reserve a spot when making a reservation for yourself. There is an additional fee. See the Paddling web page for more information.
There is no parking provided by the ferry company, so park your car in the city garage located across the street from the Yankee Freedom office. There is a daily fee that is paid in advance. Place the receipt on the dashboard of your car.
The trip to Dry Tortugas National Park consists of four hours at Garden Key and five hours on the ferry. Yes, it is a 2.5-hour ride each way. The ferry departs at 8 AM, but you must arrive before 7:30 AM to check in. Get your boarding pass in the upstairs lobby—it’s just like an airport, complete with terminal-type seats. Before boarding, a Yankee Freedom representative will give an orientation speech, after which time you can purchase Dramamine tablets to prevent seasickness. I rarely get seasick, but for the small price per tablet, I suggest getting some and taking a pill just to be on the safe side. Buy two, one for the return trip.
Arrival at Garden Key is around 10:30 AM. For those interested, a tour of Fort Jefferson is given at 11 AM. Other than this, you are free to roam the very small island. Activities include swimming and snorkeling, wandering the fort on your own, and fishing if you brought your pole. The ferry departs at 3 PM, and you will arrive back at Key West some time between 5:30-6 PM.
Because of the ferry’s early departure and late arrival times, most people must spend two nights in Key West, which is probably one of the most expensive places in the United States during the winter. I camped at a KOA and a tent site was $80. You can drive back to the Miami area after the 6 PM return and find something cheaper, but you definitely need to stay in Key West the night before in order to make the 7 AM check-in. I wouldn’t want to risk $220/person on getting a flat tire or something like that because I attempted to drive in from south Florida early that morning to save money on a hotel.
The Yankee Freedom Ferry has two decks, and you are welcome to walk around between them during the voyage. Each deck has an inside, air conditioned section and an outdoor section. The outdoor section on the top deck has seats, while on the lower deck it is just the bow of the boat and you must stand up. Some of the inside seats face each other with a table in the middle, while others are standard, non-facing seats. There are no tables at the outside areas.
While the ferry is docked at Garden Key, passengers, including those camping, are asked to use the restrooms on the boat. There are four portable toilets on the island, but these are closed during the day and only open for those camping once the ferry leaves. For those who went swimming and now have sand on their bodies, there are also showers for rinsing off inside the ship.
In addition to the provided breakfast and lunch, there is a snack bar where you can buy chips, soft drinks, water, candy, pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, and ice cream. You can even buy alcoholic drinks on the return trip.
Outside upper deck of the Yankee Freedom Ferry on its way to Dry Tortugas National Park
CAMPING TRIPS
Camping is allowed on Garden Key, and the Yankee Freedom Ferry has room for up to ten campers and their gear on each trip. There is a charge of $30 added to the standard fare. The daily limit of ten campers has nothing to do with the number of campsites on the island but with how much space the ferry company is willing to allot to campers and their equipment. Keep in mind that there is no limit to the number of campers that Garden Key can accommodate, so if you have your own boat, you can camp at any time without problem. The bottleneck lies here with the ferry.
Due to the limited number of camper seats, during the winter tourist season it is very hard to get a camping reservation. To have a decent chance, you’ll need to make a reservation six months to a year in advance. I called one month in advance and got the last spot just because I was a single camper. I spoke with another guy who had a group of five, and he could not get a reservation one month in advance, and thus his family had to settle for a day-trip since their travel schedule was set. The larger your group, the harder it will be to get a reservation, so book as far in advance as possible.
Campers must check in at 6:30 AM at the Yankee Freedom office, which is located at the end of a dead end street. Though parking is done at a city garage across the street, you can pull up in front of the office, park your car at the curb temporarily, and unload your gear. Take everything directly to the boat where it will be tagged and stored. There are wheelbarrows for you to use. Be sure to remove items that you personally want to carry with you on the ride to Garden Key. All bags are subject to search, so do not lock them. Everything must be in a duffle bag or bin/container. Each person is allowed up to 60 pounds of gear plus a cooler for water and ice.
When you have everything checked in, park your vehicle at the city parking garage. There is a daily fee, but remember, you always have one more day of parking fees than nights spent camping. Pay in advance and place the receipt on the dashboard of your car.
As mentioned above, the ferry ticket includes one lunch. If you are camping, you can choose to eat your lunch either on the way to or on the way from the park. I chose to eat on the return trip, figuring I had food with me for the day I arrived. However, when I got my lunch the next day they didn’t ask me for any sort of ticket, so I have no idea how they knew that I didn’t eat a lunch on the way there—in fact, they didn’t. Trying to prevent some camper from getting a second sandwich and chips probably takes more effort than just giving a second sandwich and chips, so grab lunch both ways. If you get denied on the way back, you can still buy food on the boat or just go hungry for a few hours.
See the Camping web page for complete details about camping at Dry Tortugas National Park.
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Last updated on August 6, 2024
