The string of seven small islands that lie 68 miles west of Key West, Florida are collectively known as the Dry Tortugas. These islands, and the 64,657 acres that comprise the sand, land, and water surrounding them, were established as Dry Tortugas National Park in 1992, and it’s no wonder why this land and sea deserved protection. The incredible ocean wildlife includes sea turtles, a diverse coral reef, and several shipwrecks. In addition, Fort Jefferson, a well-known Civil War fort on Garden Key, is also an incredible historical landmark to tour. The only way to access the Dry Tortugas is by ferry or private boat, or by seaplane.
On our New Years 2021 Road Trip, following our time in Everglades National Park, and some in between time in Miami, we drove three hours south to Key West, Florida. We had initially planned to do the drive in the morning before school, but because of a delay necessitating a stop at an RV repair shop, we set off later in the afternoon, with our kids doing school virtually from the road as we made our way down the Keys. WHAT A GORGEOUS DRIVE! Our family had never visited the Florida Keys, and we were truly blown away by these gorgeous little keys connected by a slender highway. Incredible! We arrived in Key West in the late afternoon, and settled into our spot right on the water at Boyd’s Key West Campground, a convenient and beautiful spot for our stay.
The next morning, we arranged for a cab to pick us up at 6am for our day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park. And what an incredible day it was! After our cab ride to the marina, we boarded a ferry boat, the Yankee Freedom II, for the two hour trip from Key West out to the Island of Dry Tortugas. Breakfast was served on the boat during our trip, and the kids had fun filling out their Junior Ranger Books and learning about this fascinating national park.
Upon our arrival on the island, we headed to the visitor center to get some more information, and so the kids could receive their Junior Ranger pins.
After our trip to the Visitor Center, we headed to the dock to get our snorkeling gear for the day, and to pick up our picnic lunch, also provided by the ferry. We then walked to the calmer side of the island, which had been recommended for those with kids, to snorkel.
This was Quinn’s first real time snorkeling, and I had a feeling that it might be frustrating for him. Initially, he was struggling with all the gear and getting everything to fit right, but I was able to work through it with him, and we all hit the water together. To see Quinn, and my other kids, literally coming out of his skin seeing the amazing ocean life under water firsthand was a moment I will never forget! During our snorkeling excursion, we were able to see hundreds of gorgeous fish, the beautiful coral reef, gigantic barracuda, and even a baby shark. It was an amazing experience, and I was so proud of the fact that we were all able to do it, and do it together. We each took a few turns heading out again a few times after our lunch as well.
After snorkeling, we walked along the moat of Fort Jefferson, where we could also see many fish.
At the end of our day at Dry Tortugas, we hiked up into Fort Jefferson, once a bustling community of 400, and enjoyed learning about this fort that was once a prison. The kids loved learning that the fort’s most famous prisoner was Henry Mudd, the doctor that aided John Wilkes Booth by fixing his broken leg after his assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The views of the Island of Dry Tortugas from the top of Fort Jefferson were spectacular!
After our ferry boat ride back to Key West, we spent some time exploring the town of Key West, and also made sure to visit the Southernmost Point of the Continental US. After all, we had definitely driven a great distance from California in the RV to get there!
Our time in Southern Florida and the Keys had truly been remarkable!
After departing Key West the next morning, we had planned to spend a few nights in the Florida Keys to relax, and spent these nights at the Fiesta Key RV Resort, which we loved. This RV park was right on the water with amazing views of the keys, and had a fantastic pool and many other fun things for the kids to do! It was wonderful to have some downtime, and to enjoy the beauty of the keys.
