3 Great Reasons to Visit Florida’s Dry Tortugas National Park
Plus a bonus: it’s 99% underwater!
Wide-open spaces are the name of the game in today’s pandemic-ravaged tourism landscape, which is why travelers all over the U.S. are flocking to national parks. But a national park that’s 99% underwater, located 70 miles from civilization, and accessible only by seaplane or boat? That’s next-level traveling, perfectly suited to the times.
— Travel & Leisure
On a vacation to the Florida Keys a few years ago, my partner and I signed up for a day trip to what has to be one of the most unique sites in all of Florida: Dry Tortugas National Park.
What makes this park special is that it’s comprised of a chain of islands close to 70 miles off the coast of Key West. Sitting in the Gulf of Mexico with nothing but beautiful turquoise water surrounding it lies Fort Jefferson, the largest all-masonry fort in the U.S. This mid-19th century sprawling military fort takes up much of the land area of Garden Key, one of the seven islands of the Dry Tortugas chain.
It’s an intriguing sight when you finally spot the outline of Fort Jefferson off in the distance. I still remember slowly pulling up to the dock at the shores of this impressive landmark and silently marveling at its existence.
