Dry Tortugas National Park
Roughly 68 miles west of Key West sits a cluster of seven islands comprised of coral and sand, that are collectively known as the Dry Tortugas. Originally named Las Tortugas (Spanish for “the turtles”), the islands were eventually known as the Dry Tortugas due to their lack of fresh water.
The Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the most remote parks in the national park system, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
VISIT Dry Tortugas National Park:
Park Details
Dry Tortugas National Park was established on October 26, 1992, and has a total area of 64,701 acres (101 square miles, or 262 square kilometers).
| Address | 40001 SR-9336, Homestead, FL, 33034 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 305 242-7700 |
| Hours | Open 24 hours, 7 days a week |
| Entrance Fee | $15 per person |
| Learn More | Official Website |
When to Visit: Weather vs. Peak Visitation
Dry Tortugas National Park is the 243rd most visited park in the country.
The Dry Tortugas have subtropical weather, which ranges from 60-90 F. The summers are hot and humid, with hurricane season stretching from June into November. Winters are dry with mild temperatures, but windy and choppy seas. The water is relatively chilly in January, but probably still better than 95% of the US at the same time.
Using Historical Data to Predict
We crunched 30 years of historical weather and/or park service data to find the best months to visit Dry Tortugas National Park. We looked for the optimal temperatures, the least amount of snow and rain, and stayed away from peak visitation months if we could help it. All this data then helped us paint a picture as to what the absolute best time to visit Dry Tortugas National Park is.
Our data shows the best months to visit Dry Tortugas National Park are November, January, December & February.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Visits | 6,179 | 6,937 | 7,417 | 7,720 | 8,124 | 8,041 | 7,692 | 6,658 | 4,694 | 4,432 | 5,336 | 5,970 |
| Precipitation | 40 | 28 | 33 | 26 | 62 | 116 | 87 | 109 | 166 | 120 | 40 | 39 |
| Avg Temp | 72 | 72 | 73 | 76 | 79 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 83 | 81 | 77 | 74 |
| Max Temp | 77 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 81 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 80 | 78 |
| Avg Temp | 69 | 69 | 70 | 73 | 77 | 80 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 78 | 74 | 71 |
| Min Temp | 59 | 59 | 61 | 66 | 72 | 77 | 79 | 80 | 79 | 73 | 67 | 62 |
Dry Tortugas National Park Road Trips
Many family vacations consist of stringing one or more national parks together during a week-long trip. Creating these types of trips is our specialty! Here are the road trips we've created where Dry Tortugas National Park is visited.
| Trip Name | Trip Miles | Trip Days |
|---|---|---|
| Biscayne, Everglades & Big Cypress via Miami | 74 | 7 |
Other Nearby National Park Sites
From national monuments, to historic sites to seashores and more, here are the other parks closest to Dry Tortugas National Park.
| Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| Everglades National Park | 130 mi |
| Big Cypress National Preserve | 143 mi |
| Biscayne National Park | 188 mi |
| De Soto National Memorial | 200 mi |
Nearby Campsites & RV Parks
If you are looking to pitch a tent or park an RV at a campsite near Dry Tortugas National Park, here is a list of the closest campsites in the surrounding area. They all have slightly different amenitites, so its best to check them all out instead of just chosing the first on the list.
None found.
Nearest Ski Resorts
For those of you who are the diehard outdoors type, visiting a national park on a ski trip can be quite the adventure. Here are the ski resorts within 100 miles of Dry Tortugas National Park:
None Found.
Nearest Airports
When visiting a National park, many people are faced with either a very long drive across country, or a much shorter flight. For those of you looking to fly into Dry Tortugas National Park, we've listed the closest airports in the area.
Large Airports
A large airport has scheduled major airline service with millions of passengers per year. This type of airport always accepts international flights. Here are the closest large airports to Dry Tortugas National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Florida International Airport | RSW | Fort Myers, FL | 149 mi |
| Miami International Airport | MIA | Miami, FL | 180 mi |
| Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport | FLL | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 197 mi |
| Palm Beach International Airport | PBI | West Palm Beach, FL | 224 mi |
| Tampa International Airport | TPA | Tampa, FL | 232 mi |
| Orlando International Airport | MCO | Orlando, FL | 280 mi |
| Orlando Sanford International Airport | SFB | Orlando, FL | 304 mi |
Medium Airports
A medium-sized airport has scheduled regional airline service. This type of airport may or may not accept international flights. Here are the closest medium-sized airports to Dry Tortugas National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key West International Airport | EYW | Key West, FL | 70 mi |
| Charlotte County Airport | PGD | Punta Gorda, FL | 167 mi |
| Sarasota Bradenton International Airport | SRQ | Sarasota/Bradenton, FL | 192 mi |
| St Petersburg Clearwater International Airport | PIE | St Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 227 mi |
| Melbourne Orlando International Airport | MLB | Melbourne, FL | 277 mi |
| Daytona Beach International Airport | DAB | Daytona Beach, FL | 334 mi |
| Gainesville Regional Airport | GNV | Gainesville, FL | 351 mi |
Credits: Campground data provided by USCampgrounds.info. Map shapes from CartographyVectors. Weather data from NOAA. Airport data from OurAirports.com. Images from Unsplash, Flickr and Parks&Trips. All data has also been updated and augmented by Parks&Trips.