Maybe I just got a bout of bad weather on the choppy boat ride out to Florida’s Dry Tortugas, but I found this to be the least impressive of America’s beachy national parks.
Its snorkeling areas felt small and relatively devoid of marine life during my visit.
Although the park’s Civil War-era fort is an impressive feat of engineering, it feels much more like a national monument dedicated to our country’s history than a blissful island escape.
Like most of my least-favorite national parks, access to Dry Tortugas is largely controlled by a private tour operator, meaning that most travelers will have to pay for a ferry ride from Key West to this small cluster of islands.
In my opinion, you should visit nearby Biscayne National Park or jet set to the Virgin Islands for a more immersive tropical park experience.
This story was originally published on April 25, 2025, and most recently updated on June 9, 2026.
