Get up close to the splendor of the USA’s majestic national parks.
Why we love Florida’s national parks
03.04.2024 - 15:07 / lonelyplanet.com / Sunshine State
When thinking of the USA’s majestic national parks, a massive swamp, a seemingly endless swath of the Atlantic Ocean or a 19th-century fort might not immediately come to mind.
Yet these places represent three of the country’s most biologically diverse and captivating national parks – and all three are located in South Florida. Among some of the best places to visit in the state, these three national parks capture everything that’s natural, wild and even a little dangerous about the Sunshine State.
Here’s everything you need to know about how to get to, what to see in and where to stay at Florida’s national parks.
Seventy miles west of Key West and surrounded by miles of gorgeous, crystal-clear turquoise ocean, Garden Key is not only the biggest island in Dry Tortugas but also its main attraction.
Built in the 19th century on Garden Key, Fort Jefferson originally defended American waters from pirates. During the Civil War, Union forces used the installation as a base from which to block Confederate supply ships. In the aftermath of the war, the fortress became a prison: its most famous inmate, Dr Samuel Mudd, treated John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg hours after he assassinated Lincoln and was later tried and convicted for being one of Booth’s co-conspirators. During a yellow-fever epidemic on the island, Mudd began treating patients after the on-station military doctor died in the outbreak. Credited by both the military and his fellow prisoners for saving dozens if not hundreds of lives, Mudd eventually earned a pardon as well as a plaque on the fortress walls. Years later, Ernest Hemingway and a group of friends were marooned at the fort for more than two weeks as strong storms battered the island.
After touring the fort, most visitors head down to one of the island’s small beaches, where they swim, snorkel or sunbathe until it’s time to head back to civilization.
Visiting Dry Tortugas National Park: There’s no fee to enter Dry Tortuga’s waters – but there’s a catch. If you have your own boat and plan to stop on one of the islands on a Keys excursion, you’ll need a free permit, which you can get in person at the Garden Key boathouse. If you don’t have your own boat, you’ll need to take a ferry or seaplane to get to Fort Jefferson. Plan ahead, as reservations go fast. Expect to pay $200 or more per person.
If you want to extend your visit, primitive camping is available on Garden Key on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to bring everything you need, as there’s no camp store to buy supplies. All trash must be carried out.
Planning a trip to Florida? Here’s all you need to know before you go
Since most of Biscayne National Park’s 173,000 acres is ocean, a visit here will require a boat. Visitors flock
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