What a great place to explore and visit! The 2 hour boat ride was awesome even thought we had 6-8 foot seas! Our tour guide was really good and have us lots of great history. If your ever I. The Meys this is a must do trip!
Such a unique old fort! Took seaplane to get there. Go early to have fort to yourself before the ferry arrives. Must bring food and drinks and remember all trash needs to be taken out with you upon departure. Beautiful area!
Beautiful fort in the middle of the ocean. Requires a boat or seaplane. There where several sea planes taking off from the area. There is a long sandy beach to lay in the sun. The roof is accessible to walk and see the best views.
It was about 1 hour & 45 min boat ride with rough water. We experienced nearly 8 foot waves. Our boat went airborne and nearly 1/4 passengers got sick... it was still worth the experience.
Cool fort. We came by sea plane which was fun but the ferry has a bar that opens at 1:30 if that’s your jam. The fort is cool but they don’t do a great job displaying information about it. You kind of have to poke around and piece it together. Also I’m sure guests would love to know more about the people that live there full time. Snorkeling was a disappointment, I think we saw one fish the entire time. It does not look anything like the photos (which I suspect are stock photos from somewhere else).
Speechless. Most spectacular water I have ever seen. Walking the moat you could see into the water as well as you could from your snorkel mask. There were hundreds of giant pink jellyfish (dinner plate-size) on the dock-side of the island so we went to the opposite side to snorkel where there were just a few. I believe I got hit by a couple of them and, to be honest, I didn't even get an itch. (They have very short tentacles/stingers.)
The water was not as clear as I had hoped when snorkeling - it must have been stirred up a bit but there was no real waves. We swam next to the moat where there is coral growing on the walls. There were some fish, but not as many as I had hoped for. Don't be afraid to go to the coal pier pylons - there are probably more fish there.
You might want to leave your stuff right next to the ferry until you decide where you are going to snorkel so you don't have to haul your stuff around. The walk to the other side of the island is not far, but you'll wish you didn't have to carry your stuff back and forth anyway.
Great Day trip from Key West! Highly recommend Yankee Freedom to get to and from the island. Secluded snorkeling and a great national park experience. Bring your sunscreen, towel, and hop on the boat for a fun day in the sun mixed with some history about Fort Jefferson! The Yankee provides a tasty bagel for breakfast and Jersey Mikes subs for lunch. Extra food, drinks and cocktails available for purchase....super affordable prices. All of this is included in your trip price with Yankee Freedom. Great for families, couples and solo travelers.
Booked a boat trip from Key West that took two and a half hours one way to Fort Jefferson. Which went relatively quickly, once at the fort we got to see the fantastic fort and learn about its history. You could then if you wanted to swim and snorkel, which we did, there is a beautiful coral reef and lots of fish to see. Highly recommend the trip.
What an amazing trip. The fort is fantastic and offers amazing photographic opportunities. Snorkeling and beach fun is great with white Sandy beaches and great snorkeling around the walls of the fort. Everyone there goes above and beyond to make your visit as comfortable as possible. It’s an all day adventure that is worth every Penny and offers an unforgettable adventure. Can’t wait to return to do the camping.
