The main attraction at the Dry Tortugas National Park is Fort Jefferson. This fort is a Civil War-era military post designed to guard and protect the Gulf of Mexico for the Union. It is located on Garden Key.

The park is a series of islands about 70 miles west of Key West. It is only reachable by air or by boat. This isolation has created a pristine place ideal for studying history, marine and wildbird life, for diving and snorkeling, and for camping.