North Swim Beach

Located on an island called Garden Key, North Swim Beach is a white sand beach in Dry Tortugas National Park. This beach is situated near the northern edge of a 19th century fort named Fort Jefferson.  Remnants of a 19th-century pier used for loading coal onto military ships are also present near the beach. 

North Swim Beach does not have lifeguards. However, it has many other amenities including restrooms, walking trails, picnic tables, and barbecue areas. Dogs on leash are allowed in North Swim Beach. 

North Swim Beach and the area around it offer many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, star-gazing, picnicking, camping, swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, surf-skiing, boating, jet-skiing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, and parasailing. The water near North Swim Beach is generally calm, which makes it ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, and canoers. In addition, a popular snorkeling spot in the water near the beach is named "North Coaling Docks" - this spot has pier pilings which used to support docks that were utilised for loading coal onto military ships. Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of fish here including tarpon, grouper, and barracudas. On rare occasions, you can see sharks here. The pier pilings in the water here are also known to have coral, hermit crabs, sea turtles, and lobsters. However, if you are planning to enter the water near North Swim Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents. If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of seabirds around North Swim Beach. In addition, you can also view migratory birds around this beach during spring. If you like camping, the area near North Swim Beach also has a campground that offers an amazing tent camping experience. If you are planning to camp near North Swim Beach, we recommend visiting Dry Tortugas National Park webpage on the National Park Service website for more helpful information regarding camping here. At night, the clear skies above the beach offer an amazing stargazing experience for campers. The 19th century Fort Jefferson is also present near this beach-this interesting fort is a part of the United States‚Äô National Register of Historic Places and offers a unique insight into Southern Florida‚ vibrant history and United States‚Äô military history. The Dry Tortugas Visitor Center (which is also present within Fort Jefferson's premises) also offers interesting historical exhibitions.

Apart from Garden Key, Dry Tortugas National Park also has two additional islands that visitors can explore - the islands are named Loggerhead Key and Bush Key. Bush Key, which is approximately the same size as the adjacent Garden Key, is open to visitors between October and January. This island has a vibrant flora and fauna and visitors can explore its amazing biodiversity via hiking trails. In addition, many kinds of birds seasonally use this island for nesting including brown pelicans, terns, and cormorants. Depending on the time of the year, sea turtles also use this island as a nesting spot. Sometimes a narrow sandbar connects Bush Key to Garden Key, and visitors can simply walk to this island from Garden Key. However, visitors can usually access Bush Key via kayak/canoe. Another nearby island is the Loggerhead Key, which is the national park‚Äôs largest island. This island is only accessible via canoe/kayak. Loggerhead Key is also an amazing spot for hiking and wildlife watching. In addition, the island has many historic structures including a lighthouse and the lightkeeper‚Äôs residence which were constructed in the 19th and the early 20th centuries respectively

The only way to access Garden Key in Dry Tortugas National Park is via a boat or a seaplane. The Yankee Freedom offers ferry services to Garden Key from the nearest island-city of Key West. In addition, Key West Seaplane Adventures also offers flights to Garden Key from Key West.

There are many attractions near North Swim Beach in the nearby island-city of Key West. The Oldest House Museum is set in the oldest house of Key West and South Florida which was built in 1829. This historical house has interesting portraits, antique furnishings, ship models, and documents which offer a unique insight into Key West‚Äôs vibrant history. In addition, the house also has a spacious and tranquil garden with a cookhouse. Visitors can also explore this house‚Äôs amazing premises via docent-led tours. Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park has a 19th-century fort named Fort Zachary Taylor (also known as Fort Taylor), which is a part of the United States‚Äô National Register of Historic Places. The fort‚Äôs premises offer a unique insight into the military history of Southern Florida and this fort also has one of the largest collections of Civil War-era armaments in the United States. The state park also hosts many interesting events throughout the year including multiple exciting American Civil War battle reenactments, a pirate festival, boat races, and concerts. The state park, which is the southernmost state park of the continental United States, also has a beach which offers a fun fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling, and kayaking experience. If you are looking for another attraction near North Swim Beach, San Carlos Institute is a multi-purpose structure that serves as a museum, a theater, an art gallery, a school and a library. This center was established in the 19th century by the Cuban community of Key West as a patriotic and educational center. The renowned Cuban revolutionary Jos√© Juli√°n Mart√≠ P√©rez used this facility to launch the final phase of the Cuban Independence Struggle in 1892 which resulted in the country achieving freedom from Spanish Colonial rule. The center currently has interesting historical exhibits on Cuban history and the Cuban community of Florida.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near North Swim Beach in the nearby island-city of Key West. Little Pearl is an upscale restaurant which serves amazing seafood with regional tropical culinary influences. In addition, the restaurant has also been praised by many publications including AFAR magazine and Florida Weekly. Caroline‚Äôs Cafe serves excellent sandwiches, salads, and seafood. In addition, it serves amazing dishes that have local and Caribbean culinary influences. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near North Swim Beach, Kim‚Äôs Kuban serves an amazing variety of dishes for breakfast and lunch. In addition, the restaurant also serves excellent Cuban and Mexican dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near North Swim Beach, there are many great options in the nearby island-city of Key West. The 4-Star Opal Key Resort & Marina offers many amenities including two bars, a restaurant, a spa, a gym, a pool, and a marina. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Palms Hotel which offers many amenities including a seasonally heated pool, a gas grill, a bike rental facility, and complimentary continental breakfast. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near North Swim Beach, the 2-Star Blue Marlin Hotel offers many amenities including a pool, and a sundeck.