Dinghy Beach

Located to the west of the island-city of Key West, Dinghy Beach is a narrow yet large beach with white colored sand. This beach is situated near a 19th century fort known as Fort Jefferson on an island known as Garden Key. In addition, this beach is a part of Dry Tortugas National Park. Tropical vegetation is also present near this beach. Multiple piers are present on this beach. The main boat landing for Garden Key (which is Dry Tortugas National Park’s main island) is also adjacent to this beach. 

Dinghy Beach does not have lifeguards. However, the area near this beach has many other amenities including restrooms, walking trails, picnic tables, and barbecue areas. Visitors are also allowed to beach their canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and dinghies (small boats) on Dinghy Beach. Dogs on leash are allowed on Dinghy Beach. 

Dinghy 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 Dinghy Beach is generally calm and has a gradual depth, which makes it ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, and canoers. In addition, the water near this beach is also popular with snorkelers, who often enter the water near this beach to explore its vibrant biodiversity and marine landscape. A famous snorkeling spot named "South Coaling Docks" is present near this beach - this spot has pier pilings which used to support docks that were utilised for loading coal onto military ships. You can view many kinds of fish here including tarpons, sharks, grouper, and barracuda. You can also view many other kinds of animals in the water near this beach including hermit crabs, sea turtles, and lobsters. However, if you are planning to enter the water near Dinghy 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 Dinghy Beach. In addition, you can also view migratory birds around this beach during spring. If you like camping, a tent campground is present near Dinghy Beach which offers a fantastic oceanfront camping experience. If you are planning to camp near Dinghy Beach, we recommend visiting Dry Tortugas National Park’s webpage on the National Park Service’s 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’ National Register of Historic Places and offers a unique insight into Southern Florida’s vibrant history and United States’ military history. The Dry Tortugas Visitor Center (which is also present within Fort Jefferson’s premises) also offers interesting historical exhibitions.

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.

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’s 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’s residence which were constructed in the 19th and the early 20th centuries respectively.

There are many attractions near Dinghy Beach on the nearby island-city of Key West. The Key West Garden Club at West Martello Tower is situated on the site of a 19th-century military installation built for protecting the nearby Fort Zachary Taylor. Today, this site has many kinds of interesting gardens including a native plant garden, a waterfall-garden, a butterfly garden, a cactus garden, and an orchid area. In addition, the site also has a lily pond. Audubon House & Gardens are a local historical landmark- the Audubon House was constructed in the 19th century. This historical house has interesting antique furnishings and historical exhibitions. The house also has a collection of 28 first-edition works by renowned ornithologist John James Audubon. The lush gardens around the house also have many kinds of interesting trees including palms, orchids, and bromeliads. If you are looking for another attraction near Dinghy Beach, The Hemingway Home & Museum is set in the former home of the acclaimed writer Ernest Hemingway, who lived here between 1931 and 1940. This beautiful 19th-century house and the lush sprawling gardens around it are immensely popular among visitors and aspiring writers. In addition, the museum premises are also home to around 40 cats, many of which are the descendants of Ernest Hemingway’s pet cat Snow White.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Dinghy Beach on the nearby island-city of Key West. Cafe Marquesa offers amazing Contemporary American cuisine with a regional twist. In addition, the restaurant is known for serving amazing seafood and grilled meats. Southernmost Beach Café offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience. In addition, the restaurant serves fusion cuisine with Caribbean and Asian culinary influences. This restaurant is also known to serve amazing seafood and its signature dish is named drunken scallops. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Dinghy Beach, Harpoon Harry’s offers amazing dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including poultry dishes, seafood, wraps, sandwiches, salads, and tacos.  

If you are looking for a hotel near Dinghy Beach, there are many great options on the nearby island-city of Key West. The 4-Star Ocean Key Resort & Spa offers many amenities including a spa, a pool, a lounge, a restaurant, and a boutique. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Kimpton Winslow's Bungalows which offer many amenities including a garden with paths and sitting areas, a pool, and complimentary breakfast. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Dinghy Beach, the 2-Star Southwinds Motel offers many amenities including three pools, barbecue spots, a guest laundry facility, complimentary breakfast, and bike rental facility.