To unwind in an authentic old fishing village, surrounded by the unspoiled beauty of barrier islands, spend a few relaxing days in Cedar Key, Florida.
No coastal town in Florida is quite like Cedar Key, a tiny fishing village on the Gulf Coast of Florida. While Cedar Key has plenty to offer, if it’s white sandy beaches, nightlife, and glamour you desire, then it may not be your cup of tea. It’s a gritty old fishing town, not a beach town. There are no cruise ships or yachts, no high-end resorts, and not much in the way of white sandy beaches. However, if you want to experience a charming old-time Florida fishing village, and amazing clam chowder, then I highly recommend it!
Cedar Key, Florida, a historic fishing village on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Part of the appeal of Cedar Key is that it’s quite isolated. It’s a small barrier island, part of the Cedar Keys archipelago. Located 50 miles southwest of Gainesville, the island of Cedar Key is pretty far off the beaten path. The main highway, interstate 75, doesn’t go through Cedar Key. The town is way off by itself at the very end of Highway 24, which goes right through a nature preserve. Perhaps this remoteness adds to the feeling of going back in time. You won’t pass any Walmarts, Targets, or other chain stores driving in from the main highway. The only grocery store in town is so small that I drove by it several times before I realized that it was the market.
Be sure to pack to your camera. Cedar Key, Florida is on the National Register of Historic Places. Thankfully, its lovely old dilapidated wooden buildings cannot be torn down. Downtown, there are a number of old wooden buildings that look like something right out an Old West movie. The buildings on the main tourist street along the water, also of wood construction, sit right over the Gulf of Mexico on stilts.
One of Cedar Key’s historic downtown buildings.
In addition to historic buildings and gorgeous sunsets, photographers have plenty of other subject matter to capture, including the other barrier islands and the abundant wildlife. There are 13 small islands in the Gulf that make up of the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge. These uninhabited islands are a birder’s paradise, with everything from bald eagles, magnificent frigatebirds, roseate spoonbills, white ibis, pelicans, a variety of herons and egrets, to numerous migratory birds. Not all the islands are accessible, however, and Seahorse Key is closed to protect nesting birds from March through the end of June.
Brown Pelicans gather on the dock near a boat ramp.
While Cedar Key caters to tourists, with some very cute shops and cafes, it is not a glitzy tourist destination — it’s a working class fishing town. Aside from fishing, boating, kayaking, and birding, there is not a whole lot else to do. It’s a great place to stay two or three nights, but unless you bring your own boat or kayak, you might run out of sightseeing activities after about three days — the town is that small. Visitors simply have no choice but to slow down and relax in Cedar Key.
I highly recommend kayaking or taking a boat taxi out to the old abandoned island of Atsena Otie Key. Atsena Otie was the original town of Cedar Key but now almost nothing remains other than the old cemetery. There is also a very small airport, just an airstrip, on a tiny island adjacent to Cedar Key.
Atsena Otie Key, now a nature preserve, can easily be reached by kayak or a boat taxi
With a population of only 800 full-time residents, most locals and even the police just drive golf carts. Visitors can also join the fun and rent their own golf carts. The town is so small that you could even get by with just a bike or on foot.
Downtown, Cedar Key, where everyone drives golf carts.
Known as Florida’s clam capital, Cedar Key produces 95% of Florida’s clams. If you love clams, Cedar Key is your town! Big Moon Sea Farm is just one of the interesting local clam producing fisheries in Cedar Key. Recently featured in a National Geographic documentary titled Saving the Florida Wildlife Corridor, two siblings from a Kansas farming family started the company after falling in love with Cedar Key.
And speaking of clams, for the best clam chowder you’ve ever tasted or for lobster bisque, stop for lunch at Tony’s. Tony’s Restaurant is famous in Florida for its award winning chowder which won the Great Chowder Cook-off three years in a row. For dinner, you can’t go wrong watching the sunset at Steamers Clam Bar & Grill. Sit outside perched high over the Gulf of Mexico with nothing but sea and sky and a few barrier islands for your view. For breakfast you can’t beat 2nd Street Cafe. We ate breakfast there all three days — great food, great coffee, and reasonable prices!
Our view of the Gulf of Mexico, from Steamers.
You may notice that there are two types of people walking around: fisherman and tourists. And when I say fishermen, I mean rugged, bearded, weathered looking men wearing rubber boots and waders. These are not the sleek sport-fishing guides that cater to wealthy tourists you see in places like Naples and Sanibel Island. I also noticed quite a few retirees and local shop owners, but there are a lot of fisherman!
Fishermen bringing in the day’s catch, most likely clams.
Local fishermen heading out in Cedar Key.
Another wonderful thing about Cedar Key is that the locals, even the rugged fishermen, could not have been friendlier! Even though we were semi-obnoxious tourists sporting neon athleisure-ware and giant cameras, asking annoying tourist questions, every local was happy to talk and give us recommendations. One young man even opened up about his love-life (apparently Cedar Key is not the ideal place to meet young single women). Dating options aside, most of the locals I talked to seemed to realize that they lived in a very special place. They clearly appreciated the beauty, the charm, and especially the close-knit community and small town feel — everything that makes Cedar Key so special.
There are several festivals there every year, so if you’re looking for something more lively, check out the Spring Sidewalk Art Festival and the Fall Seafood Festival in October. Otherwise Cedar Key is an ideal place to unwind, just take it easy, or write that great novel. So come for the nature preserves, stay for the clam chowder!
For lodging, we rented a very nice condo right on the water with Seahorse Landing Condominiums. Location-wise, we couldn’t have been happier. We were walking distance to the little downtown, but in a quieter residential area. Although it was not exactly cheap, we did get a lot for our money. My only complaint being that the kitchen had a Kurig coffee maker but no Kurig coffee pods. As rustic and unpretentious as Cedar Key is, hotel rooms are a little pricey, depending on your budget. But our view was to die for! Our third floor view with a giant balcony made all the difference.
For more information about Cedar Key, Florida, including lodging, sightseeing, visit their website at cedarkey.org
© 2022 Rebecca Pavlik | TravlGusto