Cedar Key, Florida

I came here 4 years ago and fell in love with the place. Most coastal towns in Florida are built up, crowded, expensive, and a turn-off to me. Cedar Key is none of the above.  It is located 30 miles from the nearest town and is mostly surrounded by water and public lands. This area has been sparsely inhabited since 500 B.C.  In fact, the entire Gulf Coast from the eastern end of the panhandle and around the bend and down the coast about 100 miles is called the Nature Coast because it contains mostly public lands devoted to nature.

The population of Cedar Key was 790 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 958. The town of Cedar Keys is a cluster of islands close to the mainland, connected by bridges. Cedar Key is named for the Eastern Red Cedar which once dominated this area until the wood was used up by the pencil industry.


The park and beach are unpretentious and lovely, and waterfowl far outnumber humans here. The pelicans are especially abundant around the large concrete fishing pier, which is also the prime location for sunset photos.

A marina is available and kayaks can be rented here...

 The several block long downtown and the oceanfront area have several ma and pa restaurants.  I ate at the Seabreeze for the first time (it's been closed for a long time but now is under new ownership) and I had an all-you-can eat seafood plate, which comes with salad bar, clam chowder, and two sides, (all for $17.95) and I recommend it highly.

Cedar Key is a unique place because its location allows visitors to enjoy both sunrises and sunsets over the ocean as seen in my post here.

Looking for an inexpensive place to stay here?  I recommend Park Place, and unit 327 is especially comfortable as seen here.