Florida
Cedar Key - Old Florida Without the Mouse!
By Cindy Svec
Apr 14, 2007 - 10:50:59 AM

Where is Cedar Key? Cedar Key kayakers Like those egrets - see them up close and personal! Condos located on peninsula Incredible sunrises... Seafood stores abound - what's your favorite? Vacation rental condos from the fishing dock. Fishing in Cedar Key is awesome!

I used to live in the Boston suburbs before moving to Atlanta. I really missed my “escapes” to the beaches of Maine and Massachusetts. Sleepy little fishing villages were my haven from stress - exploring the rocky coasts, listening to the ocean, hanging out in tiny seafood restaurants (where you brought your own bottle, but the lobster was incredible), watching the fishing boats and birds were my way to soothe away the little series of crises that we call "life".

After a year of "no ocean" in the Atlanta suburbs, I set out to find a quiet fishing village with the low-key atmosphere of Maine, a lack of the usual "plastic" Disney glitz, lots of birds, few people, and most of all, a sense of escape. Web surfing turned up Cedar Key, Florida. One ad described Cedar Key as "like Cape Cod, but Florida".  What I read sounded too good to be true - New England without the cold! We were long overdue for a trip, so off we went!

Our first clue that we were on the right track was the drive out to Cedar Key - we drove south on I-75 to Gainesville, Florida, turned right and drove until we hit ocean an hour later. We felt as if were leaving the world behind. Route 24 doesn’t require a steering wheel, just point and drive. The scrub palms, live oak trees, and pine plantations roll by - you start to wonder if you are lost.  We occasionally passed another car towing a boat back to civilization. There was no challenge to driving and we started to unwind...

As we approached Cedar Key, we smelled the salt in the air just before the first bridge appeared. Crossing the bridge, we saw brown pelicans flying in precise formation, cormorants fishing, and kingfishers perched on the wires. There were dozens of little "keys" on both sides of the road. Some had their own sentry birds - herons, egrets, pelicans. Driving into town, we realized that we hadn’t seen a single fast food place or a stop light in about 30 miles...

There were small houses, many casually built with weathered clapboards and some with interesting color choices, all built close to the road. We hit the brakes only once, at the lone stop sign at the end of Route 24. After getting settled in a waterfront rental condo, our first afternoon was spent exploring one of the local islands we visited by boat - we were alone. We collected shells, watched an osprey diving for fish, and dolphins splashed in the surf nearby. The setting sun painted the sky amazing shades of pink and purple and we watched a long line of birds winging their way to their evening roosts on nearby Sea Horse Key. I knew I was home.

Dinner in one of the local restaurants on Dock Street was fabulous - was it the sea air or was it that the food was fresh and perfect? Each time we visit, we ask the same question... whether it's a long weekend or several weeks. We never tire of Cedar Key.

Cedar Key Activities

Fishing: Inshore fishing is easy and common. There are several large fishing piers around town, plus boat rental businesses and a marina. Other options include engaging a local captain for deep sea-fishing, catching a ride to one of the many keys for a day’s off-shore fishing, or renting a canoe or sea kayak.

Birding: The birding is excellent most of the year for northerners. The town of Cedar Key is right in the middle of the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, with many of the surrounding islands being part of the refuge. Depending on season, you may see roseate spoonbills, white pelicans, oyster catchers,loons, glossy ibis, bald eagles, and assorted ducks. Regular residents include: several herons & egrets, ospreys, white ibis, brown pelicans, skimmers, and a wide variety of shorebirds.

Dining: Local seafood is excellent and relatively inexpensive - rent a condo and cook in or go to one of the half  dozen restaurants in town. Dress is casual (very - you will alarm folks if you arrive wearing a tie!). Clams are "THE" choice in Cedar Key. Oysters, grouper, redfish, and stone crab are also favorites. Nightlife is limited, there are a couple of bars/restaurants with music, but most of the town rolls up early. No spring breakers in Cedar Key - we love that!

Swimming: There is a town beach for swimming, but it is shallow and small. A few of the vacation rentals in condo complexes have pools. Swimming at many surrounding keys is great fun - Otsena Otie island has an especially nice shelling and swimming beach. But, that said, if you’re looking for surf and sugar beaches, Cedar Key isn’t your place. But, if you want somewhere to enjoy the quiet beauty of nature, kayak, fish, birdwatch, and to forget the clock, Cedar Key is going to feel like home to you.

Shopping: There are many small shops in town and most everything is within walking distance. Shops range from tourism trinkets to fine art (sculptures, paintings, prints, crafts).  While it is not the mall, most is a bit unusual compared to the standard Florida fare.

DayTrips: You can probably find plenty to keep you busy in Cedar Key - but if you need to "do" there are plenty of places within an easy drive to keep you busy!