Cedar Key, Florida’s Island City

Cedar Key is one of the oldest ports in the state, and when Florida’s first railroad connected it to the east coast, it became a major supplier of seafood and timber products to the northeast.

Today, it has become a haven for artists and writers, who find the unspoiled environment inspirational to their work.

Many people visit each year to walk the historic streets, browse the shops and galleries, explore the back bayous, and enjoy the world-famous restaurants, featuring seafood fresh from local suppliers.

Annually, thousands of visitors come to enjoy the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts in April, the Fourth of July Celebration, and the October Seafood Festival.

For the nature lover, besides world-famous fishing and birdwatching, you can find fabulous nature trails to walk in the nearby Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. You can find the directions to those trails below! Guides are available to take parties for off-shore trips to the outer islands.

A public marina with boat docking is available. Federally protected sanctuaries, the Cedar Keys form a chain of barrier islands, ideally suited to a vast range of migratory and shore birds, including the elusive white pelican, roseate spoonbill and bald eagle. The variety of natural habitats, from salt marshes to Indian shell mounds, makes this truly a nature lover’s paradise.