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Latest update: October 2020

Cedar Key, FL... by Bicycle

Small Town Bike Ride in Old Florida... E-Z Google Map, 60+ Photos

Cedar Key is our favorite small town to bike. Listed on the National Historic Site Register, Cedar Key is what Key West was 75 years ago - a step back into Old Florida. The entire town (3 keys) makes for a great ride, about 13 miles total if you bike the circumference of the 3 connecting keys and take in some interesting side streets. Plus, there are some short, scenic hikes. But biking and hiking is just part of the allure. Rent a kayak, try some fishing, or just relax. This is an out-of-the-way place, so much so that most Floridians have probably never been here. It's very laid back, one of a kind, and we love it. (Map link and photos below)

Trail Map link...
Town of Cedar Key

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Location: Levy County. The heart of the Cedar Keys, Cedar Key is located 50 miles southwest of Gainesville, 3 hours north of Tampa, and 3 hours west of Jacksonville.
Mileage: Various
End Points: While there is no specified bike trail, the entire town is good for biking.
Surface: Mostly paved
Nearby points of interest: Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Atsena Otie Key, Shell Mound archaeological site, Cedar Key Historical Museum, Cedar Key Museum State Park

Bike Shops/Rentals

Cedar Key Adventures

Support and Advocacy

Friends of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges

Page Summary:

Biking at Cedar Key
- Old Main St. (2nd St.)
- Dock St.
- Along the Causeway (SR 24)
- G Street
- Airport
Historic Places of Interest
Then and Now
- Changes over the years
More Information and Resources

Biking at Cedar Key, Florida... Comments and Photos

When you're on Cedar Key and there's sunshine, you won't need a car. Other than a sidewalk/bike path along a portion of the causeway into town, and a couple on Way Key leading to the Airport and Museum State Park, this is street biking. But no worries, as things move slowly here. Bikes (and golf carts) are part of the culture. Many locals bike to work. Some motels keep an assortment of old beach cruisers for the use of their guests. Most people don't bother locking their bikes, but if you have a nice one, we recommend doing so.

Note: Distances given are all measured from the Cedar Key Historical Museum, corner of D and 2nd Streets.

Old Main Street (2nd Street)

Slow down and look around... check out the Island Hotel (1859) bar and lobby. Restaurants, galleries, gift shops, museum. Many original buildings.

Florida Bike Trails, Cedar Key, Downtown B Street

Old downtown Cedar Key

Island House, 1859

History Museum in the Littleford Store building, 1875

Library in the Schlemmer Rooming House building, 1898

Old Cedar Key

Dock Street

Shops, restaurants, accommodations, fishing pier (watch out for the pelicans). City beach and park, marina, boat ramp and kayak launch are on the east end of the street.

Dock Street seen from the pier

Re-built pier, site where Florida Railroad ended (1800s)

Dock Street

City Park

Beach and kayaks

Kayak launch at Marina

Boat ramp at Marina

Along the Causeway (Rt. 24)

The only road in and out of town - 21 miles to US 19. Motels, restaurants, boat ramp/launch. Clam farms grew as a new industry after Florida outlawed gill nets in 1995.

Florida Bike Trails, Cedar Key, Rte 24 Causeway

Along SR 24

Over a bridge

Back Bayou

Clam farm

Harvesting clams

Entering downtown area

G Street

Gulfside on west side of the island - great sunset views! Homes, motels. G Street is the only connector to other keys - to reach the airport, cemetery and museum state park (below).

Along G Street

Residential side street

Motel/inn on G Street

End of G Street, toward Way Key

Sunset

Airport

About 1.4 miles from downtown, from the end of G Street follow Whiddon Ave. to Gulf Blvd. to Airport Road to the George T. Lewis Airport (KCDK). A road runs around the runway, residential area adjacent.

Gulf Blvd. at Lewis Pass

Along Daughtry Bayou

At the airport

Over the marsh at end of runway

Residential area

Historic Places of Interest

Cedar Key is one of the Cedar Keys, a cluster of islands. The second oldest town in Florida, it is named for the Eastern red cedar that was important to its early economy. Once an important port and western terminus of the Florida Railroad, the Hurricane of 1896 dealt a blow to the economy and the railroad moved its hub to the Port of Tampa. A visit to the two museums - Cedar Key Historical Society Museum (on the N.W. corner of D and 2nd Streets) and Cedar Key Museum State Park (on Way Key about 1.8 miles from downtown) - are good orientation points and worth the visit to learn more.

Cedar Key Cemetery and Cemetery Point Park

The cemetery, dating from 1886, is about 1.2 miles from town along Gulf Blvd. A boardwalk with views of the saltwater marshes leads to Cemetery Point Park. The 3.5 acre park, developed with funding from a Forever Florida grant, includes restroom, exercise trail, picnic facilities, playground and overlook.

The Cemetery

Entrance to Cemetery

At the Cemetery

Cemetery Point Boardwalk and Park

Florida Bike Trails, Cedar Key cemetery point

Start of Cemetery Point Boardwalk

Along the Boardwalk

Entering Cemetery Point Park

Picnic

Fitness Station

Overlook

Trail

Fishing

Cedar Key State Park Museum

Ride to the Cedar Key Museum State Park on Way Key - about 1.8 miles from town (Gulf Blvd. to Hodges Ave. to SW 165th Terrace). Includes the Saint Clair Whitman House, home of the founder of the first museum in Cedar Key.

Along Gulf Blvd.

Park Entrance off SW 165th

Cedar Key Museum State Park

St. Clair Whitman House

Railroad Trestle Nature Trail

On Grove St. off SR24 approaching Cedar Key. Built on the bed of the old railroad between Fernandina Beach and Cedar Key. A short (6/10 mile round-trip) walk with benches and interpretative signs. Some of the old trestle pilings are visible at the end of the path.

Florida Bike Trails, Cedar Key, Historic Trestle Trail

Railroad Trestle Trail

Old Trestle Pilings

Grove St. to SR24

Atsena Otie Key

The site of the first town in the Cedar Keys, a mill provided wood for Eberhard Faber pencils until leveled by the Hurricane of 1896. Today, part of the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge. Accessible by water - we kayaked, about a mile round-trip from Cedar Key. Ruins of the town and mill can be seen along a walking trail on the key, as well as the cemetery dating to 1877.

View more details, photos: Paddling at Cedar Key

Florida Bike Trails, Cedar Key, Atsena Otie Key

Shell Mound

14 miles from town, part of the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. Built up by native inhabitants of the Middle Archaic to Woodland Periods between 1,800 and 400 years ago. A hiking trail to the mound, observation deck. Campground, boat ramp.

View more details, photos