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Major city · United States

Cedar Key

Stay 1–2 nights: one full day on the island, plus an optional second for Shell Mound and Atsena Otie. Skip as a day trip from Gainesville — about 2 h each way.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jun–Sep (heat, humidity, hurricane season)
Airports
GNV · TPA · MCO
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Cedar Key is a small island town on Florida's Big Bend Coast, reached by one road, FL-24. There is no beach strip and no chain hotels: the day is a pier, a museum, a kayak and seafood. Two nights covers it; three if you want a slow morning on the water.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Cedar Key, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–5
  • Street or quick mealDraft beer at a Dock Street bar$6–9
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry$2–3
  • Budget bedPrimitive campsite at Shell Mound, a night, per roomUS$10
  • Mid-range bedMotel or inn room, a night, per roomUS$170
  • High-end bedMotel or inn room, a night, per roomUS$260

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$160 · High US$280

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Seafood and clam chowder on the pierAtsena Otie KeyCedar Key National Wildlife Refuge and birdingClam farming and the Seafood Festival
Airports
GNV Gainesville Regional (Closest with scheduled service; about 1 h 30 min by car via FL-24) · TPA Tampa International (About 2 h 45 min by car; the usual arrival for international flights) · MCO Orlando International (About 3 h by car)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Cedar Key: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

19°C

7°C

7 rd

Feb

21°C

9°C

7 rd

Mar

24°C

12°C

7 rd

Apr

27°C

15°C

6 rd

May

30°C

19°C

7 rd

Jun

32°C

22°C

12 rd

Jul

32°C

23°C

14 rd

Aug

32°C

23°C

14 rd

Sep

31°C

22°C

11 rd

Oct

28°C

17°C

6 rd

Nov

24°C

12°C

6 rd

Dec

20°C

8°C

7 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The whole island walks in under an hour, so park once and leave the car. Golf carts and bicycles are the local way to cover the north end. Atsena Otie Key and the refuge islands need a kayak, a rented boat or a boat tour.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Shell Mound and the Lower Suwannee refuge

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Drive FL-24 north, then CR 347 and CR 326

Free archaeological mound, pier and tide-dependent kayak launch; pair it with the county campground.

Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve

caution

Door to door: About 15 min

Drive about 6 mi northeast on FL-24

Trails are deep soft sand; only for fit hikers and off-road cyclists.

Crystal River

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Drive FL-24 east to US-19 south

Manatees and springs; a wet-weather alternative to a rained-out island day.

Homosassa Springs

go

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Drive FL-24 east to US-19 south

State park with manatee viewing; go early, it fills by midday.

Gainesville

skip

Door to door: About 2 h

Drive FL-24 east to US-19 north

Too far for a return day; use it as an airport run instead.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Dock Street and the pier

Walk to the restaurants and bars; the noisiest spot on the island after dark.

2nd Street and the historic core

The Island Hotel and the Historical Society Museum; quiet, still a short walk to the water.

Gulf Boulevard and the north end

Motels and rentals near the beach and the cemetery; a car helps here.

Shell Mound, off-island

Primitive county campground and boat ramp on CR 326, north of the island; first come, first served, no reservations.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–140 excl. bed
Mid
$140–220 excl. bed
High
$220+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or inn room1 × 2 nights × US$170US$340
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$160US$640
Kayak rental, half day2 × US$50US$100
Boat tour to Atsena Otie Key2 × US$40US$80
Museum entry (Historical Society or State Museum)2 × US$3US$6
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$121
Trip total≈ US$332 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,327

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–5
Seafood platter or fried shrimp basket$18–30
Clam chowder (bowl)$8–14
Draft beer at a Dock Street bar$6–9
Kayak rental, half day$35–70
Museum entry$2–3
Gasoline, per gallon$3.00–3.60

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Cedar Key is a low-crime small town; the real risks are summer heat, storms and open water. Wear a life jacket on kayaks, watch for rip currents at the beach, and keep an eye on hurricane forecasts Jun–Nov.
  • Hurricane season runs Jun–Nov; FL-24 is the only road on and off the island, so check local alerts and county evacuation notices during storms.
  • Summer heat and humidity are severe; carry water and start walks early.
  • Most restaurants close by 21:00 and the island goes quiet after sundown.
  • Kayak and boat rentals, plus boat tours to Atsena Otie, sell out on festival weekends: book ahead.
  • Check the Florida State Parks site for Cedar Key Museum and Scrub Reserve closures before driving out.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Levy County Sheriff (non-emergency)
352-486-5111
Poison Control
1-800-222-1222

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

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Cedar KeyCedar Key

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Levy County Sheriff (non-emergency)352-486-5111
  • Poison Control1-800-222-1222

Embassy

No consulates on the island; nearest are in Tampa and Orlando. US travellers: 911.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • GNV airport → Cedar Key by rental car: about 1 h 30 min, about 60 mi
  • TPA airport → Cedar Key by rental car: about 2 h 45 min
  • Shell Mound campsite, per night: $10–25, no reservations

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the pier? — Where is the pier?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • A table for two, please — A table for two, please
  • Is the water safe to swim? — Is the water safe to swim?
  • Where can I rent a kayak? — Where can I rent a kayak?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Cedar Key. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jun–Sep (heat, humidity, hurricane season) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for GNV, TPA and MCO: last-mile drive times, rental desks, storm-season fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Dock Street and the pier, 2nd Street, Gulf Boulevard, the marina and Atsena Otie launch.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and fees (Historical Society Museum, Cedar Key Museum, Shell Mound, Railroad Trestle Trail) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Festival fixtures (March Arts Festival, July Clamerica, mid-October Seafood Festival) so booking pressure can be flagged.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources