City of Cedar Key

From Tampa, a scenic two hour drive along U.S. 19 and the Nature Coast takes me to a time long before I was born. Seemingly, there is a worm hole at the intersection of U.S. 24 and U.S. 19 and one can get a glimpse of what Florida used to look like, pre-​and-​post-​Columbian.
When visiting Cedar Key, I always feel a lot further away from home than I actually am. It doesn’t look and feel like any part of Florida that I make daily contact with at all. It’s remote, small, sleepy and far removed from the touristy beaches of Clearwater and the theme parks of Kissimmee. This is where people who know how to «get away» come to vacation.
Cedar Key is a small fishing community (about 2 sq. miles) that brings in millions of dollars annually with its clams and oysters. However, you’d never guess that by driving around. It modest and relaxed. Sure, there are a few big ass houses here and there, but for the most part, the vibe is down-​to-​earth. The average price of a house right now is just above $ 300,000.
Not much to do after 9 or 10 P.M. As I stated before, it is sleepy, so you’re not going to shake your tail feather until the break of dawn, but during the day, there is plenty of fishing, kayaking and dolphin watching to do. There are places to eat and get a cold beer every few feet on Dock Street and along the downtown area, so relaxing is easily achieved, especially with the constant gulf breeze.
The population here is currently right around 700. There are more people living in my neighborhood than this entire fishing village.
This is easily one of my favorite «Florida on a Tankful» destinations. I could even envision calling it home.