CEDAR KEY, FLORIDA: ISLAND LIFE GETS NO BETTER THAN THIS

By Danelle Carvell 

Cedar Key Beach is small but uncrowded. You can launch your kayak off the beach and paddle to a nearby island. The sand is white and soft as powder. 

"We found the most relaxing place on earth with the friendliest people," I wrote on a postcard to my daughter. I was talking about Cedar Key, Florida, where the Hubster and I recently spent two weeks. I didn't know this charming island existed until I watched a video on a travel blog. I was attracted to its laid-back simplicity and its lack of a red light or two-lane highway.  It's quiet here. We spent a lot of time on our cottage deck watching the sun rise and the birds fly in for breakfast during low tide in the bayou. 

Cedar Key is a bird-watchers paradise. We saw pink spoonbills, pelicans and even a woodpecker who left floaters in my morning coffee. I don't know the name of every bird, but one of the best places to spot them is along the boardwalk path at Cemetery Point Park, one of the many nature trails on the island

                                                                

These funny-looking birds hang out near Cedar Key Beach, where they are fed heads and tails as fish are being cleaned and cut along the water.

I was reading a book and thought my husband was tapping a pencil on the deck behind me until I looked up and saw this red-headed bark pecker. Tree bark is not good in coffee.

Old Florida charm exudes from every corner of this quiet fishing village, described as "what Key West was more than fifty years ago."  You won't find a chain store anywhere on the island, except the Marathon gas station. The residents here want to preserve the charm of the place, so every restaurant, gift shop, and business is original and privately owned. People call them Mom and Pop shops. 

                                                                    

Island Arts is one of the many businesses along Dock Street. I was greeted by Lily, the shop dog who welcomed me by licking my toes.  

One of the many things I loved about the island is that everything we wanted to see is within walking distance. It felt so good to feel sunshine on our faces and get out walking. If you don't want to walk, you can rent a bike or golf cart. The only time we got in our car for the entire two weeks was to travel to a strawberry festival in Floral City. Floridians are serious about their strawberry festivals. I couldn't get over how big the event was. I never ate fresh strawberries in winter and I discovered peanut butter jelly and bacon burgers at the festival. 

Speaking of strawberries, the cottage we stayed in was across from a produce stand called Cedar Key Fresh. I was delighted to walk across the street and buy fresh avocado, pears, and strawberries. I peeled my first mango in Cedar Key. And if you're into seafood, your stomach will be happy here. Clams are a big business, but every kind of seafood is available daily, whether you want to cook it yourself or eat out. 

                                                                    

Pirates Cove Coastal Cottages was such a special place. Brian and Lisa were so welcoming, always asking if we needed anything. Brian was always smiling. You can tell they love their work. They have earned "Superhost"status from Airbnb and an award from TripAdvisor. I loved that the cottage was in the middle of everything fun.We could even walk to the highly-rated and uniquely-decorated open-air tiki bar, Low Key Hideaway. I recommend the Key Lime freeze. 

Our favorite restaurant on Dock Street was Duncan's on the Gulf. The staff is friendly. The food is stellar and the orange blossom beer is delightful. We had a favorite spot out on the deck along the water, where we watched people fish from the pier. Duncans has the best burger ever and the tastiest sweet potato waffle fries. If you enjoy live music, I was told you can find it here and at other restaurants nearby. 

                                                                

If you're into water sports, Cedar Key has just about everything--sailing, kayaking, fishing, even swimming, diving, snorkeling and scuba-diving at a nearby clear-water spring. Florida has the largest collection of springs in the world. Fanning Springs State Park and Manatee Springs State Park are close to Cedar Key. We didn't get to either one, so we missed the clear blue water and the manatees, but it's something to look forward to when we come back. 

One thing I did not want to do was kayak after our cottage neighbor told us about a 6-foot shark he hit with his paddle. He might have been exaggerating, but he had me at shark. He and his wife launched their kayak into the water behind our cottage. We watched them paddle home every night before low tide. They always had a fresh catch of fish. He said they ate fish four nights in a row.  

                                                                

They kayak to a nearby island to see the remnants of an old pencil mill from the 1800's. Cedar key has an interesting history, but our timing was bad every time we walked past the museum. I do know that the island was first occupied in 1839, when it started as a fort during the second Seminole War. It became the western terminus of the Florida Railroad in 1860, connecting it to the east coast of Florida. A massive hurricane in 1896 killed more than 100 people with 10-foot waves. But the island recovered at the start of the 20th century when industries such as fishing, sponging and oystering rose in Cedar Key. Clams are a big business today.

I spent some time reading the guest books that our hosts set out if people want to comment on their stay at Pirates Cove. I noticed many comments about how refreshed and invigorated people felt while in Cedar Key. The slower pace of the island, where no one is in a rush, made one guest feel "normal" again. Another guest called Cedar Key a "safe haven in our super-crazy world."

And that is exactly what it was for us. There is something about this island life that brings people together and brings back your joy. I have never seen so many smiling, friendly people in one place. People are really happy here and they can't help but let it show. The locals will tell you that neighbors don't hesitate to help each other. They know each other by name and they show up when someone needs assistance.

We would fit right in here. Our first night here as we were walking back from Dock Street, a woman stopped us to ask if we had a cell phone. She was out walking her dogs and it was getting dark. She had wandered too far from where she was staying and lost her sense of direction. A female voice said she was on her way to pick her up. I asked about her dogs and she said that her brother had died recently, so she took in his dog. That's why she has two. 

Even the dogs are happy here. This is one dog-friendly island. In the park one day we watched a pet parade, a yearly fundraiser that the the women's committee plans. The dogs were dressed in sequins and satin as they proudly marched around, being led by their owners. Whether you're a human or a dog, Cedar Key is a great place to be.

                                                                

Be sure to visit the Island Hotel while in Cedar Key. Rumor has it that it's haunted. We were going to just walk by, but we were invited to come in and look around during the off hours. A gentleman offered to snap our photo in front of the "scandalous" mural in the Neptune bar. (Mild for our time, but scandalous when it was first painted.) The Hotel is the oldest commercial building in Cedar Key. Some day we are coming back to ask about those ghost stories.