Cedar Key

Meeting up with friends from Ontario is always an exciting time, so when Kathy and Bob told us they were camping near Dunnellon we were extremely excited. We met these two wonderful people on our Labrador and Newfoundland trip this past summer and instantly made a great connection. After all the catching up was done we headed out to Cedar Key for a day of adventure. I was delegated the travel guide for the day so I did my homework the night before.

Our first stop was Cedar Key Museum State Park. One strike against me! I did not do my homework well enough; the museum is closed on Tuesdays. Yep, today is Tuesday. Oh well, no one cared we looked around, gained some Cedar Key knowledge, hiked to the water’s edge, and had fun.

Cedar Keys consists of a group of six islands with Ways Key being the most populated. According to the 2010 census the population is 702 individuals. Evidence indicates that the area was populated as far back as 500 B.C. During the civil war, the confederates used Cedar Key to produce salt which was an important factor in the preservation of meat. Surrounded by water hurricanes and storms have destroyed the area numerous times. The Eagle Pencil Company was established and provided a solid economic base for the area. Unfortunately, in 1896 a hurricane destroyed the factory causing them to close. But the people have survived thanks to the clam industry. With the smell of clam bags in the air, today Cedar Key boosts the largest clam industry in the US. 

Whitman House

...it's only a one holer

Salt Kettle

Great friends...having fun

With all that walking around we got very hungry. Luckily I had done my homework the night before and decided we needed to eat at Tony’s Seafood Restaurant. Their clam chowder is a 3X winner at the national cook off and it did not disappoint. It was fantastic.

Tony's Seafood Restaurant

The famous chowder

After a wonderful lunch we walked some more. Unfortunately the day was cool and overcast but we were able to walk along Dock Street window shopping. Cedar key is known as an Artist’s Mecca with store after store displaying wonderful eclectic merchandise.

Information post

Shops and restaurants suspended above the Gulf

Cedar Key Museum

...all about the fishing

Everyone is welcome

Downtown streets & stores

On the way home we decided to check out Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve for a final hike of the day. And of course the clouds have moved off and the sun has come out. What a wonderful hike, walking and talking enjoying the sun. We get to an intersection, we stop, all look at one another with a “which way do we go”. Did anyone pick up a map? Nope! Well hold on I took a picture of the preserve trails so let’s take a look.

Can you see me in the reflection
taking the picture

The skies finally cleared for a wonderful walk through the forest

So the moral of this story is, if there are no maps take a picture with your phone or camera. It certainly helps at a time like this. We had a fantastic day with fantastic friends and looking forward to seeing them again back in Ontario.