Cedar Key, FL info

[ColbyBruce]

I have never been there, but have an opportunity to purchase a place from a friend. The friend inherited it, never been there either. Before I bother to go look it over I would like opinions of the place. I prefer a laid back type area, not super touristy with bumper to bumper traffic.

I was in Folley Beach, SC recently and don’t care for such crowded communities.

Thanks for any comments.

[Bugkiller99]

Laid back it is. SMALL town, does have tourists. (It’s Florida). Has taken, and will again, storm damage from hurricanes. If you fish, you are in the right spot.
Has an annual arts festival which draws a crowd.
I’ve visited there a number of times, and will do so again.

[g-dad]

I've been there once and found out a buddy got married there. As said above it is laid back and definitely off the beaten path. Dad lives in the Ocala area and goes to Cedar Key once or twice a year.

[Rule3]

More here then I could possibly write. It is not like Clearwater, Naples, Tampa, Miami, Daytona etc etc.


Old Florida & Historic Town: The Island City of Cedar Key, Fla

[Jessie]

Used to go there often and take my small boat out fishing. Small airport there that I’ve used also.
I’m sure it’s grown a bit since then, but not much since it’s only so big.
Great seafood and try some smoked mullet there. I got hooked on it.
Other than sitting around watching the Gulf during sunsets and fishing, there’s not much else going on. It is quiet and I enjoyed that.
It’s also a good drive out to it so people usually have to want to go there to be there. It’s not “just off the beaten path”

[ladder13]

Originally Posted by Rule3

More here then I could possibly write. It is not like Clearwater, Naples, Tampa, Miami, Daytona etc etc.


Old Florida & Historic Town: The Island City of Cedar Key, Fla

Clearwater Beach was my go to back in the day. Beautiful beach, much too crowded nowadays.

[Papa32129]

Cedar key clam chowder.
Boat docks
Tidal waters
Redfish
Trout
Noseeums

Ps
I don’t know of any beaches.
And fishing It’s inshore, offshore, or air boat fishing.
Airboats can get into some skinny water where some redfish and blackdrum get trapped on low tide.

Yep, Piece of Paradise

Papa

[jimmyj]

Any community along that part of the Florida west coast is invested with "NoSeeUNs" (sand gnats) which no one /company has been able to find a method /spray to abolish /kill them.
Cedar Key, Yankeetown, Inglis are small towns that has to content with the gnats.
Old Timers would rub Vaseline on the house screens in an effort to keep the gnats outside as the gnats are so small that they come though the screens.
With the timber cuttings the gnat are moving eastward unfortune. If the gnats come to Dunnellon I will be moving. I had all the "Noseeuns"issues when I was a Levy County Deputy.
Because of the gnats I wouldn't live in Cedar Key if I was given a house free.

[ColbyBruce]

“Because of the gnats I wouldn't live in Cedar Key if I was given a house free.”

My friend did get it for free and has no desire to even look it over. He lives in VA and will retire to the NC mountains in one year. He does not have the time or inclination to pursue repairs or a renovation of the place. I am not sure I want to make the drive to bother looking it over.

Thank you all.

[Old 44 Guy]

I have been there twice. You can see it all in less than a day. Museum is OK but small. Food Ok also but pricey. I will never go again

[Maddog 521]

I think you should go take a look at it and the area. It might be "Paradise".

[Leslie Sapp]

Where in Cedar Key is the issue. There are some very nice places there, and some not so nice areas.
PM sent.

[Jessie]

Originally Posted by ColbyBruce

“Because of the gnats I wouldn't live in Cedar Key if I was given a house free.”

My friend did get it for free and has no desire to even look it over. He lives in VA and will retire to the NC mountains in one year. He does not have the time or inclination to pursue repairs or a renovation of the place. I am not sure I want to make the drive to bother looking it over.

Thank you all.

I’ll take it!

[yaktamer]

Originally Posted by Jessie

I’ll take it!

Beat me to it.

[soFlaNative]

Closest I've been was as a participant in the canoe race from Otter Creek to Gulf Hammock on the Waccassa River. I'd like to revisit but in the years since I just haven't made the ride on 19 north of Tampa.
Hopefully come June.

[LVSteve]

Interesting place. I could hear the whine of mosquitoes just looking at the street view pictures.

[Rule3]

Think Okefenokee Swamp

With artists.

[ColbyBruce]

I have relatives in Apoka who offered to go look it over and give my friend a logical assessment of it. For a fee. I am not interested in acquiring a problem home in a skeeter infested area. Thank you all.

[ladder13]

Originally Posted by jimmyj

Any community along that part of the Florida west coast is invested with "NoSeeUNs" (sand gnats) which no one /company has been able to find a method /spray to abolish /kill them.
Cedar Key, Yankeetown, Inglis are small towns that has to content with the gnats.
Old Timers would rub Vaseline on the house screens in an effort to keep the gnats outside as the gnats are so small that they come though the screens.
With the timber cuttings the gnat are moving eastward unfortune. If the gnats come to Dunnellon I will be moving. I had all the "Noseeuns"issues when I was a Levy County Deputy.
Because of the gnats I wouldn't live in Cedar Key if I was given a house free.

Wouldn’t those awful Palmetto bugs take care of the noseeums?

[bigwheelzip]

Never been but read some online visitor reviews.

The worst reviews I saw on line were all referencing negatively the public swimming beach. The repeated problem was that it is only 300 feet long. The waterline area is unmaintained with a thick mat of seaweed that stinks and draws flies. The sea bed off the beach if thick muck that you will sink a foot deep into.

If you don't need a swim beach, the reviews look good for fishing and birding, on a generally quiet island.

[billwill]

Get the key and give us a randevu time and place.......the forum will check it out for you. Might take a week or so but we'll give you a full report

[ColbyBruce]

Originally Posted by billwill

Get the key and give us a randevu time and place.......the forum will check it out for you. Might take a week or so but we'll give you a full report

It has been empty for a while. I imagine it is covered in mold and infested with insects and critters.

[straightshooter1]

If that's the case (infested & moldy), it must truly be a shack. I kinda doubt it, though.

I have to say one of the nicest short vacations I have ever taken was to Cedar Key. Beautiful little town, wonderful boating and fishing, all the people we met were quite nice, and it'd make a great place to live (but I love Florida, so maybe I'm prejudiced a wee little bit).

I'd sure go down and see it, at least, maybe wait till mid-April or early May if that's convenient to see the (IMO) best weather.

Bob

[Jessie]

Originally Posted by ColbyBruce

It has been empty for a while. I imagine it is covered in mold and infested with insects and critters.

Again, I’ll take it!
I like mold, insects and critters

[Jessie]

Originally Posted by straightshooter1

If that's the case (infested & moldy), it must truly be a shack. I kinda doubt it, though.

I have to say one of the nicest short vacations I have ever taken was to Cedar Key. Beautiful little town, wonderful boating and fishing, all the people we met were quite nice, and it'd make a great place to live (but I love Florida, so maybe I'm prejudiced a wee little bit).

I'd sure go down and see it, at least, maybe wait till mid-April or early May if that's convenient to see the (IMO) best weather.

Bob

Shut up!
Please lol

[Jlpgumbo]

A drinking village with a fishing problem

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by Jlpgumbo

A drinking village with a fishing problem

Plus those Crackers are all related!

[Old Corp]

Vacationed there about 20 years ago with the ex.
Remember liking it - but was kinda surprised that we seemed to have the only Southern accents there.

[Mark S.]

I spent a motorcycle getaway weekend there once. Had a great time. As said, it's not a Beach town more of a tidal fishing/boating area.

Know two people from Orlando area, each who kept a place there and finally retired to it. One became a clam farmer and the other was an artsy type and liked that scene.

Avon 'Skin So Soft' mixed with water in a sprayer will keep those noseeums and skeeters away

[straightshooter1]

Yeah, lots of artists there, mostly women, but since I can't draw a straight line with a ruler, I didn't much care.

I thought the food was really good, didn't seem, expensive to me, but YMMV.

I think, if it was me, which I realize it isn't, I'd at least drive by and look, might find a treasure or, if it's a pigpen, just head back east to civilization. Lots of good eats all around there.

IMO, some of you have really given the OP a really wrong impression of the area.

Bob

[ColbyBruce]

“IMO, some of you have really given the OP a really wrong impression of the area.“

No, I never had the impression that the home could of been any nicer than a barrel in a KOA campground.

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by straightshooter1

Yeah, lots of artists there, mostly women, but since I can't draw a straight line with a ruler, I didn't much care.

I thought the food was really good, didn't seem, expensive to me, but YMMV.

I think, if it was me, which I realize it isn't, I'd at least drive by and look, might find a treasure or, if it's a pigpen, just head back east to civilization. Lots of good eats all around there.

IMO, some of you have really given the OP a really wrong impression of the area.

Bob

Of all the many places to visit or live in Florida, Cedar Key would not be on my recommended top 10 list.


Granted, you will never know until you check out the place, heck even pictures of the property would help.

[Jon651]

Originally Posted by ColbyBruce

I have never been there, but have an opportunity to purchase a place from a friend. The friend inherited it, never been there either. Before I bother to go look it over I would like opinions of the place. I prefer a laid back type area, not super touristy with bumper to bumper traffic.

I was in Folley Beach, SC recently and don’t care for such crowded communities.

Thanks for any comments.

I live in Central Florida. Cedar Key is OLD FLORIDA - and I mean Old Florida not like pre-Disney World, I mean Old Florida like pre-air conditioning! It's a bit more rural than a typical tourist would expect (or tolerate); it has a few events that draw some folks but you won't have to deal with interstates or traffic jams - ever; and it is considered a great place even for Floridians to 'get away from it all' because it is (literally) not close to ANYTHING.

There are a lot of rural places like Cedar Key in every state in the US, but folks don't think of Florida if that is what you are looking for. Cedar Key and Yankeetown are great places to end up on long motorcycle rides for us.

One of the best things is you can rest assured that you won't ever have to follow an elderly couple from Ohio in a gold Buick LeSabre traveling 10 MPH below the speed limit in the left lane with their right-hand turn signal on for the last 50 miles to get there! Everywhere else - sure! Cedar Key? Not so much...

[REM 3200]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

Avon 'Skin So Soft' mixed with water in a sprayer will keep those noseeums and skeeters away

This ^^^ works well.

The lack of a "Beach" will keep the tourists away. That's a good thing.

[ACP230]

I visited there one afternoon when my wife and I lived in Gainesville.
It was almost 100 degrees in G'Ville and almost 20 degrees cooler
with a fine sea breeze at the shore. Felt good after the humidity etc in G'Ville.

Ate at a restaurant by the harbor. Good food. While there I saw a
truck I had been looking at back in town drive past. Oh well.

I got around a little in FLA. Did not make the Keys but got down
near Cape Kennedy. Cedar Key and St. Augustine were two of my
favorite places.

[wood714]

Originally Posted by Jon651

I live in Central Florida. Cedar Key is OLD FLORIDA - and I mean Old Florida not like pre-Disney World, I mean Old Florida like pre-air conditioning! It's a bit more rural than a typical tourist would expect (or tolerate); it has a few events that draw some folks but you won't have to deal with interstates or traffic jams - ever; and it is considered a great place even for Floridians to 'get away from it all' because it is (literally) not close to ANYTHING.

There are a lot of rural places like Cedar Key in every state in the US, but folks don't think of Florida if that is what you are looking for. Cedar Key and Yankeetown are great places to end up on long motorcycle rides for us.

I've vacationed in FL. many times before I moved here in 2001, and I've never seen the sun set on the ocean. I've stayed up all night a lot of times to watch the sunrise, but would love to get some killer sun set pictures.

I've been wanting to ride my bike over for a long time to take some, it's only a 2.5 hour ride. I'd want to spend the night there thou. I get a little anxious at night when I see all the deer and bear crossing signs.

I never ride my bike around A1A anymore. I like heading west on the country roads. You can actually enjoy riding then.