We saw several signs around town advertising bait prices and fishing pole rentals.īy this point, we were ready for lunch. The facilities at the pier were appreciated by everyone – free public restrooms and a station for cleaning your latest catch. Nearby is a fishing pier, where locals and visitors alike were trying their hand at catching dinner. We took in some of the day-to-day scenes of the island, walking past the post office, public library, city hall, and volunteer fire department. The island’s art scene reminds us of many of other Florida beach cities’ art scenes – bright, colorful, playful, and occasionally a little racy, but always done in fun. We walked around for a bit in the small shopping area, popping into places here and there. Once parked, we set off for a cup of coffee at 1842 Daily Grind and Mercantile to wake us up. It was easy to see why many of the residents drive around in street-legal golf carts that can be parked just about anywhere. Parking in Cedar Key is free for vehicles without boats, though we did spend a few minutes searching for a spot. The landscape changes quickly – from dense Florida woodlands to palm-filled salt marshes in minutes. Unless you have your own plane or boat, you’ll enter Cedar Key via a short bridge on State Road 24, as the islands of the Cedar Keys are located very close to shore. After a gathering with friends ran way late, sleeping in sounded very nice, and we opted to visit a place that was a little closer. We weren’t planning to visit Cedar Key in fact, Michael and I had every intention of visiting Tallahassee for the day to see our state’s capital.