Tag: Bahia Honda State Park

Beach Campgrounds in Florida

If you’ve thought of the Sunshine State of Florida as the “snowbird” capitol of the United States, you wouldn’t be far off. But explorers from every age come here to seek their little spot of sand and sun to escape from the reality of either summers that are much too hot and dry or winters that are way too cold.

And some of these “explorers” (I was one, back in the early 80’s) love to pack a tent and sleeping bags and make their way to the magical Florida Keys. I am not going to make you think that you’ve found heaven when you stop along the shoreline as you head down Highway 1 toward the southernmost point in the USA. It can be nice, but there are some mosquitoes and sea grass, pesky iguanas and an occasional raccoon to contend with. And honestly, there isn’t that much sand along the shoreline heading down to Key West.

Are there other campgrounds in Florida? Heavens, yes! And some nice places, too. Take, for example, Fort Desoto Park near Tampa, or Key Biscayne near Miami. Both are probably a better choice, unless you like the charm of the Keys. And frankly, I did - some 30 years ago.

Bahia Honda State Park (nothing to do with the Honda Motor Company), on Big Pine Key has great facilities. As you can see in this picture, there are low lying trees and the sand is full of humus, a mix of roots and decaying matter. There is no better example of being in the elements right next to the ocean. But don’t think you’re too far from anything (except the big city, Miami.) There is shopping close by and people aren’t too far in case you can’t get your gear to cooperate.

The advantage of Bahia Honda State Park is that on good days, you can snorkel and dive to your hearts’ content. There is a good display of fish and other creatures since you have the Gulf, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean all converging in this area forming the Gulf Stream. Think lots of food for everyone under the sea. And where there’s food a plenty…there are fish to see.

Now, you may be thinking that other than snorkeling, what’s a body to do in a place like this? You can walk along the shore in many places and remember that a short drive will take you to other bays and mini beaches you can explore with the family or your friends. You can fish, relax with a book and bird watch. And if you’re real lucky, you may spot some Florida deer. Chances are if you’re here in high season, which is from December until May, you’ll not likely see much in the way of wandering critters. People tend to make noise that frightens them into the brush.

You can visit the local shops in this area, too. Shell shops and souvenir stores dot the highway all the way down to Key West. It’s a LONG drive from Miami, but well worth it if you like to sight see.

For eating options, at least on Big Pine Key, where Bahia Honda is located, we highly recommend the Big Pine Restaurant. Home style cooking and the best service this side of Key West. The menu speaks for itself with entrees around the $5 - $15 range. Tell me that isn’t awesome! You’ll be impressed, as we were.

Some say the beaches around Bahia Honda are the best in the area, and while I didn’t really want this to be a review on Bahia Honda’s campground, it did. You can find other campgrounds in Florida near beaches on our site by using the Beach Search box. I don’t believe there is anything out there that is bad. You’ll have fun and you’re near the beach and water. What more could you ask for?

Bahia Honda State Park Beaches, Florida

With beaches, it’s like this: They can be beautiful and with what you think is perfect weather, the best place to be at the time. Fresh air, open sky; like God is so close and you can easily communicate with Him. But “liking” anything, including beaches, is subjective. We all have our likes and dislikes. Things and values that we’ve given things since we were born. It’s all part of growing up. Am I getting too philosophical for a beach review site? Maybe.

I want you to know that some people adore Bahia Honda State Park on Bahia Honda Key at Mile Marker 37 on the way to Key West in Florida. There are 500 acres and some of the very best snorkeling in Florida. Since we live in South Florida, I can tell you that it is the perfect family getaway - for us. Having said that, and my statement before, some may find the place overrated. I don’t. This is a State Park, not a resort. This is my review and perspective, and I’ll tell you what I’ve heard others say about it in that negative light. But don’t let it ruin a perfectly good vacation. It costs $9.50 to enter the park.

The thing most people forget is that we are in nature and actually invading what has been set aside for us. So many complaints about Bahia Honda are about the bunches of sea grass the sits in the shallows just a foot or so offshore. You may have to walk through this to get to the other shallows. When the stuff washes up on shore, which it does, it is organic and we’re dealing with the Florida Keys here so the weather is humid and sometimes hot. Things start to decay a bit. That is the normal cycle of life anywhere.

Other beaches may not have this grass issue because the bottom is not conducive to it growing there and mainly wave action prevents it from ever making it up to the shore. Still, don’t toss out Bahia Honda State Park with the proverbial bath water. The water is warm because it sits in the shallows, and sometimes the further out you go, the more vegetation you meet. This again, is nature and must be seen through those eyes.

This is nature at its finest with a natural beach and snorkeling right off the beach. Put on the fins and wade out a bit and you’re there - and the place is so shallow you’ll feel comfortable even with younger and less experienced swimmers. In fact, the waves are practically non-existent. If you want the best Florida snorkeling experience in the area, take the tour from the marina at the park out to Looe Key Reef. It is an awesome experience and you’ll see enough to keep you talking for months.

OK, so the Three Best Beaches at Bahia Honda State Park? There are great things I found about all of them, but let me tell you these are not the wide sandy beaches you may be used to. High tide brings the beaches down to about 15 feet wide, but they are natural which is nice. Here’s a link to a detailed map of the island that shows where the beaches are. Let’s take a look at the smallest called Calusa Beach. The name comes from an extinct Indian tribe. Like the other beaches, the water from the shoreline is very shallow. This makes for the perfect beach for families with smaller children. However, a word of caution, the sand turns to old coral and rocks not too far out and you’ll need some water shoes to make it around. No waves; plan on a nice, long day of peacefulness and relaxation. This is the beach that is closest to the old Bahia Honda Rail Bridge that you may have seen in the soap opera Guiding Light, when Reva Shayne drove off the bridge and killed herself in 1990.

Next is Loggerhead Beach, named for the turtle. It is small and on the Atlantic side of the island, across from Calusa Beach. There is a nice sand bar just offshore a bit. Loggerhead Beach is narrow and might be a good choice for you. What we normally do when there are choices and a lot of variables, and we’re not the first people to arrive is to check out if people are in the area enjoying the place. If there are no cars and everyone is over at another beach or area, that’s a good sign that there is something not right.

Finally, a lot of people mention Sandspur Beach when they talk about Bahia Honda State Park. It is on the east end of the island. The reason people know about Sandspur Beach is because it was named in 1992 as the best beach in North America by Dr. Stephen Leatherman. Unfortunately for Dr. Leatherman, or Dr. Beach, as he’s now known, many of his choices have people doubting whether he knows much about beaches at all, or simply makes the award to boost the economy of that area. Still, we here at Three Best Beaches list his beaches each year and know he does do the research. As I said in the beginning, it is all subjective. Some of his criteria might not be what YOU consider to be the BEST in the U.S.

Sandspur Beach is long and skinny, but it is about two miles long. You can fit a family on the sand and that’s it. And if you can deal with the seaweed, which seems to be ever present, then you’re going to see a very beautiful beach. The grade into the water is gradual and nice. Families love it here, but I found this is the beach with the coolest water because of the depth here and the ocean currents. There are three shelters for picnics and fresh water showers, just like the other beaches I’ve mentioned.

There is much to do at Bahia Honda State Park, namely camping, nature trails and snorkeling, fishing and kayaking. Check their website for more information and check out our sponsors for the best rates on accommodations in the Keys.