Roadtrip Series

THE FALL SEASON IS THE TIME TO GO— SMALLER CROWDS AND COOLER WEATHER

1900s. When the railroad and the bridge at the south end of the island officially opened in 1912, the area was considered so beautiful that the trains often stopped on Bahia Honda just to allow passengers to view the picturesque white sand beaches and blue water.

Call To Tourists And Locals Alike

The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 destroyed the railroad, and in 1961 Monroe County gave the land to the Florida Park Service, which added hundreds of acres to grow it to its current size. The park is rich with iconic Florida scenery—palm-lined beaches, crystal-clear waters and magnificent sunsets on the Atlantic Ocean and Florida Bay call to tourists and locals alike. It is an excellent spot for wildlife observation, and folks climb the Bahia Honda Bridge ruins to get an amazing view of the huge nurse shark population that frequents the area.

Kayaks and snorkeling gear can also be rented, and boat trips can be booked at the park office. Onsite cabins are available for rent year-round, as well. Admission to Bahia Honda State Park is a mere $8 per carload, yet the grounds remain quiet and serene.

We decided to get some time out on the water while we were in the Lower Keys, so we hooked up with Get Up and Go Kayaking on Sugarloaf Key. We met up with our guide team of Aime and Andrew for an exceptional experience—clear kayaks! Justin, the owner, explained that his novel transparent plastic kayaks are the best way to view our surroundings, as much of the natural beauty of the area is below us as well as around us.

Our two-hour guided tour took us out on Florida Bay, through native mangrove tunnels, and throughout the back bay. Over the course of our trip in the blue-green waters off Sugarloaf Key, we looked down through our kayaks and saw starfish, conch, puffer fish, sea turtles, upside down jellyfish, and more. The shores were lined with iguanas and pelicans, and we even spied the friendly resident nurse sharks in the scenic mangroves along the shoreline.

Get Up and Go Kayaking specializes in small groups of 10 members or less, which we found to be the perfect size to hear our guides and enjoy conversations with fellow kayakers. It was a one-of-a-kind experience with a top-notch team.

Magical Spirt Of The Lower Keys

No trip to the Keys would be complete without a visit to a tiki bar, and no tiki bar represents the Keys lifestyle quite like Kiki’s Sandbar on Little Torch Key. Kiki’s specializes in homemade fresh seafood—our coconut shrimp was a huge portion and the tastiest we have ever had. They even allow guests to bring their own fresh catch of the day for their chef to prepare and serve. Folks come by boat, by car, or by motorcycle just to enjoy the ambiance and check out the beautiful views of Newfound Harbor and South Pine Channel.

Kiki’s Sandbar has a long pier with dockage for your boat—you might even spot the school of resident bull sharks that hangs out there. We enjoyed watching patrons take advantage of the pet-friendly beach area and closed the night out with some great craft beers and live music.

If you are looking to get away and remind yourself what a laid-back Florida lifestyle is all about, head south to catch the magical spirt of the Lower Keys. FCM

ROUNDUP: Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina

38810 Overseas Highway

Big Pine Key, Florida rvonthego.com

The Lagoon at Grassy Key 59300 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida ridethelagoon.com

Bahia Honda State Park 36850 Overseas Highway,

Big Pine Key, Florida floridastateparks.org/ BahiaHonda

Get Up and Go Kayaking 17015 Overseas Highway, Sugarloaf Key, Florida getupandgokayaking.com

Kiki’s Sandbar 183 Barry Ave., Little Torch Key, Florida kikissandbar.com