Guides · Cedar Key, Florida
RVing to Cedar Key, FL: A Slow Travel Guide
Cedar Key holds 756 people and 819 housing units. The median age is 68.4. A lumber boom shaped the shoreline, and its memory still does. The RV traveler who lingers—rather than passes through—finds the real story.
Why Cedar Key Rewards a Slow RV Stay
Population 756. Median age 68.4. Vacant housing: 450 units. The numbers say this is not a bustling destination. They also describe a place that has not been rebuilt into something else. In 1886, seventeen sawmills cut nearly half a million board feet of red cedar a week—wood that became pencil slats for the Eberhard Faber mill, established 1865, and the Eagle Pencil Company. The 1896 hurricane and fire ended that industry. The town never grew back to its industrial size. That is precisely the point. Stay a few days and you get a town smaller than its history—and the history is still visible in the landscape.
Best RV Parks and Campgrounds in Cedar Key
Five options anchor the RV experience. Cedar Key RV Resort (rated 4.4) sits at 11980 SW Shiloh Rd, close enough to town that the walk is reasonable. Cedar Blessings RV Park (rated 4.2), at 11951 SW Shiloh Rd, is nearby and similarly practical. Sunset Isle RV Resort (rated 4.2) and Sunset Point at Cedar Key (both at 11850 FL-24) put you on the main highway, a short drive from the historic core. For deeper nature immersion, Shell Mound Campground (rated 4.3) at 17650 SW 78 Pl is more secluded—closer to the marsh and wildlife refuges, farther from the downtown stroll.
| Campground or RV Park | What It Suits |
|---|---|
| Cedar Key RV Resort | Walkers who want downtown access without moving the rig |
| Cedar Blessings RV Park | Budget-conscious travelers who plan to explore by bike or foot |
| Sunset Isle RV Resort | Those who want highway convenience and quick day trips |
| Sunset Point at Cedar Key | Small-rig travelers who value simplicity over amenities |
| Shell Mound Campground | Nature-first campers who prefer marsh views over town lights |
Exploring Cedar Key on Foot: Parks and Historic Trails
Leave the rig behind. City Park (rated 4.7) at 188 2nd St anchors the downtown edge. A short stroll takes you to the Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature Trail on Grove St, where the old rail bed cuts through the marsh. The Cedar Key Community Garden offers a quiet corner of cultivated green—a reminder that this town sustains itself year-round. Historic streets like 3rd and G, where the Eagle Pencil Company once made slats and pencil boxes, are best experienced on foot. The rig is a basecamp, not a destination.
Cedar Key Islands and Wildlife Refuges to Visit
The cedar that built the town came from the keys themselves. Atsena Otie Key—the name means "cedar island" in Creek—was bought by Augustus Steele in 1843 for $227, along with its 167 acres. It became the first organised settlement in the Cedar Keys. Today, Atsena Swimming Beach (rated 5.0) is reachable only by boat. The Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge (rated 4.7) protects the remnants of that landscape. The Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve and LSWR Nature Drive South Entrance offer upland trails that connect the modern visitor to the old milling grounds. More than thirty-five houses on Atsena Otie's high ground survived the 1896 storm surge locals still call the tidal wave. The rest of the island tells that story in its absence.
Cedar Key Seafood Festival and Visiting Seahorse Key
The Cedar Key Seafood Festival, run by the Lions Club each October, is the anchor event for RV travelers who plan around a single weekend. More than 100 arts and crafts exhibits. Live music. A Saturday parade at 11am. And the rare chance to reach Seahorse Key—a historic island three miles out that is otherwise closed to the public. For those who miss it, the festival is the only reliable window onto that island.
Practical Tips for RV Travelers in Cedar Key
The housing stock tells the seasonal story: 269 of 819 units are for seasonal or recreational use, and 450 sit vacant. The pace is quiet. The streets are uncrowded. Reservations matter—especially in October. Median household income sits at $69,226, and the unemployment rate is 4.2 percent, a stable base for a small population. For the RV traveler, the advice is straightforward: book ahead for festival weekends, respect the refuges' access rules, and treat the rig as a staging point, not the experience. Cedar Key is a good base for day trips to Steinhatchee (44 miles), Perry (76 miles), or Dade City (80 miles). But the town itself rewards the unhitched hour.
Common questions
- Where can I park my RV in Cedar Key?
- Cedar Key RV Resort, Sunset Isle RV Resort, and Cedar Blessings RV Park are your main options. Cedar Key RV Resort is at 11980 SW Shiloh Rd, rated 4.4 from 367 reviews. Sunset Isle is at 11850 FL-24. Cedar Blessings is at 11951 SW Shiloh Rd. All offer RV camping.
- Is there a beach for swimming in Cedar Key?
- Yes, Atsena Swimming Beach, rated 5.0 from 4 reviews, is located at 4XG8+XW, Cedar Key, FL 32625. It's a natural beach spot. Note that Cedar Key is a working waterfront town, not a typical sandy beach destination, so expect a more rustic experience.
- What is there to do near the RV parks?
- You can explore nature at Lil Shark Park (192 2nd St, rated 4.6), City Park (188 2nd St, rated 4.7), or the Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature Trail on Grove St. For history, visit Cedar Key Museum State Park at 12231 SW 166th Ct. All are within a short drive of the RV resorts.
- Can I visit Seahorse Key during my stay?
- Yes, but only during the Cedar Key Seafood Festival in October. The festival, run by the Lions Club, offers a rare chance to reach Seahorse Key, a historic island three miles out that is otherwise closed to the public. The festival also features arts, crafts, live music, and seafood.
- How crowded does Cedar Key get with RVs?
- Cedar Key has 819 total housing units, with 269 held for seasonal or recreational use and 450 vacant. The population is just 756 people, with a median age of 68.4. It's not a crowded town, but RV parks can fill up during the October Seafood Festival and winter months.
- What's the history of Cedar Key's cedar industry?
- Cedar milling built the town. The Eberhard Faber mill started in 1865, and by 1886, 17 sawmills produced nearly half a million board feet weekly. Cedar Key supplied pencil slats to Faber and Eagle Pencil Company until the 1896 hurricane and fire closed them. The Eagle site was on Way Key at 3rd and G Streets.
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