This will forever be my favorite part of the keys. The amount of sea life that you're able to see by going snorkeling is elite. Octopuses, stingrays, all sorts of fish, crabs/lobsters, you name it. Not to mention, you might even see some dolphin Jumping out on the water. I have nothing negative to say whatsoever. Just to those who come here, please treat it with respect and clean up after yourself. read more

Bahia Honda State Park - Snorkeling! - Parks Near Me - Big Pine Key, Florida

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Bahia Honda State Park is located at Mile Marker 37 along US 1. (Mile markers are how you find everything in the keys. There are 500 acres of park, plus an off shore island. There are 3 beach areas, a campground/cabins, picnic areas and boat ramps. It's very much a place to relax on the beach and take it easy. Bahia Honda is the tropical paradise that you probably imagine when you think of the Florida Keys. Bahia Honda's beaches--Sandspur, Loggerhead, and Calusa--are one of the biggest draws to the park. Each one is beautiful and worth a visit. Bahia Honda is a great place to swim as the water temperatures are typically warm and the water is shallow. See, it also depends on time of the year, like for us, Sandspur beach was full of seaweed. and i found loggerhead beach to shallow and it was really great to swim over there. while you are here, A fun thing to do is take the quick trail up to the old Bahia Honda Bridge that you can see from Calusa Beach and the very edge of Loggerhead Beach. This is the only trail here and it's a pretty quick walk. The walk is fairly short and you aren't allowed to go far along the bridge as it breaks off at some point. However, you do get to go up high enough to see Bahia Honda from above. The bridge has a great view of both of the beaches. Depending on time of day, you might get a different view. There is little to no shade on the beach. If you are wanting to stay all day, you might want to bring your own umbrella for the beach! Cost: $8 per vehicle, $4.50 for vehicles with one person, $2.50 for pedestrians + cyclists read more

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This park has to be one of the best that the Florida Keys has to offer. I have always wanted to stop here while visiting our friends that live in Key West and we finally had the opportunity. Bahia Honda means "Deep Bay" and refers to the deep bays of Bahia Honda Key. It is pronounced Bah -EE-ah Own da. It is 30 feet deep which makes it the deepest natural harbors in the Keys. It was established in 1961and is known for its history as part of Henry Flagler's "Overseas Railroad" and is now known as the Overseas Highway. In 1935 there was a huge hurricane that destroyed the railroad. What makes this park so unique is that it is encompasses an offshore island and it sits between Ohio Key and Spanish Harbor Key close to the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge. The park has 524 acres of lush beauty. It is open everyday of the year from 8am - sundown and the fee is $8 per vehicle. Clean restrooms and outdoor showers available. There is so many things to do such as snorkeling, swimming in the gin clear crystal waters, hiking out to the Old Bahia Bridge, birding, camping, boat rentals, a concession stand, rent a cabin, kayak, fishing or visit the nature center. We found parking easily and made our way out on the trail to the Old Bridge. The views from up here are panoramic. After viewing the bridge and the views, we really could not resist taking a dip at one of the beaches. The water was still warm enough to swim in November and it felt fantastic. What I love most about the state park beaches along the Keys are all the marine life you can view while swimming or just walking on the beach. No place like it! If I could give this park 10 stars I would, it is that incredible. Cannot wait to come back again. read more

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Fantastic beach! Clear, calm, blue waters. Gorgeous vegetation and good signage. Public amenities are adequate and parking/beach access are easy to access. We had a wonderful day here! read more

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We stopped to check out this beach/state park on Big Pine Key, about 30 minutes east of Key West. Very nice park, but the beach is a bit lacking. Lush, tropical vegetation throughout the park, many beautiful flowers on vines that grow out onto the beach. The beach on both sides (gulf and bay) had pretty dark water, lots of seaweed, and the sea was rough. Water was a little calmer on the bay sides, and there were lots of families with small children enjoying the narrow beach and smaller waves there. Nice little gift/snack shop on the bay side, plenty to eat and drink, and many souvenirs! Worth a stop to take in the beauty of the park! read more

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Beautiful place with camping and activities, but the sargassum grass came early this year and it was everywhere. Not the fault of the place of course, but something to research in advance. It would have been absolutely amazing without the smelly and obnoxious grass. read more

A sweet spot to stop and enjoy a dip in the cool, clear waters. As it's a state park, there is a small fee associated with entrance to utilize the beach, sandbars, walking paths, facilities and snack bar/gift shop. Plenty of parking. Beaches are beautiful and the water refreshingly cold. Marine life can also be seen, but please avoid touching or catching the sea creatures; and parents, tell your kids/teens to respect the wildlife. read more

Very nice state park. They do charge per person instead of per car. This park has a huge beach access and has plenty of parking. They also have bathrooms , a convenience store and kayak rentals. They also have a gulf of America sign anywho, I actually liked this park. They do not allow alcohol and they have signs everywhere warning you that you will be trespassed if they catch you with it. read more

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Pay a small entry fee to get in, access to bathrooms and incredible stretches of water on both sides. Right side is geared more for the kiddos with limited sand & water entry but scenic split bridge and right side is wide open and a ton of space for snorkeling. Calm waters and a beautiful day await! read more

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If I could give it more stars I would.. top notch state park! They have so much to offer it was amazing! We came to snorkel on gulf side but this park has Atlantic side and a gulf side. Very impressive swim area to snorkel on gulf side! In that area was place where we could fish too! They had few tours the would take you on I think that's extra.. bathrooms, water stations to wash feet off, you could walk the bridge a little and views were breathtaking! I would highly recommend and we will be back! read more

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As a longtime explorer of abandoned places, which are not usually reviewable on Yelp, it was the disused Bahia Honda bridge that first caught my eye and even turned my neck as I drove by on the Overseas Highway on my way to Key West. I could see sections had been demolished presumably to keep curiosity seekers from making their way across it. I also assumed it would be ornery private property owners all around it keeping me from getting to within a country mile of it. On my way back I was delighted to discover Bahia Honda State Park allows one to go right up to the edge of Bahia Honda Bridge. Then I was highly perturbed to see there are barriers which don't even look like good permanent barriers but something akin to the temporary metal fencing they put up to block off city streets for parades that prevent people from walking on the short beginning section of the bridge before the demolition created gap. And really they only prevent you if you want to be respectful of the sign warning you not to go on there as any somewhat able bodied person can easily hop that annoying barricade. Fortunately, there were other people around so I didn't have to grapple with my insane wanderlust too much as I could tell the view and the shots from the edge there would be absolutely tremendous. The views and the shots I got were nothing to sneeze at but I could tell the real money shot was from the edge of that first segment which had another fence there and I could tell at one point, possibly in the not too distant past was officially accessible to sightseeing tourists. And the bridge didn't look in too rough of shape to me, though of course I'm seeing it through the eyes of someone who's not a structural engineer. Gaaahhh! So frustrating! Now if I was a run of the mill petty unreasonable Yelper this would be a one star review just for that but I'm deciding to accept reality and try to be respectful just like I did when I didn't hop that annoying little fence. This was still something cool to see and read the history of. The trail to the bridge was pretty short and this park didn't look too big but the beaches and the water looked magnificent. The swimming the previous day in Zachary Taylor State Park was so wonderful and I could just tell here would be more of the same. I was so very tempted to go back into my rental car, change into my swimming trunks and get into that shimmering silvery turquoise water. But I knew I wouldn't wanna get back out and I'd spend half the day there at least when I had things to do and see back in Miami. So I made the difficult choice to get back in the whip and keep heading northeast on US Route 1 back to the mainland. But this lovely idyllic beach park planted a seed and maybe one day I'll end up here again. And if they restore that opening section of the bridge so visitors can walk on it again I'll grant them the full 5 stars. read more

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Best around when there is sargassum on the Atlantic side. Great for a beach in the keys.

Bahia Honda State Park was a fantastic place to take our keys to experience some Florida Keys beaches. We swam at the Sandspur Beach (Atlantic side) and Calusa Beach (Gulf side). Both beaches weren't too crowded and had beautiful clear water. There is also a third beach there called Loggerhead Beach that we didn't have time to visit. We parked in between Calusa and Sandspur beaches near the bathroom/rinsing showers. The park was reasonable priced to get in ($10 I believe). The beaches seemed really clean but had some seaweed and sea grass to navigate around. Sandspur Beach was great for the kids as the water was very shallow for a significant portion. Would for sure bring your family here if you're in the keys and looking for a low key beach to relax at. read more

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There is a reason this beach was rated one of the best in the keys. We had never been here before and we were blown away by the things to do here and how the water was. We arrived early I would say for keys time, 9 am. The park entrance fee is $4.50 per person. Had plenty of parking and the beach was wide open. We ended up at Calusa Beach. The water was a mix of seagrass and sandy bottom. We snorkeled around in the swimming area for a few hours. Tons of smaller fish, crabs, and squid. Now I don't want to scare people off but there was a barracuda that I came close to, but if you don't mess with them and you back off they leave you alone. He was about a 3ft'r but once I backed off he swam off. Around 11am to noon the beach really started hoping and parking became a little harder to get good spots by the beach but still had spots. Beach had mild seaweed on this side. The Atlantic side had alot more when we were there and had a stale water smell. However past the seaweed it cleared up and was clear water you could see to the bottom. Bathrooms on site were your typical bathrooms. There is also remnants of the old train tressel that was converted into a roadway in the 1930s. Very cool when you get up there you can see tons of fish and clear water. Definitely worth visiting this park. Will be back.... read more

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Beautiful park and beach! Bring your own chairs and towels no rentals. They do have public bathrooms. read more

Bahia Honda State Park - Parks Near Me - Big Pine Key, Florida

It's a nice place. They need to do more to cleanup the RV spots from tree branches. The beaches were OK

Nice beach, Loved the history Bahia Honda is located at Big Pine Key at mile marker 37 in the Florida Keys. We visited the park in February. Entrance fee to the park was $4.50/person. The beach is nice and clean and the soft sand was pleasant to walk on... the water so clear and shallow. We followed the Old Bridge Trail which was a short walk towards the bridge until we reached the safety barricades. The park services preserved this iconic piece of Florida Keys history and was worth seeing. There were two sections to this bridge: The East Coast railway built by an oil mogul, Henry Flagler, and on top of the railway bridge was the road which was part of the original Overseas Highway. The bridge spans across the Bahia Honda Channel. We had amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Gulf of Mexico where the new Overseas Highway was built. There were plenty of educational interpretive signs to read about the history of the bridge and the park. We then "tested" the waters and walked on the shallow surface... the water was at low tide when we went and even from walking at a far distance from the shore the water only went up to our knees. The park offered kayak rentals, paddle boards, and snorkel boat trips. There is a message board sign in the front entrance to the park with tide information as well as water temps and time of sunset. We didn't stay long at the beach portion, just enough to enjoy the refreshing water... the weather was pretty warm and humid at 79° We missed stopping at this state park the first time we were at the Keys last year (Nov 2022)... we made it a point to check it out this last visit. We enjoyed exploring and walking on the short trails. Review #2880 read more

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This was a nice find. The Keys don't have a lot of public beaches but this state park actually had 4 separate beaches within it. It was busy but not totally packed. There were trails as well as the beaches. The water was too cold for me to go in but others seemed to enjoy it. There was a charge per person (as in all state parks within Florida) but not too high. Parking was available around each beach area. Well maintained bathrooms and facilities. Enjoyed our afternoon there. read more

This park was so much more than what I expected. Not only do you get close views of the bridge, but there are picnic and grill areas as well. There is also a beach which has very clear water. This is a must stop if you are visiting the Keys. read more

A very cool state park in the lower Keys.... This park has all the things that the lower Keys have to offer except the bars..... Basically beach and water.... Came here and rented a camp site on the beach... The sites are open and clean.. Offering electric and water only.. The park itself is not that big... Maybe a half mile or so from east(north) to west(south) end... The whole south(east) exposure right on the ocean side.. The opposite side on the Gulf... Quite a few different sandy beaches to choose from... The most popular being on the west(south) end... Very pretty and quiet but hot during the summer... Not a lot of things to do close by but if your willing to travel a bit, lets just say Key West is only 30 miles away... read more

Bahia Honda State Park - Parks Near Me - Big Pine Key, Florida

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The beaches of Bahia Honda State Park are Loggerhead, Sandspur, and Calusa. Loggerhead and Sandspur are oceanside and Calusa is gulfside (view of the bridge). We spent most of our time at Sandspur. It appears to have the biggest spread of beach. The photos I've posted have no filter. There were restrooms and a wash off station. We enjoyed some shore snorkeling. We saw tons of fish, mostly in the darker parts with seaweed on the ground. I could walk a significant amount of way from the shore and still touch the floor (I'm 5 feet tall). Sand is soft and white. Waves are nonexistent and water is very gentle for being oceanside. We attempted to spend time at Loggerhead but the small strip of sand was absolutely covered in sand fleas so we decided to leave right away. The pro of Loggerhead is that it has picnic tables nearby and the concessions building. Calusa is right across from Loggerhead. We drove by and honestly just went back to Sandspur. We were charged per person and not per car as we expected. Our 5 year old was considered free. Crowds were minimal. We visited on a Wednesday in May when schools aren't on break. read more

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One of my favorite Florida state parks. I have great memories of camping here in the '80's. Came back for a beach day at Sandspur. The crowds were there on a Saturday for sure. Had to walk east a bit to find some space. There's lots of washed up sargasso at this time, so you might have to walk around to find the least smelly place. Lots of cool fish and conch to see while snorkeling. You can go out very far to the sandbars where the boaters pull up to have day parties. read more

This park is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous. Yes it's under repair a little bit thanks to hurricane Ian and past other hurricanes. I'm talking about the stairs that goes down the beach. The park use be part of the 7 mile bridge or at least from what my understanding. This old bridge was initially a train trestle that goes right through Bahia Honda keys they added the top deck cars . Eventually this bridge deteriorated and was expensive to maintain. That's one of them. You go around this park you'll find white sand beach . Shallow all the way about 100 yards from the shorelines and it's clear . The sand is so pure it felt good walking on it. About knee deep. The water was warm. The keys are Near the equator so yes the water should be warm. Anyway Bahia Honda state park is a just visit for anyone exploring the keys. read more

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Nice beach area. Ocean was a little rough today, so we went to the gulf side. Nice area marked off for swimming - kid friendly. read more

Bahia Honda State Park - Parks Near Me - Big Pine Key, Florida

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Had a wonderful day at the beach. Much shoreline for swimming in warm waters. Two areas offer gentler sandy beach areas which are better for children. These areas had bathroom facilities, water for de- sanding, gift shop, with food available. No alcohol allowed. We had some of our lunch in a Coors box and he stopped and inspected. Noticed a camping lot as well and boat dock. Entry fee per person. Enjoyed a read more

Solid four or more, really a five but since Irma so many years ago, so much of the park is closed. Not just closed due to Irma, but if you're not a registered camper a lot of the park's off limits which is sort of a bummer. Hell, even half of the half of the bridge is closed. Was fun to explore what's open, took us about 20 minutes to walk about the whole of the park. There's some really cool picnic areas if you're early enough to score one. And plenty of typical Keys beaches, if you know what I'm talking about. Seagrass. Bayside Beach looks manicured which is why I imagine a lot of people come here. Great place to play. Really, sort of a quintessential Keys park. Everybody should visit here once or twice in their life. Gift shop's open. There's plenty of parking. Clean bathrooms. And lots of photo ops. read more

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What a spectacular place! You can certainly spend a full day with multiple beaches, hiking trails, snorkeling, shelling etc. Great facilities, and very well maintained. Don't miss this stop on your trip the keys. read more

Bahia Honda State Park - Parks Near Me - Big Pine Key, Florida

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5 stars. Bahia Honda is my favorite beach in the Keys. The price of admission is $4.50 per person. You can come here to snorkel, swim, kayak, fish, camp. Btw, it is apparently one of the best spots to birdwatch. Anyway, there are many recreational activities. The water is crystal clear; it is truly beautiful. There are actually three beaches in this park. All are pretty white sand beaches. There is one that is rockier than the others. But I read that Hurricane Irma washed away a lot of the shoreline, exposing the rocks. There are a few trails. The popular one is The Old Bahia Honda Bridge. It offers a panoramic view. It's pretty amazing during sunset. I think the other trails are closed. In fact, the kayak rentals, the concession stand, and the gift shop are currently closed due to the pandemic. It's spectacular. If you are in the area, go ahead and visit this park. read more

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The ongoing pandemic has definitely taken a toll on a lot of businesses and public places since a consumer's mindset to buy anything outside of essentials or to visit a public place like a park or beach, has crippled down significantly. Now by living with what has become the new normal, it is commendable on how these businesses and public places continue to remain open and cater to the general public by following the safety standards. It is now all the more important that we as customers, support these heroes during these dark hours to mankind. Visiting this park was never on the list until the last minute and what started as a quick stop by turned out to be more than a 3 hour stay at the park. The entrance fee was a nominal $8 per vehicle. We drove to the beach parking area and then walked into the visitor center that had some nice helping staff who voluntarily walked us through the places to see at the park. We started off spotting some beautiful ibis and then took a hike to the iconic railway bridge. The beach has some lovely views and clear water but the sea weeds on the beach were a bit of a huddle to get across to the sand and water, but they also have a board that explains why they are important to the ecosystem. This is a beautiful park and is a must visit if you are visiting the Key West or going out of it. read more

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Amazing sunsets, very clean bathrooms and showers. Exceptionally nice staff. Just an amazing state park must be one of the best in the country. Wonderful boat, dock and ramp with power and water. read more

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Bahia Honda is stunning. We stopped here for a hour on our way down to Key West. Wish we had more time to stay for a little longer because it's absolutely beautiful. We came in May so the water felt amazing and is crystal clear. read more

Bahia Honda State Park - Parks Near Me - Big Pine Key, Florida

Absolutely amazing beach. The water was clear like a swimming pool, could look down and see fish. There are also really nice facilities including a little cafeteria, store, changing rooms, and rentals (chairs, wetsuits, kayaks, etc...) read more

Beautiful spot and not very crowded. The beaches are managed be the state and kept in great condition. Baths and one snack bar. Worth the trip. read more

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As we come to the close of our several week stay here at both Sandspur and Buttonwood campgrounds - we would like to give a HUGE thank you to the volunteers. This review is for them as they are a key component adding to a beautiful state park and campground. Tom, Heidi, Nancy, Randy, Sam and many others were very kind, engaging and helpful. The volunteers work hard to keep the restrooms clean and the sites well maintained making Bajia Honda a beautifully polished natural gem to appreciate and enjoy. read more

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Beautiful park. Fun to explore and swim in. Great views, great water and clean facilities. You can shower and they also have outdoor dressing rooms so you can go about your evening or drive home without being salty lol I highly recommend to relax you can come alone or with friends or family. Some photos attached, I came in the middle of July it was hot and I was able to cool off in the blue waters. Bring snorkel gear there's plenty to see below the surface! read more

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An essential stop on one of America's greatest road trips, Bahia Honda lets you get up close and personal with some of the bluest water you'll see without having to fly to the Caribbean. We made what we thought would be a quick stop on the way from Marathon to Key West, and ended up staying well over an hour. The park's highlight is the old Bahia Honda Bridge, a span of the long-abandoned Henry Flagler railway that offers exceptional views in exchange for a short uphill walk. But the 525-acre state park offers so much more, from kayaking and snorkeling to bird watching and hiking. Swimmers have miles of beautiful beaches to explore, with clean facilities and changing rooms a short walk away. I wish we'd had more time to explore the park during our visit -- Sandspur Beach was closed for reconstruction, and we didn't bring swimsuits or snorkeling gear. But we'll be more prepared on our next trip to take full advantage of the rich lineup of amenities at this fantastic state park. Bahia Honda is truly one of the best spots to soak in the incredible beauty of the Florida Keys, and a MUST for anyone making the scenic drive down U.S. 1. read more

Bahia Honda State Park - The abandoned span of the Flagler Rail Bridge - Parks Near Me - Big Pine Key, Florida

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This is one beautiful beach/park with Crystal clear blue waters. It's a pet and family beach and it's kept very clean I had a great time. It was a beautiful day to be here. I did see some seaweed by the shore but it wasn't much. This beach has a dock, concession stand, changing rooms, showers, bathrooms ( it is really hot inside the bathroom) and a big parking area by the beach and in the back. It has an area with tables great for a picnic. It doesn't have to many tables but it is shady. It's located by the concession stand. I found a path. It lead to a bridge that had been closed. The path was nice. It takes you up. You see the park and plants. It is a nice way to see the beach from a higher point. I would advise to wear shoes NOT flip flops if you are thinking about doing this path. The path is uneven and rocky. I had flip flops and I struggled. It seems this place has plenty of options on things to do other then swim. They used to have camping options as in tents. I hope they still do. read more

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My favorite place on the keys. A paradise and want to rate it one star so nobody goes here and I can keep it to myself! In 2hrs drive from South Miami, this state park can be found after the seven mile bridge on the left hand side. It had a campground too. And they are expanding the park again, rebuilding the park on the North east side. Great beach, kept natural, so sometimes there is sea weed and sometimes its cleaned up. Convenience store and enough parking. A historical bridge you can walk up to and see the island from a 'birds-view'. Bring your snorkel/goggles, a umbrella (some tables have shade) and enjoy a beautiful beach day away from the busy city. Family friendly, entrance fee is $10.50 for 5 people. Opens at 8 am and closes just after sunset. Toilets are on site too, and plenty of grills. Remember to take home your trash and respect the park! read more

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Beautiful stop on the way to key west. Plenty of nice scenery and great spots to take pictures. Water was beautiful. Clean bathrooms and plenty of parking. It was a little crowded with tons of kids if you are looking for quiet. read more

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Nice big park. Could only visit for a short time though. Very crowded and limited parking except by the marina/store. read more