I was sitting at a table at The Tipsy Cow Bar & Grill in Cedar Key, FL enjoying a shrimp quesadilla, which they call a Shrimp-a-dill-a. My day on Cedar Key was the official kickoff to what I have variously called my Homeless Tour of America, My Great Summer Adventure, and the Summer of Lou. I’m still not sure what I’m going to call it, but it was made possible when I sold my house in Wisconsin and bought a new-build home in Tennessee that is not going to be finished until the middle of September. I have to stay somewhere, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to do a little traveling, see family and friends, and enjoy my homelessness.
At the Tipsy Cow, Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” played over the speakers and Baywatch was on the TV near the bar. Lt. Stephanie Holden (played by Alexandra Paul) was being held hostage, and it seemed that even the great Mitch Buchanan (played by the equally great David Hasselhoff) wouldn’t be able to save her. I was enthralled by the show. Between the music and the images on the TV, I was transported back to the much simpler times (at least for me) of the 1980s. But then the server brought my lunch and I decided to let Lt. Holden fend for herself. It was time to eat.
It wasn’t just the music and TV show that made it seem like a throwback to the 80s. The rustic vibe and bohemian charm around Cedar Key made it feel that way too. It was as if I had crossed a bridge and gone back in time.
Cedar Key is located a little over an hour west of Gainesville, FL and about two-and-a-half hours north of St. Petersburg on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The island is home to about 750 people, as well as the Cedar Key National Wildlife Refuge, which itself is home to about 20,000 birds. But those numbers were once much higher. In the mid to late 1800s, Cedar Key was a thriving town of more than 13,000 people, and the area was home to more than 200,000 birds. Today, things are not booming the way they once were for either people or birds on Cedar Key.
Last year, the area was hit by Hurricane Helene, a devastating storm that produced a great deal of destruction along the west coast of Florida. After ravaging the Gulf Coast, Helene then turned inland, made its way across Georgia, and settled into western North Carolina, inundating that region with rain and causing terrible flooding.
Cedar Key experienced a 14-foot storm surge that submerged much of the island, with water making its way into nearly every home and business. The destruction is still visible in many areas, and work continues to repair and rebuild structures across the Key.
I couldn’t help but notice that there are dozens of homes for sale throughout Cedar Key. In some ways, the area feels like a hidden paradise, off the beaten path, but well worth the effort to get there. But below the surface, the island is facing an existential crisis.
Cedar Key’s economy relies on tourist dollars to survive, but since the hurricane, the economy has taken a real hit. Many people have decided to leave, tired of hurricanes (2024 was an especially tough year) and the struggle to earn a living on a remote island. But the bigger culprit in driving people off the island is the cost of homeowners insurance.
Florida’s insurance market is an absolute mess, and Cedar Key—which, after all, is an island that sits barely above sea level—has felt the fallout from the insurance market especially hard. Assuming homeowners on the Key can get insurance, it’s almost always unaffordable. One person I spoke to said that many people are paying more for homeowners insurance each year than the cost of their mortgage.
Despite its struggles, Cedar Key remains a unique destination that is quaint, laid-back, and has an Old Florida feel. In contrast to many of Florida’s tourist areas, which are commercial and often overrun, Cedar Key harkens back to a time gone by, when life was slower, more friendly, and less crowded. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, and boutique shops, but there aren’t hundreds of things to do, like in other areas of Florida. There are no amusement parks or massive miniature golf courses. No outlet malls or chain restaurants. What there is is water, and lots of it. Boating swimming, fishing, lying on the beach, and birding on nearby islands are the area’s strong suit.
During my visit, I took a boat tour with Captain Doug’s Cedar Key Tours. Captain Doug Maple left Georgia 25 years ago to enjoy the natural splendor of the inland. He is a graduate of the University of Florida’s Master Naturalist Program, and he enjoys sharing his knowledge of the Island and its history with guests.
Our first stop was Atsena Otie Key. The Key is part of the Cedar Key Natural Wildlife Refuge and once served as home to the cedar trees that were made into pencils for the Faber Pencil Company. The company ran a sawmill on the island and shipped cut cedar planks north to New York. The planks were then whittled down, matched with graphite imported from Europe, and made into pencils that were sold around the world. Today, the Faber-Castell Pencil Company is the largest manufacturer of pencils on the planet.
In contrast to the Pencil Company’s success, Atsena Otie Key has become a ghost town. Once home to nearly 200 people, today, no one lives on the Key. The reason for that is that, in 1896, the homes and the Faber Pencil Company sawmill were destroyed by a powerful hurricane. Few people decided to remain on the island after the storm, and the Faber Pencil Company decided that there weren’t enough cedar trees left to make rebuilding the sawmill worthwhile. In 1923, the island was purchased for $500 by a private party, and in 1997, it was sold to the Suwanee River Management District (SRMD). The SRMD entered into an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage the island as part of the Cedar Key National Wildlife Refuge.
Today, visitors are allowed to use the beach on Atsena Otie Key and can take advantage of the hiking trails, but are otherwise prohibited from accessing the interior of the island. The same rules also apply to nearby Snake Key. However, during bird nesting season (March – June), access to the island is strictly prohibited. I found Snake Key especially interesting. We saw several different types of birds from the boat, including frigatebirds, roseate spoonbills, white ibis, cormorants, snowy egrets, great blue heron, and brown pelicans.
Snake Key has an interesting history, which includes once being used as a quarantine island for ships making their way to unload cargo on Cedar Key. Ships first had to stop on Snake Key to make sure they didn’t carry disease onto Cedar Key. Any sailors found to be ill were treated at a hospital on the island.
At one time, Seahorse Key was used as a military infirmary, and during the Second Seminole War (1835-1842), the island was home to a detention camp for enemy combatants. As Cedar Key became more of a shipping destination, a lighthouse was constructed on Seahorse Key. The lighthouse still stands today, but is no longer operated as a lighthouse. Instead, it is used by the University of Florida to house students who are conducting research in and around Cedar Key. In fact, several students were in the area collecting samples while I was in town.
After my day on the water, it was time for a drink. I stopped by Steamers Clam Bar and Grill and ordered a beer. After being out in the heat and sun, it tasted especially good and went down fast. So, I ordered another. My bartender, Mary, was only too happy to accommodate my request.
I was in the mood for seafood (after all, I was on an island in the Gulf of Mexico), and knew I wanted to try Steamer’s clam chowder. I knew the clams would be fresh because Cedar Key is home to several clam farming operations. But when it came time to order dinner, I forgot to order the chowder. Instead, I ordered a combo platter with blackened grouper, grilled scallops, and grilled shrimp. It was delicious, and with a side salad and sweet potato waffle fries, I had plenty to eat. Even so, I feel like I really missed out by not getting the clam clowder.
Steamers was not shut down because of Hurricane Helene, but that isn’t as good as it sounds. Less than a week before Helene hit Cedar Key, the building where Steamers used to be located on Dock St. was destroyed by a fire (the building is currently for sale). Along with Steamers, Duncan’s on the Gulf, the Rusty Hook Bait Shop, and the Island Trading Post were also destroyed. When Helene arrived, Steamers hadn’t yet relocated to their current location on 2nd St. In other words, they weren’t operating when the island was hit by Helene. I’m not sure if that’s a blessing or not, but it may have allowed the casual restaurant to begin the healing process more quickly than other area businesses.
After dinner, I had another beer. I wish I could remember what brand it was. All I remember is that it was a blonde ale and it was very good.
With the end of the beer came the end of my day on Cedar Key. I have to say, I really enjoyed my visit, but I’m not certain everyone would like it as much as I did. Cedar Key is quiet, laidback, and unrushed. Not everyone finds that type of atmosphere attractive. I do, and I very much would like to visit again to enjoy all that Cedar Key has to offer. And next time I’m on the island, I’ll be sure to get the clam chowder at Steamers.
