Pigeon Key, is a small key that you’ve likely never heard of. If you’re traveling the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys, when you get to the Seven Mile Bridge, you should take the time to visit this island that sits under a dazzling blue sky and is surrounded by turquoise waters. So, as you’re traveling along the Seven Mile Bridge, stuck behind somebody going 5 miles under the speed limit. When you are just south of Marathon if you look off of the west side of the bridge there’s a little-known tourist attraction. And no, I’m not talking about Fred the Tree.

The Overseas Highway

There are 800 keys in the Florida chain of islands. Of course, everyone knows the big ones, Key West, Key Largo, and Marathon, (which is really just a municipality for a bunch of keys grouped together). The Overseas Highway connects them all.

The Overseas Highway that connects the Florida Keys to the mainland is full of history. When Henry Flagler opened it in 1912 as a railroad (he wanted to take advantage of Key West’s deep-water ports), it was considered the eighth wonder of the world. Construction lasted for 7 years and employed thousands of workers on a 100 mile plus railway. At the time, the only way to get around the keys was by boat, so there had to be somewhere convenient to house those workers, enter Pigeon Key.

If you’ve ever had the white-knuckle pleasure of crossing the Seven Mile Bridge pre 1981 you would know that the bridge was only 22 feet wide for two lanes of traffic with no shoulders. Fortunately for drivers, they replaced that bridge with a modern, wider, bridge. And even more fortunately for you, they refurbished the old one and now you can walk, bike, or even take a trolley train to Pigeon Key.

After you’ve been through Pigeon Key, pay a visit to Bahia Honda State Park for fantastic camping, beaches, and reef tours.

Pigeon Key History

Pigeon Key was first set up for construction personnel in 1908 and could house up to 250 workers in a combination of fixed buildings and tents. Construction lasted until 1912, after that the key was turned into a maintenance/bridge-tender camp. It even housed a post office for a brief period. After the 1935 hurricane wiped out the railroad, the state bought the right of way and transformed the railroad into a highway. The state pretty much just laid concrete on the railroad R.O.W. so you were driving on a very narrow bridge with no shoulders. Imagine driving your 1972 Chrysler New Yorker in a rainstorm on a narrow bridge and a truck bearing down on you!

After the highway was completed in 1938, Pigeon Key went through various iterations of government property; toll road headquarters, research facilities, and Coast Guard barracks to name a few. The current seven-mile bridge which runs parallel to the old bridge was opened in 1982. In 1990 the National Register of Historic Places designated Pigeon Key as an historic district.

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Tours of Pigeon Key

Today it’s known as Pigeon Key and Marine Science Center and is a non-profit organization. They have youth summer camps and offer daily tours. While there are buildings on the island, there are only a few full-time people that stay on the island.

Summer camps allow students to stay overnight for up to 4 nights. Students are immersed in the marine environment that surrounds the island and are given background knowledge with fun activities. While this sounds like a great time for anybody, unfortunately for adults the camp is only for ages 10-16.

But, fortunately for everyone, Pigeon Key is open daily for tours, picnics, snorkeling, and just hanging out. There are four tours daily. If you take the trolley, it’ll cost you $30, you can save a few bucks if you’re a local or veteran. Child tickets are $25. You can purchase tickets here and catch the trolley here.

If you want to walk or bike, there is a small parking lot at the entrance, but you better get there early or be willing to wait for a spot to open up. Luckily parking spots turn over fairly often. There is also another parking lot about 1/4 mile north of the bridge. This is where you park if you’re taking the trolley or riding a bike.

The walk to Pigeon Key from the parking lot is two miles, so make sure that you hydrate before and during your walk or bike. You’ll want to keep an eye on the water below as you traverse the bridge, from there you can see sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, and other marine life. Notice the guard rails as you’re crossing the bridge, yes, those are the original railroad tracks the have been repurposed. Once you get to the island, admission is $15 for adults and $12 for kids, 3 and under are free. Again, veterans and locals save a couple of dollars, so don’t forget your ID.

Tours take you through the buildings, and the great staff elaborate on the history of the island. The tour includes the history of the 11 buildings that are still standing, displays, and artifacts. Bonus, if you take the 1 pm tour you can feed the sharks!

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Pigeon Key is a great place to stop on your way to Key West! Check out our ultimate guide to Key West here!

Enjoy the Day on Pigeon Key

Once you’re on the island you can explore on your own. Venture out and enjoy the stunning views from the dock. Better yet, bring your own snorkel gear and take a dip in the amazingly clear waters. From under the water or above it, you’ll see a variety of marine life that call Pigeon Key home.

There are tables and benches if you want to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it while the island breeze keeps you cool. Bring a blanket and your bathing suit and enjoy hanging out near the water. Don’t forget your fishing pole and license so you can fish from the dock. Sorry, catch and release only, so make sure that you get a pic of that record breaking tarpon before you throw it back in.

One last thing, dogs aren’t allowed, so you’ll have to leave Rusty at home.

Pigeon Key opens at 9.30 am, they don’t even mind if you stay the whole day, they just want you gone by 4:30. There is a gate that they close once the last trolley for the day leaves. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the sunset from the bridge. Unpack those chairs that you brought and enjoy what is sure to be a spectacular sunset.

Want to know more about the Florida Keys? We’ve got you covered right here with Adventure Florida Keys.

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About an hour south of Miami lies the first recognized underwater park in the U.S. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, located in Key Largo. Comprised of 70 nautical miles of tropical hammocks, mangrove swamps, and spectacular coral reefs. The park is teeming with marine life and covered by picturesque turquoise waters. Guests from all over come to enjoy kayaking, snorkeling, birding, short hikes, glass bottom boat tours, and of course, beaches! Don’t worry about leaving at the end of the day, bring your tent, RV, or boat and stay at the campgrounds near the marina. Oh, and don’t forget to stop by the visitor center and check out the 30,000-gallon(!) aquarium.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Backstory

In the 1950s a marine biologist and a newspaper editor teamed up to save the third largest living coral reef in the world from destruction. Dr. Gilbert Voss of the Marine Institute of Miami was tired of the destruction that was taking place on the reef. Vendors were hammering out coral any way they could to sell to tourists, seashells and sponges were disappearing (not literally disappearing, really just being taken by tourists to put on shelves so they could show their neighbors in the middle of winter that they’d been to Florida) at an alarming rate. Even the seahorses weren’t safe, they were being rounded up and sold to try to keep up with the crazy back-of-the-comic-book seahorse trade, presumably. No word on what happened to the sea monkey families.

Dr. Voss along with other conservationists teamed up with the Miami Herald editor John Pennekamp. John Pennekamp was a well know conservationist himself who was key in helping to establish Everglades National Park in 1947. With the help of a major newspaper calling out the destruction to the reef and the other conservationists doing what conservationist do, the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials designated a 75 square mile of Florida’s coastline as a protected area. In 1960 President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed the area Key Largo Coral Reef Preserve. By the end of 1960 the Governor of Florida decided that that name didn’t have enough letters in it, so he changed it to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The park was officially opened in 1963 to the public.

Bahia Honda is another state park in the Keys that you should definitely visit. Read about it here.

Visitor Center

Before you go running to the beach, take time to check out the Visitor Center at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Here you can interact with the rangers and volunteers. Ask them any question and they have to answer you (just keep it to questions about the park)! If you can’t get the information out of the volunteers, there is an auditorium that plays nature videos that you can watch and learn from. Around the room there are smaller aquariums with live coral and an assortment of smaller fish. In the middle of the room is the big attraction, their 30,000-gallon aquarium. Floor to ceiling this aquarium allows you to come face to face with the bigger reef fish, and you can stay dry while you do it.

Scuba, Snorkeling, and Boat Tours

Yes, the park offers great opportunities for all three! Daily boat tours for snorkeling and glass bottom boat tours for sightseeing on some of the most beautiful and vibrant reefs in the world. The park is located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the waters and reefs are protected so don’t grab that lobster (unless it’s lobster season and you have a permit) to take back to the campground for dinner. That goes for pretty much anything else that you see in the water.

Scuba

Want to get up and close with the Christ of the Abyss statue but you can’t hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. Hop on over to the dive shop by the marina and they can set you up with anything that you need. They offer lessons, gear rental, and tours for all, from the most inexperienced wannabe diver to seasoned pros. Whatever your needs are they will be able to meet them, and you’ll be hanging around the reef like one of the fish in no time.

Boats go out twice a day and the water depths vary from 15-50 feet. The cost is $105 for two tank/two location dives. Equipment can be rented for $40 if you book a tour. The reefs they visit include:

• French Reef
• Molasses Reef
• Snapper Ledge
• Benwood Wreck
• Carysfort Reef Lighthouse

All reservations need to be made online. See link above, or for more information call (305) 451-6300. If you need a refresher, or you want to learn how to scuba dive, they have lessons and programs that include non-certification dives all the way to a PADI Advanced Open Water course.

There is spectacular scuba diving in Key West, check out 9 Awesome Things to do in Key West.

Snorkeling

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The snorkeling tours leave approximately five times a day so you should have no problem catching one that suits your schedule. The tours are approximately 2 1/2 hours long, with 1 1/2 hours of in water time getting up close and personal with the reef fish. You can get on the big boat for $49.95 with the other visitors, or you can spring for a personal guide for you and a group of up to six. Bring your own gear or rent from the park, the price for the boat includes a safety vest but no snorkeling equipment.

Don’t want to be stuck snorkeling next to Lady Fannie from Omaha? Spring for a personal water guide for $120 plus $70 for each additional snorkeler, up to a group of six. Don’t forget that there are going to be taxes added on to those prices. To make reservations click on this handy link here.

If you don’t want to waste that 30 minutes on the boat to get to the reef, you can snorkel from the beaches. You’ll want to wear water shoes or something similar because the bottom can get a little rough. The bad news is the water isn’t as clear as it would be snorkeling the outer reefs due to the fact that it’s within the Largo Sound and not the open ocean. But the good news is that the water is calm and there’s still plenty to see in the sea grass, plus you don’t have to worry about any sharks sneaking up on you. Bonus, at Cannon Beach there are artifacts from a 1700s shipwreck just offshore.

Glass Bottom Boat Tour

Have you ever thought “if only there was a way to see these beautiful reefs with all the marine life surrounding them and not get wet”? Well, if that’s more your style, climb aboard the Spirit of Pennekamp. It’s a 65′ high-speed catamaran that’ll whisk you the 3-8 miles to the offshore reefs in comfort. You can put your worries away because the tours are under the dreaded 3-hour limit at 2 1/2 hours. You can enjoy the views of various shallow reefs along with 129 of your closest friends and never get a drop of water on you.

The 2 1/2 hour tours leave John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park three times a day and costs $55 for adults and $30 for ages 4-11. Making reservations is easy, just click here and pick your date and time, and give them your money.

Beaches

There are two relatively small beaches at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Cannon Beach and Far Beach. They are not on the ocean, but rather the Largo Sound. So, your tradeoff is that you get calm, shallow waters to swim in, but it’s not the clear turquoise waters associated with the Florida Keys. Both have convenient facilities nearby.

Cannon Beach is the most popular of the two, canons from the 17th century are located on either side of the beach. Snorkelers will find artifacts from a 17th century shipwreck about 100 feet offshore as well.

Far Beach is located on the far side of the park (see what they did there?). There’s a little more shade on Far beach, and it also has a mat installed across the beach for wheelchair accessibility.

Kayaks, Canoes, and Paddleboards

Bring whatever you’ve got, there are fantastic mangrove trails to explore. The kayak launch is just over the bridge to the left. Calm and clear waters in the 2 1/2 miles of trails allow you to see a variety of marine life. Bring your snorkel gear with you and jump in the water to really get up close and personal. Sting rays, Mangrove Snappers, and Manatees are frequent sightings. Keep an eye out in the mangrove trees as there will be plenty of shorebirds such as Herons, Egrets, and Osprey to view. You can’t fit your kayak into your Ford Fiesta, you say? Don’t worry, they rent kayaks and canoes, along with life vests, and snorkel gear. Pro tip: if you bring your own kayak, ask at the kayak rental stand for a map of the kayak trails.

You can also kayak and paddleboard in the Sound, protected waters keep the waves down, just look out for diver down flags as there can be snorkelers out there.

Interested in Kayaking closer to Miami? Biscayne Bay is a fabulous place to kayak. Here is where to launch your kayak.

Camping at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

There are 42 campsites that you can reserve, if you’re fast enough that is. Campsites go quickly and they sell out far in advance. The best way that I’ve found is to either be completely flexible and check availability a couple of times a week, or you can make reservations 6 to 9 months in advance. The Florida State Park reservation website is here, or call 800-325-3521 and speak to a real person, no word on how long the hold time is though.

All sites have electric, with water and sewer hookups for you RV’ers. There are picnic tables and grills at all the sites. There are two bathrooms with showers located within the campgrounds.

You can also stay at the marina overnight in your boat. Slips are available, or you can anchor to a mooring buoy in the Sound. Just make sure to check in and pay at the marina.

Boating

The majority of the park is underwater, 72 square nautical miles of ocean, so bringing a boat will really open up John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park to you. There’s a boat ramp at the marina, it’s $10 to use it. The marina also rents power boats in four-hour and eight-hour intervals.

Hiking

There are two-short nature trails to hike in the park, the Wild Tamarind trail and the Grove trail. There is a third trail, a boardwalk that cuts through the mangrove, but it is closed for repairs right now.

The Wild Tamarind trail starts in the hardwood hammock and spits you out in a citrus grove. It’s six-tenths of a mile long and winds through tropical hardwood trees. When you get to the citrus grove, park yourself on a bench and check out the butterflies that visit the grove.

The Grove trail is half as long, it’s a three-tenths of a mile loop. Keep your eye out for native species that live in the forests of the Florida Keys. Bonus, a lot of the trees have plaques in front of them explaining their value to the area and information about the tree.

Fishing

Fishing is allowed from the shore in the park at designated areas, and of course you can fish from a boat. But be sure to check with the park rangers first because the park is in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and there may be protected areas. A saltwater fishing license is required.

Park Store

Don’t forget to pick up some souvenirs to remind you of your trip when you’re stuck inside in January and it’s 15 degrees outside. You’ll find local artwork to hang on the walls, t-shirts, hats, and swimsuits. Also, if you forgot anything, pretty much all that you need for the day can be found in the store. Sunscreen, drybags, flip flops, snorkel gear, and beach towels are all available.

Come and see what you’ve been missing. With over 600 species of fish, multiple types of shorebirds, and 70 species of coral in 70 nautical miles of crystal-clear turquoise ocean, you’re sure to see something new every time you visit.

For more information on the Florida Keys, check out Adventure Florida Keys right HERE!

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What do crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches, campgrounds, fishing, snorkeling, boating, an old railroad bridge, and picturesque sunsets have in common? They all come perfectly together in Bahia Honda State Park.

Located at mile marker 37 (almost to Key West!) on Bahia Honda Key. Bahia Honda is Spanish for “deep bay” because of the deep water surrounding the island. The state park has three separate campgrounds, three beaches, and one very old, spectacular bridge.

Heading to Key West after you visit Bahia Honda and need some ideas of what to do? The Ultimate Guide to Key West is right here!

Campgrounds

Good news, you can conveniently make reservations on the Florida State Parks website. Or you can call 800-326-3521 and actually talk to someone. Bad news, notice that I said conveniently and not easily. That’s because when you go to book your campsite, unless you’re booking 6 months in advance, you’ll see a wall of red X’s. That means that there aren’t any campsites available. So, you can do what I do (because who has time to plan 6 months in advance?) and check for cancellations weekly and hop on them when they become available. Or you can call the above number and set up your reservations that way.

Buttonwood

On the west side of the island Buttonwood is the largest of the campgrounds with 48 RV and tent camping sites that provide power and water, showers are available in a centrally located building. The campsites here are big and nicely wooded. There are approximately 15 campsites that are directly on the water.

Bayside

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Bayside Campground, also on the west side has 8 “primitive” (primitive because they don’t have electricity, and no, you can’t bring a generator) campsites and 6 cabins that you can rent. The cabins are directly on the lagoon, while the tent sites are across the gravel road from the lagoon. The lagoon is about 30 feet deep and was made when they when they quarried out the limestone to build the Overseas Highway. There is a nice, clean bathroom and dishwashing sink conveniently located near the campsites and all the campsites have running water.

Sandspur

Sandspur Campground is north of the park entrance. Sandspur campground is on the Atlantic side of the park and offers 23 tent and camper sites. Restrooms and showers are available. 19 are on the water, and they have electricity.

Boat Camping

That’s right, bring your boat and tie up at the marina. You can rent a slip with fresh water and electricity for your stay for up to two weeks. While you’re relaxing under your bimini in the afternoon, be sure to keep an eye out for the manatee that likes to swim in the marina.

Beaches

There are three main beaches in Bahia Honda State Park, one is on the Florida Bay side, and two are on the Atlantic side. Loggerhead and Calusa beach are on the southern end of the island, and the cool thing about this is that they’re just right across the street from each other. Where else can you jump in the Atlantic Ocean and five minutes later be cooling your heels in the Florida Bay? They both have white sandy beaches, incredibly clear water, and are perfect for swimming and snorkeling.

Loggerhead Beach

On the Atlantic side, Loggerhead Beach is the longer of the two. While it might look narrow near the parking lot, there is plenty of room to stretch out south below the bridge, or north of the parking lot. Right off the beach the water is shallow, and the sandy bottom is great for sitting on and cooling down on those hot days.

Be sure to bring your snorkel gear because beyond the sand you’ll find great snorkeling. Hidden in the sea grass are conch shells, star coral and a host of tropical fish including but not limited to, barracudas, angel fish, hog fish, and stingrays. Forgot your gear, or don’t have any? No problems, head across the street to the gift shop and you can purchase or rent any gear that you need. They even have underwater cameras for purchase, so you don’t have to wonder whether that “watertight” case that you bought off of Wish for your iPhone is really watertight.

Kayaks can be rented at the concession stand/gift shop. The kayaks are located north of the beach parking lot. Just drag one out to the water (after you pay for it) and you can kayak all the way around the key if you’re up to it. Just stay away from the designated swimming areas. Be careful around the bridges though, there are a lot of strong currents that’ll mess up your day if you get caught in them.

Sandspur Beach

Located on the northeast side of the island, sandy beaches and crystal-clear water, invite you in and the balmy breeze keeps you there.

Calusa Beach

On the Florida Bay side of the island of Bahia Honda State Park is Calusa Beach. It’s similar to Loggerhead Beach but you get views of two bridges from this beach. You can work on your tan on the beach while the kids are building sandcastles. When it’s time to cool off just jump in the water. Haha fooled you! If you’re there in August, that water’s warm! In that case grab your snorkel gear and head to deeper cooler water and check out the underwater sights.

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The Old Overseas Railroad Bridge at Bahia Honda State Park

Built by Henry Flagler and completed in 1912, the Overseas Railroad connected Key West to mainland Florida. It was such an engineering feat that it was known as the eighth wonder of the world. Before that the only way to get to anywhere in the Keys was by boat. This opened up Key West and the other Keys for tourism and fishing charters.

The railway was in use until 1935 when a Labor Day hurricane did a number on it and rendered it unusable. The State of Florida purchased it and converted it into the Overseas Highway. The bridge in Bahia Honda State Park was used for automobile traffic until 1972 when they opened up the new four lane bridge that you drive over today.

There is a trail to the top of the old bridge where you can watch amazing sunsets, get a spectacular view of the Atlantic, or just watch the boats wander by. Fun fact: the top of the bridge is where the cars used to drive, the train tracks were actually on the lower level. The structure was too narrow for two lanes of cars, so they just poured concrete on top of the old bridge structure.

Snorkeling and Snorkeling Tours

Bahia Honda State Park has clear blue water surrounding it that is fantastic for snorkeling. You can literally walk out to the seagrass put your face in the water (don’t forget your snorkel and goggles!) and you’ll be immersed in a tropical wonder. Spiny lobster, soft corals, queen conch, puffer fish and stingrays, just to name a few. Just a reminder, everything is protected so when you spy that perfect conch shell for the shelf in your bathroom, don’t pick it up!

Want to get away from the island and do some real reef snorkeling, maybe even see a shark? Then head on over to the concession and sign up for the Looe Key snorkel trip. After a short ride out to Looe Key, you’ll be unleashed to snorkel your heart out for 1 1/2 hours in 5 feet to 70 feet of water. It’s relatively inexpensive and it’s a great time for the family.

Kayaking

There are two boat ramps at the marina that you can put in at, or you can launch off of Loggerhead Beach. Steer clear of the swimming areas and you’ll be alright. Kayak along the shoreline and see a ton of birds as it’s located along Florida’s Great Birding Trail. Of course, due to the crystal-clear waters there are plenty of fish to view. Once you’ve had your fill of fish and birds then you can head to the south end of the island and get a great closeup of the bridge. You might even get to kayak alongside the local manatee.

Depending on the weather you might have to choose one side or the other. If the conditions are perfect, then either side will do. Just remember that the tides and current under the railroad bridge can be tricky, so unless you’re a seasoned kayaker steer clear. Even if you are a seasoned kayaker, keep a heads up because debris has been known to fall from the bridge. Bring your own kayak or you can rent one at… you guessed it, the concession.

Fishing

Tarpon, Barracuda and grouper are popular sportfish in the area. You can fish from the shoreline in many places. Bring a boat and you can get close to bridges and deeper water for the big fish. There are also many charter boats in the area waiting to take you out.

Stargazing While You’re Camping at Bahia Honda State Park

Where is the darkest location in the Keys for scoping out the stars? Why, it’s right here in Bahia Honda! Check out their two stargazing programs and view the skies under perfect circumstances with knowledgeable people. Or just look up in the sky when night falls and you will be amazed.

If you’re going to be in the Miami area, don’t forget to check out our guide to Kayaking in Biscayne Bay.

You don’t have to be camping, or just there for the day enjoying the great beaches around the island to take advantage of Bahia Honda. If you’re passing through on your way to Key West, do yourself a favor, bring a picnic lunch and park yourself at one of the many picnic tables and pavilions scattered around. Sit down enjoy your lunch as you take in the wonderful scenery of the park.

For more fun things to do in the Florida Keys, check out Adventure Florida Keys right Here!

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