Bahia Honda State Park

This wasn’t a planned pit stop on our venture to Key West on the Overseas Highway. We happened upon it while driving and opted to check it out. This was possibly one of the best decision of the 5 day trip I have down there. It’s practically unspoiled beach that isn’t flooded with tourists during this time of year. In fact there were very few people in here during our perfect clear day with a cool 70 degrees in early February.
There is a $ 9 charge to get into the park, but some VERY UNEXPECTED generous people in front of us paid our cover into the park. By the time we got in after speaking to the park ranger who was taking admissions they had already left and got lost in the park never giving us the proper chance to thank them.
My friend John and I strolled up and down the beaches taking photos and occasionally dipping our feet in the water, but mostly staying on the shore line. It wasn’t swimming weather — at least not for these two who truly hoping it would be! The water is SO blue. I could see this being a really great place to camp (which is an option) and romantic strolls in the twilight or dawn hours.
It offers many walking trails including one to the old railroad bridge that was once bustling with activity when it was first trying to draw people to the Keys. It is now defunct.
Shell hunters will find paradise here with a huge abundance of shells. Unfortunately no conch shells, but you’ll find everything else.
Nature lovers and beach enthusiasts — this is the place for you! Keep your clothes on too. This is not a clothing optional beach to my great disappointment.

If your in the southern keys please take a day to stop at mile marker 37 Bahia Honda State Park (45 min prior to key west off coastal hwy). It’s the best $ 8 (per car) you’ll ever spend. If you have kids its perfect for off beach snorkeling so bring your snorkel masks & noodles. They have charcoal grills with pavilions so you can grill for the day. They also have an indoor concession stand, showers, changing area, bathrooms and gift shop. You can also take the tour up to the broken bridge. You can rent kayaks and do a boat trip out to Looe Key which I hear is the best snorkeling around. We absolutely love it here and have visited several times. Last stop at Bahia Honda we saw a bunch of wild manatees in the marina. The kids went crazy!

Awesome place! Beautiful crystal clear water. We learned that all Florida state parks do not allow drone so… Just FYI. :)

We drove the 45 mins from Key West for an afternoon on the beach at Bahia Honda State Park. Pronounced BAY-​ah HON-​da. Admission for 2 with car is $ 9.
Pluses:
* You park few feet from the beach
* Water is as calm as a pond, and shallow as far out as I could see
* Public changing area with outdoor fresh water shower
* Certainly pretty, and you can walk to a private area if you wish.
No real gripes. The beach is narrow but long (2+ miles), and sand is fairly hard. Since we are tourists from out of town, we lacked chairs and umbrella – would have changed the whole experience and that’s no fault of Bahia Honda State Park
Tip: For best experience, bring chairs and maybe an umbrella to make your own shade.

I’m not sure how you could ever rate this beautiful place as anything less than 5-​stars. We camped here for 4 nights over the Thanksgiving break and got *super* lucky to piecemeal 4 consecutive nights at 4 separate spots. Amenities for camping here are incredible: warm water in the bath houses, well kept and private camping spots in primo locations, beautiful walking trails, etc. The only, small, downside were the park staff and volunteers who seem a little bitter about dealing with tourists day in day out… they just aren’t the most friendly and expect the worst of people. I started jokingly referring to them as the fun police when I heard their little golf carts scooting our way in the campground. I’m sure they are well meaning and I’m sure they deal with all sorts of crap from people but approaching everyone as though they are breaking every posted rule (with no evidence to demonstrate this) is a little much. It’s a little bit of a bummer but not enough to discredit that this place is beauty incarnate. We had no problems with bugs (good time of year) that many of the reviews speak to. If you expect the beach to be raked and perfectly landscaped, please don’t bother coming here. It is a state park which means that, *gasp*, they keep the seaweed on the beach to allow it to reenter the ecosystem as a carbon and nitrogen source for beach vegetation. Should a non-​manicured beach be a deal breaker for you: There is a lovely resort just one island south that can provide crystal clean, imported white sand complete with non-​native palm trees for the bargain price of $ 1500 per night ;)

We passed the park a year again and decided to try our luck at the cabin. They are affordable and booked one year out but there was a cancelation for a night which we grabbed! We live about 3 hours away so it’s not a bad ride! Mother Nature did not cooperate with us that night. We drove down in rain, got there it was raining and rained on the way home. Above all the park is incredible, beautiful secluded beaches and amazing water! Picture perfect! The cabin was ok, clean except for a few baby roaches which are understandable for a cabin kitchen. The beds were doubles and very comfortable. It’s very basic and if the weather was nice it would have been a place just to sleep. There is also a deck with a picnic table which was nice! If you are heading to the cabin bring some comfortable chairs to sit outside. There is a bench but it’s hard resin and not comfortable! It’s a beautiful park and we’ll visit again but next time we’ll stay elsewhere and just visit for the day

Very-​very good beach! No many people, sandy beach, clean water! We were positively surprised. First we went to Smathers beach that was not perfect for those who like swimming: water was full of plants. But Smathers beach was pretty good to see sunset and … many marriages!

We came tent camping here on a Sunday night in early November. We stayed at site #18, with an amazing view of the sunset and the old Bahia Bridge. U.S. 1 is also nearby and was pretty loud at night (bring a fan). I thought the bugs wouldn’t be too bad in November, but I was wrong. The bugs will eat you alive! Mosquitos and NoSeeums. Make sure you have deet with you, that is the only thing that works for the NoSeeums. The state park is beautiful! Lots of walking trails and amazing sandy beaches. They have rental equipment for snorkeling, kayaking, etc. There were a lot of RV campers and everyone was nice and friendly. It’s a laid back and beautiful place. I highly recommend visiting!

This my favorite place to stay while in the Keys! All the campers are friendly. If your a beginner at snorkeling it’s a must! You can out 10−100ft and only be in 1 – 8 ft of water. Can’t wait to schedule my next visit!

If you just wanna swim and hang out at the beach, this a great place that is inexpensive. At $ 9 for the two of us we hung out on the clean sandy (some shells and rocks but not much at all!) beach and mellowed out.
We rented snorkeling gear and while it was very cheap, there isn’t much to see and the water isn’t very clear. Skip the dive shop rentals here and just enjoy the water.
This is a great place to bring kids, the water is super clear and shallow!

This was a beautiful beach with white, white sand and clear beautiful water. Very clean and not too crowded when we went in September.
Very surprised at the expanse of the Beach area and size of the Park.

Had I known I could easily get in the water and snorkel we would have spent all day! What a beautiful beach and park. I loved the bridge from both the top view and going down below it. Great spot to watch a sunset, too! You can easily spend a day out here with snorkeling, kayaking and just beaching it!

I went camping here. Holy flying spaghetti monster, those sand fleas were vicious! Word of caution, take bug spray! I’d rather be swimming with the alligators in the everglades than dealing with these monsters.
We got a beach front camping spot. The sunset was amazing, the sunrise was even better. There’s a spot to grill and a picnic table, so plenty of room to lay accessories out and have a meal. A nice little addition, which I didn’t expect, was that there is a central shower/​bathroom area with WARM water. I felt like I was at the Four Seasons of campgrounds.
We found a great beach spot near the last parking area on the Atlantic side. Go through the botanical garden, follow the last trail to the beach. We were able to find a pretty isolated and clean portion of the beach, and walked out about two football fields on the sandbars. What a great experience! This was the only decent beach I was able to find on the keys.
I gave it ⁴⁄₅ because of the sand fleas and there were a few pieces of trash on the beach.

Traveling to the Florida Keys? Bahia Honda is very well maintained state park (small fee to get in) with crystal clear water, beautiful beaches, good snorkeling, camping and gorgeous views! The best beach in the South of Florida!!!

I love Bahia Honda. This is a place of reflection. A place where you can see the sunset from an incredible height. Its a place filled with nostalgia. It truly separates the old from the new. It is located on the broken 7 mile bridge. This state park offers some hiking and great fishing. The place is not over fished so you can really take a trophy home.
Bahia Honda is a really nice state park which has beaches (remember, you’re in the Keys and there aren’t large beaches), a butterfly garden (only saw a couple), store, bathrooms, trails, etc. The cost is minimal ($ 4 per person), has plenty of parking and while the beaches aren’t big, they are nice and more importantly lead into the warm Atlantic (or calm gulf). What’s nice about Bahia Honda is that while you have to pay to see a beach, you are supporting the Florida State Parks, there are bathrooms (and changing facilities), showers and parking (and because there’s a fee they aren’t overly crowded. Snorkeling is good, although a shark showed up while we were there. If you are looking for a secluded, relaxing day, then definitely try Bahia Honda and learn about it’s history while soaking up the sun.
It was funny to see so many bathing campers and leasure tourist and not even six feet from them i was hooking a huge moray who went after my bait. Beware!
They even have gorgeous log cabins that can be rented to spend the night. Located by a lagoon it’s the perfect getaway. Make sure to reserve with at least three months in advance. Make sure that when you visit on the west side of the island by the beach, there is a gorgeous palm tree. It is crooked and it has been growing crooked since it was just sprouting from the ground. It is a sight at sunset to look at it. Make sure you visit or at least check out the pics. Happy camping.

We must have went to the wrong part of the park, because the beach sucked. It was about 4 feet of crumby sand, huge piles of seaweed filled with sea lice, then dirty brown water. We were on the ocean side.
The only redeeming quality was the sand bars. We were able to walk out a few hundred feet and only be up to our knees.
Not sure the next time we will pay to come back.

Since we saw everywhere this is a place to go, we decided to try. You have to pay 9 $ entry fees (at least) to enter in Bahia Honda State park but IT DEFINITLY WORTH IT!!!
The park offers several beaches. We choose sandpur beach and what a spot ! You feel like you are in the caribean. White sand, azur water, palm tree … the only negative point is the very strong salt and algae odor

If you are traveling down to the Keys treat yourself to one day in paradise, this is by far the most beautiful place in the Keys. A lot of people don’t realize that there are very limited access to beaches in the Florida Key if you pass this one by you will have missed the best of the best.
Bahia Honda State Park offers everything you need, a pristine beach with soft white sand, warm crystal clear water, coral reefs and an abundance of sea life to view with or without snorkeling gear. If your able to pull yourself away from the water there are hiking trails, miles of biking opportunities, visit the old Flagler Railroad bridge this is truly an amazing sight all by itself. There is plenty of parking, concessions, showers, cabins, camping. Are you getting the picture yet? If not look at the pictures posted or go to the parks website.
I am so fortunate to live within a few hours drive and can come here year round this place rivals a lot of the vacation islands I’ve visited. Bahia Honda State Park is one reason I always purchase the annual Florida State Park pass with the Monroe County stamp, it quickly pays for itself.

Had our Christmas picnic lunch here! There isn’t much sand if you’re looking to hang out on the beach. But it’s clean and there’s bathrooms and it’s beautiful!

I go to Florida pretty often and only about 6 years ago did I finally discover this place. I did a look up online to find out what some of the best beaches in the USA were and this place came up. Bahia Honda… so naturally I was intrigued and being not that far from Miami I had wanted to see this place.
This place is about a half hour to 45 minute drive out of Key West but each time I’ve ever gone it was a stop on the way down, not on the way up. This is a state park and you have to pay a small nominal fee to get in.
The first time we went we went to the south facing beach which was very quiet, calm and hardly anybody around. This area has a lot of seaweed and it seems the beach is not groomed but the nature is amazing. The water is very shallow regardless if you are out 100 feet from the beach. Every time I’ve ever come here the water has been so calm, like a pool and it’s surprising there were no waves at all. I’m not sure if it’s always like this or just the times we have been but I’ve never seen any movement of water really.
The other few times we have gone have been to the actual beach side where there are picnic tables and a jetty sort of. This side faces the old bridge and again the water here is so calm and shallow going very far out.
I have snorkeled here several times and it really is a great spot because the water is so shallow, clear and calm. There is many types of fish that can be seen because of the clarity of the water it’s like swimming in a large aquarium.
This is a really awesome beach and if I had to say it’s one of the best in the country I haven’t been to that many beaches but it’s definitely one of the best I’ve been to if not the best.
Here is a Youtube video I posted 6 years ago of the beach

kleiner Park direkt hinter der 7 mile bridge. Auf jeden Fall gut um sich kurz die Beine zu vertreten. Es gibt zwei Strände und man kann dort schwimmen. Darüber hinaus bietet der Park einen guten Ausblick auf eine Brückenruine, die sich auf Erinnerungsfotos ganz gut macht.
Der Park ist stolz auf seinen natürlichen Strand, am dem immer ene sogenannte wreck-​line aus Seegrass die ersten Meter ins Wasser ragt. Mich hielte das glaube ich etwas vom schwimmen ab, aber die meisten Besucher schien es nicht zu stören.

Der Bahia Honda State Park befindet sich kurz hinter der Seven Mile Bridge. Er ist gut ausgeschildert und man kann ihn eigentlich nicht übersehen. Trotzdem habe ich das Kunststück vollbracht erst einmal vorbeizufahren, um dann am Little Duck Key wieder umzudrehen.
Der Bahia Honda State Park wurde in unserem Reiseführer aufgrund seiner schönen Strände angepriesen, so dass wir erstmal zum Sandspur Beach am Atlantik fuhren. Positiv waren die vorhandenen Picknickplätze, Umziehmöglichkeiten und sanitäre Einrichtungen. Allerdings machte der stark verkrautete Strand und das durch den Wind aufgewühlte Meer keinen so einladenden Eindruck auf uns. Das ist natürlich Jammern auf hohem Niveau, trotzdem zogen wir dann kurz danach weiter.

Jetzt ging es weiter zum Calusa Beach am Golf von Mexiko. Das war eine gute Entscheidung, denn der Strand und der Blick ist einfach atemberaubend. Im Schatten der großen Palmen und der Picknickplätze genossen wir den Blick auf die alte Eisenbahnbrücke der Flagler Oversea Railroad, das Meer, sowie die Bahia Honda-​Brücke des Oversea Highways. Jetzt war absolutes Karibik-​Feeling mit dem puderigen weißen Sandstrand angesagt.

Auch hier gibt es Umziehmöglichkeiten, Grillmöglichkeiten und sanitäre Einrichtungen und einen größeren Kiosk mit Snacks, ein Anbieter für Schnorchelausrüstung, Souvenirs und dem größten und günstigsten Eis Floridas. Unendlich viele Freizeitmöglichkeiten, wie Bootsfahrten, Schnorcheln und Radfahren sind hier möglich. Zum vorgelagerten Korallenriff werden von hier Bootsausflüge angeboten.

Auch die Natur ist hier einzigartig. Das Wasser wimmelte von Fischen, diverse Echsen und Wasservögel sind überall zu sehen.

Das Highlight war aber die Wanderung durch die einzigartige karibische Vegetation zur alten Eisenbahnbrücke der Flagler Oversea Railroad, die bis zur Abrisskante für die Touristen renoviert wurde. Hier hat man einen Postkartenblick in alle Richtungen und vor allem auf die alte Eisenbahnbrücke. Nach dem Bau der neuen Brücke für den Autoverkehr, wurde 1972 ein Teil der alten Eisenbahnbrücke entfernt, um den Bootsverkehr zu ermöglichen.
Dass die Strände des Bahia State Parks zu den schönsten Stränden Floridas zählen ist unbestritten und man sollte dort unbedingt eine Pause auf dem Weg nach Key West einlegen.