Bahia Honda State Park
State park · Monroe ·
3 sandy beaches, kayak rentals, snorkeling tours & snack bar
Information
Florida 33043 Get directions
3 sandy beaches, kayak rentals, snorkeling tours & snack bar
Florida 33043 Get directions
"Located at mile marker 37 on the Overseas Highway, Bahia Honda State Park sits where the Atlantic meets the Gulf and surprised me with some of the Keys’ finest sand, strong snorkeling and kayaking options, excellent fishing, and the dramatic remains of Henry Flagler’s elevated overseas railroad towering above the landscape." - Paul Rubio
"For budget-friendly island nights I camped at Bahia Honda State Park, which offers both primitive campsites and RV sites with water and electrical hookups and is one of the Keys’ best spots to camp." - Skye Sherman Skye Sherman Skye Sherman is a travel writer based in West Palm Beach, Florida. Aside from traveling, she's also a pilot, scuba diver, bookworm, and fourth-generation Floridian. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Palm Beach Illustrated, Atlas Obscura, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A popular Big Pine Key destination prized for its natural beaches and clear, shallow snorkeling atop grassy flats where juvenile reef fish and passing rays are commonly spotted. Waterfront campsites are hard to secure but rewarding; visitors can rent kayaks and snorkel gear on site or join trips to reefs within a nearby national marine sanctuary, and a short nature trail to the old bridge offers excellent sunset viewing of fish, turtles, and dolphins." - Terry Ward Terry Ward Terry Ward is a writer covering family travel, culture, scuba diving, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Bahia Honda State Park preserves 524 acres on Big Pine Key in the Lower Keys, and it's about 37 miles east of Key West. The park also happens to have long stretches of beautiful natural beachfront, making it great for sunbathing, snorkeling, and swimming. The name Bahia Honda comes from the Spanish for “deep bay,” and that makes sense, since the waters here tend to be deeper, and therefore a bit cooler and more refreshing on a hot summer’s day. Set up your beach gear at Calusa Beach, near the Bahia Honda Bridge, or the mile-long Sandspur Beach near the park’s entrance, Both are great for swimming and snorkeling. Showers are available for day-use visitors, and there are 80 campsites, six stilted cabins, and options for RVs. Kayaks and bikes can be rented to explore the park, and boat trips take snorkelers out to the reef at nearby Looe Key." - Travel + Leisure Editors
"Bahia Honda State Park, a 500-acre park, may be best known for what’s just off the beach—Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, a reef that's home to some of the best snorkeling in the state—but its sandy shoreline is equally impressive."