In 1908, industrialist Henry Flagler stood on the deck of his private railcar and looked out at a stretch of Florida coastline that barely seemed real. His grand project—the Overseas Railroad—was stitching its way down the Keys, and Bahia Honda Key offered a rare piece of dry land amid miles of mangroves and coral reef. Flagler built a 5,055-foot bridge across the key, hailed at the time as one of the engineering marvels of the Western Hemisphere. Today, the Bahia Honda Bridge stands partially abandoned, sliced in half by a hurricane and rusted by sea air, towering like a skeletal postcard over one of the most beautiful parks in the state.
Bahia Honda State Park, tucked between Marathon and Big Pine Key at Mile Marker 37, feels like it belongs to another time. Not quite the wildness of the Everglades, not quite the polish of Key West — Bahia Honda is somewhere in between. It’s a place where nature does the talking, the water does the sparkling, and the past quietly crumbles in the background.
Start your visit on the Old Bahia Honda Bridge overlook trail, where a short climb leads to panoramic views of the Atlantic, the Gulf, and the endless blue in between. Look down: the water is so clear you can see the dark smudges of parrotfish and nurse sharks drifting below. Look out: the modern Overseas Highway zips by in the distance, but up here, the only traffic is sea breeze and osprey shadows.
Then it’s time to hit the beaches — because this is what Bahia Honda does best. The park has not one, but three distinct beaches, each with its own mood. Calusa Beach, tucked near the marina on the Gulf side, is postcard-ready: palm trees, picnic pavilions, and gentle shallows perfect for toddlers and paddleboards. Loggerhead Beach on the Atlantic side is quieter and broader, ideal for sunrise walks and sandcastle ambition. And then there’s Sandspur Beach—a curved, dreamy strand of white sand and sea oats that many argue is the most beautiful beach in all of Florida. Hurricane Irma tried to erase it in 2017. Locals and rangers lovingly brought it back.
Not far from the sand, the park’s nature trails wind through sea grape thickets and buttonwood forests. The Silver Palm Trail, named for the rare palms that grow only in the Lower Keys, is a short loop where you might spot white-crowned pigeons or the tiny, endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbit. Bring water. Bring patience. Bring your sense of wonder, because the wild here hides in plain sight.
Underwater, Bahia Honda offers easy-access snorkeling that feels like a discovery. Off the beach, you’ll find patches of seagrass and rocky ledges teeming with reef fish—yellowtail snapper, wrasse, the occasional juvenile barracuda. For a deeper dive, outfitters in nearby Big Pine or Marathon offer boat trips to Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, one of the healthiest and most vibrant coral reefs in the continental U.S.
Back on land, the Bahia Honda Park Marina is a low-key gem. You can rent kayaks here and paddle into the mangroves or around the bridge pilings. Manatees sometimes glide past. So do tarpon. And once in a while, a stingray flutters below your bow like a flying carpet.
Hungry? The park’s concession stand has surprisingly decent sandwiches, but the real flavor lives just outside the gates. Try Keys Fisheries in Marathon for fresh hogfish, conch chowder, and views of the working docks. Order at the counter, grab a beer, and watch the pelicans argue over scraps. For something a bit funkier, head to No Name Pub on Big Pine Key—a roadhouse with a billion-dollar interior (every wall is coated in signed dollar bills). Try the pizza. Trust the vibe.
For a solid breakfast, Bagel Island serves up fresh bagels, lox, and café con leche with the kind of no-frills excellence that makes you feel like a regular even on your first visit.
Where to stay? Bahia Honda offers some of the best camping in the Florida Keys. The Buttonwood and Bayside campgrounds have spots right on the water—watch the sunrise from your sleeping bag. Sites fill up fast (like, six months in advance fast), but they’re worth every bit of planning. If you’re not the tent type, the cabins (also limited and in high demand) offer air-conditioned comfort with back porches that face the sea.
If you need a hotel, nearby Parmer’s Resort on Little Torch Key has a laid-back, Keys-style feel with hammocks, kayaks, and a little marina. Or splurge at Tranquility Bay in Marathon—white buildings, palm-lined pools, and suites that open to the Gulf.
Some numbers for your campfire trivia:
• Bahia Honda means “deep bay” in Spanish, a nod to the natural harbor used by Flagler’s engineers.
• The park spans over 500 acres, including hardwood hammocks, dunes, and shoreline.
• The water temperature stays between 72–85°F year-round, making it swimmable every season.
• Sandspur Beach has been ranked #1 Beach in the U.S. by Dr. Beach and several travel magazines.
Want a local’s tip? Skip the crowds and go early—the gates open at 8 a.m., and by 9:30 the prime parking and picnic spots are gone. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a cooler, and a book you don’t mind getting sandy. Then find your beach. Find your patch of shade. And let the wind and waves do what they do best: slow everything down.
And don’t leave without walking back up to the bridge overlook one more time. At sunset, it turns gold. The rust on the bridge glows. The palms sway. You can almost hear the ghost of Flagler’s train, rolling toward the horizon, chasing a dream that somehow—despite hurricanes, heat, and time—still lives here in the sand.
Bahia Honda isn’t flashy. It doesn’t need to be. It’s the real Florida. The salty, sunny, slow-burning kind that slips into your memory and stays there, long after the last wave fades.
