If you’re visiting the Florida Keys, Bahia Honda State Park is a great area to stop by and spend the day—or a few days! This is a fantastic location to include on your Florida Keys itinerary, regardless of whether you are seeking for adventure, an active day, or just a few hours lazing on the beach in the sun. It is in a terrific location if you want to travel to other parts of the Keys for a day trip, but it can also serve as your home base while you are in the Keys.
Popular beach destination Bahia Honda is well-known for its wide range of activities, stunning white sand shorelines, and crystal-clear water ideal for snorkeling. There is also a short climb, fantastic campsites, and a historic railroad bridge that is visible from many locations across the park.
As a result of the park’s high popularity, you may need to arrive early in the day to guarantee a parking space, and you’ll need to make reservations for a campsite months in advance. But don’t worry—worth it’s it in spades!
We hope that this guide will offer you a solid overview of what to expect at Bahia Honda State Park, what to do, and what advance planning you might want to think about.
Be sure to get a copy of our Bahia Honda State Park Itinerary before your trip. We go through everything you need to know, including helpful maps, thorough descriptions of the treks in the region, what you should do before your visit, and what to do in the neighborhood.
In This Article...
Which is superior, John Pennekamp or Bahia Honda?
Although the boat out of Pennekamp can travel to the well-known Christ the Redeemer statue, the reef off of Bahia Honda is typically regarded as being better. JP is little, but incredibly convenient. The water is nearby once your automobile is parked. To protect your feet, put on a bootie of some sort.
John Pennekamp or Bahia Honda, which is superior?
Although the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue may be reached by boat from Pennekamp, the coral off Bahia Honda is typically seen to be better. JP is little, but highly practical. The water is right where you park your car. Put on a bootie of some sort to protect your feet.
Can you bring alcohol to Bahia Honda State Park?
Bahia Honda State Park only permits the consumption of alcohol in certain areas. Alcohol is legal where you are camping, but it is not allowed on the beaches of Bahia Honda.
How much does it cost to get into Bahia Honda State Park?
A motorcycle or car with one occupant must pay $4.50 to enter Bahia Honda State Park. In the case of a vehicle carrying two eight people, the fee rises to $8. (plus a surcharge of 50 per person). It costs $2.50 to enter as a pedestrian or cyclist.
How do I get a reservation at Bahia Honda State Park?
On the Florida State Parks website or by phone at (800) 326-3521, you can make a reservation for a campsite at Bahia Honda State Park.
Is Bahia Honda State Park fully open?
Due to Hurricane Irma’s substantial devastation to the region in 2017, NoSandspur Campground is still closed. Restoration work is now being done. To help with this rebuilding initiative, you can donate to The Friends of Bahia.
Does Bahia Honda fill up?
Oh, by the way, it does! Campsites at Bahia Honda State Park quickly sell out due to its high level of popularity. In fact, looking for canceled bookings is your best bet for finding a campsite there.
Is there swimming at Bahia Honda?
The Calusa, Loggerhead, and Sandspur beaches in Bahia Honda State Park are well-known for their warm water, shallow sandbars, and good visibility. In the summer, the water is between the mid- to upper 80s F and the lower 70s F in the winter. Swimming is risk-free all year long, with the exception of the Bahia Honda Channel, where strong currents are present. Consider bringing your snorkeling gear if you want a view while swimming. Just a few feet from the shoreline, you can see a coral reef.
Which beach in Key West is the most beautiful?
Discover Key West’s best 5 beaches by reading on.
- 1) Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas. The most gorgeous beach in the Florida Keys, in the opinion of many, is found on this isolated group of islands located 70 miles west of Key West.
- Fort Zachary Taylor No. 2.
- Smathers Beach, no. 3.
- Higgs Beach, No. 4.
- Bahia Honda State Park, number 5.
What Florida Key is the most beautiful?
With the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo is the location of one of the most well-known spectacular views in the Florida Keys. Some of the best snorkeling in the Florida Keys may be found here, which extends into the Atlantic Ocean. The park also offers kayak and standup paddleboard rentals in addition to a glass bottom boat. This topmost key is the perfect location to stop and get in touch with nature.
Which Florida Key’s water is the most beautiful?
The best beaches for swimming in the Keys are in the middle Keys, halfway between Key Largo and Key West. Bahia Honda State Park, between Marathon and Big Pine Key, has the largest sandy beach sections with multiple decent sites for swimming.
The Bahia Honda Bridge is accessible by foot.
There are several beautiful views of the Old Bahia Honda Bridge. You can either stroll below the old bridge or up a very short piece of it. The beach area is excellent, and the water is lovely and clear.
Is Bahia Honda’s beach open?
Many people consider the beaches in Bahia Honda State Park to be among the best in the Florida Keys because they are so popular.
On the trip down the Keys, 45 minutes before Key West, just before the Seven Mile Bridge, sits Bahia Honda State Park. It includes a natural sand beach, which is unusual for the Keys, as well as some of the most popular camping spots and fantastic accommodations.
However, it also boasts the iconic 1912 saddleback bridge, a survivor of Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railway that stands out from all other Keys bridges.
A well-liked destination is Bahia Honda. Four and a half years after being destroyed by Hurricane Irma, the Sandspur Campground and the Sandspur beach have reopened as of May 2022. In the upcoming 11 months, a few nights for the difficult-to-get beachside Sandspur campgrounds will be available for those who act promptly.
The Bahia Honda Bridge was the most challenging to construct of all the bridges in Flagler’s railroad, more challenging than the longer Seven Mile Bridge due to the Keys’ deepest channel. It was constructed taller than the other bridges due to the powerful tides, which would be higher during a storm. It is a trestle-style bridge, the only one of its kind in the Keys, adding to its overall robustness.
The bridge was updated for cars after the 1935 hurricane caused the closing of the train. They constructed the road on the upper level because the lower level, which the trains had been using, was too small for two lanes of traffic. It must have been a fantastic ride because it was in operation for many years. In reality, the road on top of the old bridge was your only option if you were driving to Key West before to 1972.
A trail goes to a location with a panoramic view of the old bridge and the surrounding landscape today after portions of the bridge at each end were dismantled.
Is Bahia Beach a swimmable beach?
Due to excessive levels of germs, a health advisory has been issued for Bahia beach. Swimming is not advised because this could pose a risk to those using public pools. The level of enterococci bacteria in the samples was higher than expected. In a week, the beach will be sampled once more.
The advisory will be lifted after resampling shows that the water is within the acceptable limit.
When the beach action value reaches 70.5 or above, an advisory is released. The Environmental Protection Agency established this (EPA). Through the Healthy Beaches Measuring Program, the Florida Department of Health has been monitoring the water quality of Hillsborough County’s coastal beaches at nine sites every two weeks since August 2000 and every week since August 5, 2002.
The water samples are being examined for enteric bacteria (enterococci), which often live in both human and animal intestinal tracts and can lead to illness, infections, or rashes in people. Enteric bacteria are a sign of fecal contamination, which can come from pets, wildlife, human feces, and storm water runoff. The Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program seeks to ascertain whether Florida’s coastal beaches have major water quality issues.
Please visit the Beach Water Quality page on the Florida Department of Health’s website. Click on a county name to display the beach water sampling results for that county.
Through coordinated efforts from the state, county, and community, the department—which has received national accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board—works to safeguard, promote, and improve the health of every person in Florida.
Which Florida Keys island boasts the greatest beaches?
Beaches in the Florida Keys’ Top 10
- National Park of the Dry Tortugas.
- Sunset Beach.
- Beach in Zachary Taylor State Park.
- Beach Higgs.
- Beach C.B. Harvey Rest.
- State Park of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef.
- Beach in Sunset Park.
- Beach Anne.
Is Bahia Honda State Park a good place to watch the sunset?
The best beach and sunrise/sunset views in Florida are found in Bahia Honda, which is 38 miles north of Key West on U.S. Route 1.
What does the Spanish word “Bahia Honda” mean?
The lower Florida Keys contain the island of Bahia Honda, which translates to “deep bay” in Spanish and is locally pronounced as “BAY-ah HON-da” (be hnd).
Near the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge, between Spanish Harbor Key and Ohio Key, 12 miles (19 km) west of Marathon, is where U.S. 1 (the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at roughly mile markers 36-38.5.
Being home to the 524-acre (212-hectare) Bahia Honda State Park, the island is essentially deserted.
[1][2] The park, which opened in 1961, takes up most of the island. [2] One of the Florida Keys’ deepest natural canals is located at the west end of the island.