Bahia Honda State Park
Bahia Honda State Park
4.5
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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  • Joan S
    1 contribution
    Get on the water
    We had a great time on Bahia Honda. To really get to see and appreciate the park, you have to get on the water. Either kayak or snorkel. We took a snorkel tour with Capt. Chris and Zack. Both of them were super helpful and great. We saw a TON of dolphins on the ride out and back in. On our snorkel we saw so many different beautiful fish and even 2 sea turtles. The snorkeling was the best part of our trip for sure.
    Visited December 2022
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 18, 2022
  • Wombling_Free_7548
    Bristol, United Kingdom2,079 contributions
    Great views
    You pay pp so it was $9 for two people. You can swim in the Atlantic or the Gulf. When we were there the Gulf side was less rough, although there was a strong current. The Gulf side has a great view of the old railway bridge. There’s also a short path which takes you up to the old railway bridge from which you get great views of the new bridge and the sea. There’s changing facilities, rest room, gift shop and a snack bar. Recommended making sure you are there at sunset for gorgeous views of the sun setting behind the railway bridge.
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 22, 2023
  • SSP
    73 contributions
    Do the snorkeling tour through the park here!
    Beautiful park to sit at the beach, take a walk or have a picnic at. There's a per person entrance fee, but not bad. The highlight of this park is the ability to book a snorkeling trip here! Super affordable ($180 for 2 adults and 2 kids including all equipment rental) for a 80 minute round-trip boat ride and 80 minutes out on the reef with 2 guides who stay on the boat to inform you of wildlife they see and of course to make sure everybody was safe. The other tours were so much more expensive so this was great! We went with about 40 other people, but it didn't feel crowded while snorkeling.
    Visited January 2023
    Written January 29, 2023
  • P2474ZSkarenp
    Northville, Michigan84 contributions
    Perfect!
    What a view to swim in! The old bridge and palm trees make it a memorable day. Saw sting ray and one small fish snorkeling. Water temp was nice. Generous roped off area for swimming. Close by parking. Clean restrooms. Outdoor showers and changing areas. Will definitely be back. Extremely limited shade, so you’ll need to bring a tent or beach umbrella.
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 2, 2023
  • JL Mobile
    Mobile, Alabama6 contributions
    Sandspur beach finally opened, yay!
    They finally opened up the beach that has been down since the last big hurricane! Not quite the same as I remember but still beautiful. The seaweed situation still hasn't changed so there is that but still one of the best state parks on our Florida visit.
    Visited December 2022
    Written February 4, 2023
  • Kelly
    1 contribution
    Beautiful. Beware of nude sunbathers.
    Beautiful beach and scenery, a very lovely State Park. Warning to those with children, we were surprised to encounter a nude sunbather on the beach right in front of us. Maybe she was not American from somewhere that is more common, but “read the room”, lady. No one else on the entire beach was nude. The human body is nothing to be ashamed of, but for those of you with kiddos wanting to keep it PG, don’t assume a State Park is a guaranteed safe bet.
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 8, 2023
  • Robert V
    2 contributions
    Peaceful in paradise
    Spent the day (after the rain) at Sandspur beach. Loved it the water was so shallow felt like you could walk out a mile and not be over your head. During the rain we stopped at Winn Dixie on Big Pine Key; a little more pricey than Orlando, but surprisingly fresh foods. Then went to the Big Pine Key flea market where the kids enjoyed mini donuts that they make right in front of you. The wife bought cover ups and I bought some Stainless boat parts for the rigging that I couldn't find anywhere else. Back to the beach it was deserted. What a beautiful place. Look forward to going back next year. Looking back on my camera roll, I didn't get any clear photos, sorry 😐
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written February 9, 2023
  • njoireading247
    Johns Creek, Georgia324 contributions
    Beautiful Beach and Historical Stop
    This is a must stop if you enjoy learning some history, plus enjoying beach time. On our way to Key West we did not stop as it was raining, but marked it as something to do coming back. As soon as we were off the 7-mile Bridge, you can pull into the park. There is an entrance fee ~$9 based on how many in car. Park and then walk down to the beach. If you want to enjoy the beach and the water there is plenty of area. Water was warmer than expected and close to shore pretty swallow. We walked along the beach and then took the trail up to the Overseas Railroad and Highway. That was definitely worth the walk. There are two sides....Gulf and Atlantic so make sure you see both.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 26, 2023
  • Tara B
    Bedford, Virginia2 contributions
    Nice off-the-beach snorkeling at Loggerhead
    Fantastic park with three beautiful beaches and great snorkeling. My teen boys, 18 and 16 are novice snorkelers and had a fantastic time floating the current at Loggerhead Beach. Lots of variety of fish there and perfect depth. Calusa and Sandspur beaches seemed better suited for family swimming. For $10 entry and $4/person to rent a mask (we already had snorkels from a previous trip and fins are not necessary here), you can't beat the price for an all-day adventure. Nice shower/bathroom facilities. Even had surprise dolphin visitors in the marina. Great time!
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written April 11, 2023
  • Elena M
    3 contributions
    Natural beauty & a must stop in the Keys
    Naturally stunning. Stopped for a quick snorkel and decided to go back a second day during our short trip to the Keys. A short hike to the bridge is worth it for the history and views. Snorkeled in the morning and saw large schools of fish, a few small bright colored fish, a barracuda, and a large sting ray. Wear water shoes or fins as it is a bit rocky/grassy. Water was pretty clear even when overcast and windy. Perfect for families. Great gift shop with food/drinks and excellent bathroom facilities. Wasn't too crowded. Easily one of our favorite stops in the Keys.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 5, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
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AmyK
1 contribution
Jan 2020
While staying on Marathon Key for New Years (great party with a DJ at the Lighthouse Grill on a small marina at Hyatt Place) we wanted to snorkel the famous Looe Key and we visited 3 beach areas: Sombrero (Marathon), Smathers (Key West), and Bahia Honda State Park (even though Horseshoe MM35 is where the locals go). Bahia Honda had the softest sand, is the only true natural beach, was a great place to watch the sunset and their snorkel boat to Looe Key was just what I wanted with 3 kids (ages 21, 17, 13). Capt. Brian and dive expert Gage were funny, informative, and the best when it comes to safety and preserving the environment. I had snorkeled with Looe Key Dive Center years ago and I appreciated that Bahia Honda was just for snorkelers and not mixed divers/snorkelers. Bahia Honda was the same price as the others (Capt. Hook's also goes to Looe Key) even after we paid the $10.50 for 5 people to enter the State Park. They are slowing rebuilding after Hurricane Irma 2 years ago but the gift shop, restrooms, and concession stand have a lot to offer. We found shade on the less damaged side near the bridge.
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KhimLee
Hillsborough, CA370 contributions
Jan 2020
As with most beaches the weather makes a huge difference - we were there on a nice sunny cool winter day - air temp was around 80 and water 75. It is not common to find water this clear and blue - not even in the Caribbean. The seaweed did not bother us at all, and there were no biting insects when we were there. The visibility of the water is very high. Because the water is so clear we could even see fish swimming around underwater. The sand is soft and white. The kids loved it. They spent the entire trip there building sand castles and then knocking them down, repeating the process multiple times. All in all we had a blast here. It was crowded but not overly so. Nice concession store with food (we did not try). Reasonably priced snorkeling trip to Looe reef but was fully booked for the time we were there. Plenty of parking.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ricardo M
San Salvador21 contributions
Feb 2020
It's a long drive from Miami, but it is definitely worth it. About 3 hours time by car, but the park is great! Take your picnic with you and bring umbrellas for shade! The beach view is breathtaking! Be sure to arrive here early (around 8-9 in the morning) place gets packed in no time and parking can be a hassle around noon. Entrance to the park is around 10 bucks, but that includes all day parking. There is a store there, but I would recommend you bring your own food to picnic in the tables outside.
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kayla Cason
Hammond, LA11 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
This is a gem! We went there to practice snorkeling, to relax and swim! Parking was adequate, bathrooms were pristine, and the little convenience store was great. There were outdoor showers, which we loved. We went kind of early in the morning, so by noon people were more abundant. Still a great place for families or couples. The water was perfect!
Written September 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bruce-JAX
Key West, FL86 contributions
Oct 2020
Bahia Honda State Park is a clean relaxing beach experience. We had six adults and a teen and the car fee was $11.50. You can pay your entry fee by credit card, or cash. However, due to COVID if you pay in cash, any change due will be considered as a donation to the park. Masks are required when talking to a ranger or while inside any of the public places. I drove up to the gate and the door was closed, until I put on my mask, then the ranger opened the door and provided very friendly service. There were plenty of picnic tables to choose from, many offered shade. You have the choice of being on the Atlantic side, a little rocky or the gulf side with a nice r, both were clean. Since the park offers a limited concession menu, I recommend that you bring your lunch,. The only "Fast Food" places are on Marathon Key or Key West. Big Pine has a few sit down restaurants. If you must leave the Park, on your way out, ask for a Password, so you can reenter without paying an additional fee. A good place to enjoy the sun, beach, and the very clean and friendly Park services.
Written October 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PopeyeD
Rockaway Park, NY413 contributions
Aug 2021
Exceptional Customer Service!!

We had booked the 1:30 pm 2 1/2 hour snorkel tour of Looe Key out of Bahia Honda for a Thurs. afternoon. The day before, a woman from the State Park was kind enough to call and stated that they were cancelling our trip due to little to no underwater visibility because of the recent offshore hurricanes. She allowed us to reschedule for that Friday or Saturday. We picked Sat. at 1:30pm. (I'm pretty sure most private charter companies would have not been so forthcoming about the low visibility and would have taken us out anyway).

We arrived before 12 noon to check in and to rent fins and some snorkel gear for some of our family. Rates for the rentals and the snorkel trip are super reasonable. We then ordered a few turkey sandwiches from the snack bar and ate them across the road at one of the picnic tables by the beach. I swam with my son to see if we could find any fish using the snorkel equipment that we already had. We spotted a few right where the seagrass begins in the shallow water.

We boarded our snorkel boat, the "Sundance", right on time. Our crew consisted of Captain Brian and Zack who were both incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. Zack put my wife at ease after they had announced that there hadn't ben a trip where someone hadn't spotted a shark. He explained that there had never been an unprovoked shark attack out at Looe Key and that we would be fine. (He was right - we spotted 2 reef sharks while snorkeling and it was pretty cool).

Upon arrival at the reef, the sky suddenly turned dark in the distance. Captain Brian and Zack told us that they would delay our entry into the water due to possible lightning, but once the storm passed they would still allow us the same snorkel time as long as no-one minded returning to the dock later then expected. Everyone on our boat agreed and the storm passed in about 10-15 minutes.

Besides the reef sharks we saw 2 Goliath Groupers, Parrot Fish, and several Sergeant Majors . My son said he spotted a Barracuda. I'd say that we were in about 20 feet of water when we saw the reef sharks and they were way beneath us, almost skimming the bottom of the ocean floor.

On our return to Bahia Honda, Captain Brian and Zack stopped to assist two fishermen who were struggling to row a rubber dingy against the tides and wind back to shore. Zack tied them off to the Sundance and Captain Brian carefully towed them back to the beach area. Super nice guys!!

We had a great time on this trip and highly recommend it if in the area.
Written August 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris K
Longmont, CO97 contributions
Mar 2021
Really great day at Bahia Honda. Our snorkel trip was top notch. They only run Tues and Sat right now, with a 930a and 130p offering. You have to call ahead to get a reservation (no online booking). Snorkel gear is good quality and available for a modest charge (including wetsuits, which we used and enjoyed). You'll motor about 20ish minutes out to the reef. It's been very windy lately and the water conditions haven't been great, but for our day it was crystal clear and calm winds. Perfect weather! Saw all sorts of fish, and even a couple sharks. Crew were super helpful and attentive. Bring your own snacks and beverages aboard.

The park itself is clean and facilities are well maintained and fairly priced; staff are friendly. During COVID times you need to arrive early. They said once they get 100 cars in the park they close the gates until they have 50 cars leave (I could be off on the numbers but you get the idea). So we saw the gates open again after lunch for a while. The beach on the Atlantic side is VERY narrow but more expansive; more sand on the Gulf side but it's just a little marina area and less interesting, but as others have said there's lots of grass at the shoreline. I didn't find it terrible; it's part of the nature.

Be sure to walk up the old trestle for a good view. You can't walk out very far though. It's barricaded.
Written March 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lynnita30
New York City, NY440 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
This State Park has a natural soft powder beach, which is unusual in the Keys. The downside is that it has a lot of dead, washed up sea grass on the shoreline.
But you can step over it , and swim in the warm water. The ocean side beach is very narrow, where the bayside facing one is much wider and more crowded.
Mostly families at that one, with kids playing in the calm, shallow water.
There is an outdoor platform with public showers and 5 small dressing rooms to change in nearby.
An entrance fee of $4.50 per adult, with no discount for seniors.
Written January 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David J
Hollywood, FL3 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
1 hour of snorkeling with them turned into a 5 hour day.

We booked online for the 1:30 departure and were told to show up at noon. Sat outside in the heat, right next to the boat which was shaded, but they wouldn’t let us on the boat. At 1:45 we were allowed to line up to get on the boat, at which point they made us stand there while they rattled off a list of instructions like we were a bunch of third graders. Really had the feel of a field trip in elementary school.

They finally let us on the boat, we got another 20 minutes of rules. He kept saying the same stuff over and over, just rephrased, with lame jokes in between. When nobody laughed at his jokes, instead of just scrapping them and moving on with the instructions, he would double down and make more corny jokes. This guy really wanted to be the star of the show.

We finally started moving at 2:05, got out into the harbor and they shut the engine off so they could talk more. After another several minutes of instructions and lame jokes, he said it would be about a 40 minute ride to the reef.

When we finally got there, yet another laundry list of rules and instructions before we could get in the water. The same stuff he’d been saying the entire time, rephrased and re-worded. Basic, common sense type stuff.

The snorkeling was great, the reef was beautiful and we saw a ton of fish and even got to swim with some sharks.

When we got back on the boat, tired, hungry and ready to go back, this guy decided to give us a pop quiz on everything we saw in the water. Nobody was really answering his questions until we all realized we weren’t going to move until we did. It really felt like school.

Overall, even though the snorkeling was great I would not wish this experience on my worst enemy. These people are power hungry control freaks that get off on being in charge of a group
Written September 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cahouette212
Dijon165 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
terribly disappointed!
this magnificent site is literally overrun with Sargassum algae and park officials do absolutely nothing to clean up the beach. knowing that to have access you will have to pay at the entrance $ 10 for 4 people. So what is this money for if it is not used to maintain this nature reserve? do not hope to bathe, it is impracticable so there are decaying algae ...
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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