When trying to find one of the best beaches in Florida each individual has their preferences.

Your preference may be a commercial beach like Clearwater Beach with plenty of restaurants, attractions and beach bars. It could be a beach like Sanibel or Captiva where shelling is the beachgoer’s goal. Bahia Honda State Park Beach is a different kind of beach experience.

On the way to Key West, we passed this park and beach called Bahia Honda many times, thinking it was just another state park. We missed several years of relaxation and family fun!

Bahia Honda Beach offers an experience for younger family members to see wildlife up close. The shallow waters explored with just a child’s snorkeling facemask will open a whole new world.

There is a  unique aquatic world just below the surface of Bahia Honda State Park grass-covered shallows with fish, small crabs, starfish and other miniature sea creatures.

Children get immersed in finding a new exciting universe that many other beaches can’t offer. That Makes Bahia Honda Beach one of the best beaches in Florida.

Clearly Bahia Honda State Park Has a Different Kind of Beach

Bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Bahia Honda Sate Park offers a diverse experience including bird watching that can be done in a beach chair with a cool refreshment.

If you are a camper, Bahia Honda will be your oceanside paradise. Snorkelers don’t need an expensive charter or hundreds of dollars of snorkel gear to explore the multitude of different structures around the island.

Bahia Honda State Park, while seeming remote, has all the standard Florida park amenities including a small shop and concessions.

At $8 per vehicle, you can bring the whole family for picnicking along the sandy shores of Bahia Honda.

If there is a fisherman in the family, they can enjoy some shallow-water fishing at its best. You can learn more about saltwater fishing with our guide.

 No, this is not your normal beach crowded with people reeking of the smell of suntan lotion munching on cheese crackers in a rented beach chair. This is a place to explore.

As one of the best beaches in Florida, Bahia Honda Beach is a place to learn and a place to teach children about the beauties of the ocean. 

Adults can also feel the natural sights, sounds and feelings in nature’s playground.

Bahia Honda State Park is about 35 miles east of Key West on Big Pine Key, the home of Florida’s Key Deer.

If you are driving to Key West, this is a perfect place to stop to gather your senses before the normal madness along Duval Street.

Even if your destination is not Key West, the trip from one of the other keys is a Florida day trip worthwhile.

All in all, you can find one of the best beaches in Florida at Bahia Honda State Park.