Calusa Beach & Loggerhead Beach(Bahia Honda State Park)

Located on the northern side of the Bahia Honda Key, Calusa Beach is a popular beach with white sand. A rocky jetty and tropical vegetation are also present near this beach. An iconic landmark present near this beach is the historic Old Bahia Honda Bridge, which was constructed as a railway bridge in the early 20th century. In addition, this bridge was also a part of the Overseas Highway (a segment of the United States Route 1) till 1972. 

Calusa Beach is also a part of Bahia Honda State Park. Calusa Beach does not have lifeguards. However, the beach and the area around it have many amenities including a picnic pavilion, showers, concession stands, kayak launching areas, and a boat ramp. A concession stand in Bahia Honda State Park also offers rental facilities for water sporting equipment, umbrellas, and beach chairs. Dogs are not allowed on Calusa Beach. 

Calusa Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, hiking, picnicking, fishing, wildlife watching, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, boating, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, scuba diving, and water-skiing. The water near Calusa Beach is generally calm and shallow, making it ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, and canoeists. In addition, the water’s clarity also makes it ideal for  snorkelers and beginner scuba divers, who enter the water here to explore its amazing biodiversity - depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including manatees, sea turtles, lobsters, crabs, and dolphins, along with a large variety of fish. In addition, the water near this beach also has corals and seagrass. If you are planning to enter the water near Calusa Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here has unpredictable rip currents. In addition, it is also important to note that designated areas in the water near Calusa Beach are reserved for swimmers only. It is also important to note that the water around the nearby Old Bahia Honda Bridge is also significantly deeper and has stronger currents. If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of birds around Calusa Beach.  If you are planning to fish in the water near Calusa Beach, please make sure that you follow the local fishing regulations. The beach is a popular spot for photography as it offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the nearby iconic Old Bahia Honda Bridge.

Bahia Honda State Park has a nature trail which offers an interesting and memorable way to explore the park’s beautiful landscape and vibrant biodiversity. In addition, the park has a paved road which offers a fun biking experience. The park also allows visitors to explore a portion of the historic Old Bahia Honda Bridge - while vehicular traffic use of this bridge has been discontinued, the bridge still offers excellent Instagram-worthy views of the Florida Keys shoreline and the Atlantic Ocean. The park also has campsites that accommodate both tents and RVs. In addition, the state park also allows overnight camping in boats.  In addition, the state park also has six cabins which can be reserved by visitors. If you are planning to camp in Bahia Honda State Park, we recommend visiting Bahia Honda State Park’s web page on Florida State Park’s website for more information regarding camping here. The state park’s visitor center also offers interesting exhibits about the local biodiversity

Getting to Calusa Beach is easy - Bahia Honda State Park is easily accessible from Overseas Highway (which is a part of the United States Route 1).  A parking lot is also available in the state park, from where you can easily walk to Calusa Beach. However, it is important to note that you need to pay a fee for accessing Bahia Honda State Park.

There are many attractions near Calusa Beach. The George Adderley House, also known as the Bahamian House was built in the early 20th century by a Bahamian immigrant named George Adderley. This house is a prominent historical landmark as it is the oldest house in the Florida Keys outside of Key West and is also surviving tabby concrete house in the region. This house is currently managed by Crane Point Hammock Museum and Nature Center and is listed under United States’ National Register of Historic Places. Fred the Tree is an interesting single Australian pine tree which has been growing on the Old Seven Mile Bridge. This tree is a popular local icon and has prospered despite the harsh sun-rays, salty water, and the strong winds of the region. This tree also survived the destruction wreaked by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Each year around Christmas, locals often decorate Fred with lights and ornaments, resulting in an amazing visual marvel. If you are looking for another attraction near Calusa Beach, the Big Pine Key Community Park is a community park which had been previously damaged from Hurricane Irma and has now partially reopened - this park currently has tennis courts, skating areas, restrooms, and a partially-repaired walking trail.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Calusa Beach. The Dining Room is an upscale restaurant which offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience and serves amazing gourmet dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  In addition, the restaurant has also been praised by ZAGAT. No Name Pub is a popular restaurant that has also been constantly praised by the ZAGAT survey.  In addition, the restaurant also has a quirky dining room with dollar bill-laden walls. This restaurant also serves amazing burgers, seafood, soups, sandwiches, pizzas, fries, and chicken wings. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Calusa Beach, La Niña Restaurant serves amazing Cuban dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Calusa Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Isla Bella Beach Resort & Spa offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, a bar, five pools, a spa, a private dock, a gym, and a market. In addition, the hotel also offers loaner facilities for bikes and kayaks. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Courtyard by Marriott Marathon Florida Keys offers many amenities including a restaurant, a gym, a pool, a hot tub, and a coin-operated laundry. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Calusa Beach, the 2-Star Banana Bay Resort & Marina offers many amenities including a hot tub, a pool, a bar, two tennis courts, a private beach area, barbecue grills, boat rental facilities, and a boat launch ramp. In addition, the hotel also organizes fun games including bocce courts and horseshoes. In addition, it also offers fishing charters for a fee.