Lil Shark Park

Located in the island city of Cedar Key, Lil Shark Park - also known as Lil Shark Park Beach– is a small recreational park that has a white sand beach with nearby palm trees.  Although Lil Shark Park does not have lifeguards, the park and the area near it have many amenities including restrooms, showers, pavilions, a playground, benches, a basketball court, and kayak rental facilities.  Getting to Lil Shark Park is easy - the park is located near the intersection between Depot Street and 2nd Street, where a parking lot is also available.

Lil Shark Park offers many fun activities including sunbathing, picnicking, beachcombing, basketball, wildlife watching, fishing, swimming, paddle boarding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, boating, surf-skiing, kayaking, and canoeing.  The water near Lil Shark Park is usually calm and shallow, making it ideal for beginner swimmers, paddleboarders, and kayakers.  However, if you are planning to swim in the water near Lil Shark Park, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents.  The water near Lil shark Park is also known to be dirty.  Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near Lil Shark Park including manatees and dolphins.  If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of migratory and resident birds around Lil Shark Park including gulls and pelicans.  If you are planning to fish in the water near Lil Shark Park, we recommend following the local fishing regulations.

There are many attractions near Lil Shark Park.  Atsena Otie Key is a nearby island that has a vibrant coastal landscape and biodiversity which visitors can explore via hiking trails present here - the island has remains of a 19th-century lumber mill, which was built by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company for supplying lumber to its New Jersey pencil factory.  The island also has a historic cemetery and a Native American shell midden, along with multiple beaches.   Railroad Trestle Nature Trail is an approximately half-mile-long hiking trail that traces the path of a former railway line that was active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  This trail offers a unique insight into the local cultural history and natural history - you can see many kinds of migratory and resident birds along this trail including ibis, spoonbill, and ospreys, along with many kinds of plants including cedars and wildflowers.  Cedar Key Fishing Pier is a pier that offers amazing views of the Gulf of Mexico, along with a fantastic wildlife watching experience.  This pier is also a great fishing spot and it also has a fish cleaning area and restrooms.  If you are looking for another attraction near Lil Shark Park, Cedar Key Museum State Park is an 18-acre park that offers many fun activities including wildlife watching, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, and geocaching.  The park also has the Cedar Key Museum and the restored house of Saint Clair Whitman (the founder of the first museum in Cedar Key) - these two sites offer a unique and interesting insight into the vibrant local history.

There are many attractions near Lil Shark Park.  Atsena Otie Key is a nearby island that has a vibrant coastal landscape and biodiversity which visitors can explore via hiking trails present here - the island has remains of a 19th-century lumber mill, which was built by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company for supplying lumber to its New Jersey pencil factory.  The island also has a historic cemetery and a Native American shell midden, along with multiple beaches.   Railroad Trestle Nature Trail is an approximately half-mile-long hiking trail that traces the path of a former railway line that was active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  This trail offers a unique insight into the local cultural history and natural history - you can see many kinds of migratory and resident birds along this trail including ibis, spoonbill, and ospreys, along with many kinds of plants including cedars and wildflowers.  Cedar Key Fishing Pier is a pier that offers amazing views of the Gulf of Mexico, along with a fantastic wildlife watching experience.  This pier is also a great fishing spot and it also has a fish cleaning area and restrooms.  If you are looking for another attraction near Lil Shark Park, Cedar Key Museum State Park is an 18-acre park that offers many fun activities including wildlife watching, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, and geocaching.  The park also has the Cedar Key Museum and the restored house of Saint Clair Whitman (the founder of the first museum in Cedar Key) - these two sites offer a unique and interesting insight into the vibrant local history.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Lil Shark Park.  Island Hotel & Restaurant offers amazing seafood, steaks, poultry dishes, soups, and pastas.  Steamers is a waterfront restaurant that serves amazing dishes for lunch and dinner including sandwiches, tacos, burgers, fries, chicken wings, soups, salads, steaks, seafood, poultry dishes, and pastas.  Tony’s Restaurant is known for serving amazing seafood, particularly its lobster bisque and chowder.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Lil Shark Park, Cedar Key Pizza & Subs offers amazing pizzas, subway sandwiches, calzones, chicken wings, salads, pastas.

If you are looking for a hotel near Atsena Otie Key, there are many great nearby options.  Cedar Key Harbour Master Suites offers amazing views of the Gulf of Mexico and it also has a flower-filled central courtyard with a fountain.  In addition, the hotel is also located close to some major attractions in Cedar Key.  A more affordable hotel is the Island Hotel & Restaurant which was built in 1859 and offers many amenities including a restaurant, a sitting area, a furnished wraparound balcony, and a complimentary breakfast.  As another moderately priced option, the Cedar Cove Motel offers many amenities including a restaurant, a sundeck, an exercise room, and a pool.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Lil Shark Park, the Cedar Inn Motel offers two furnished terraces and a wraparound porch.