Is Cedar Key The Best Small Town In Florida? You’ve Never Heard Of It.

Who would have thought this even existed???

So I’m going to show you the sunset and the teeny secret airport and the cool little neighborhoods. We’ll talk about how safe this place is, and of course, get into the drama of how the locals can really get fed up with the tourists and how this place is changin. We’ll also talk about how one time the Columbian drug cartel used this island's airstrip to smuggle in a ton of coke. But I’m going to begin here, in downtown Cedar Key. Well, it’s not much of a downtown. But it’s awesome.

Now where in the world in Florida are we, anyways? We’re on an island, or what people in Florida, call a Key. But this key isn’t in the keys. Everyone knows about those. This little island chain is far far away from that. It’s located here - right off the coast in Levy County. We’re far away from a major city out here. We’re about two hours from Orlando if you drive fast.

There are only about 700 residents who make Cedar Key their home. But I bet there are far fewer people who LIVE HERE live here. That’s because for many of them, this is their second home. But nonetheless, this is a tiny town. If you’ve been watching my series on tiny towns, the goal is to visit small communities and talk about the reality of YOU making a place this small your home. Cause after all, we’re all tired of crime and crowded and expensive.

Why in the world did I pick a small island off the coast of Florida? Because this place has been called the best small town in this state . And I have to say this place is the most unique tiny town I’ve yet to cover. The goal is to see if this is really the best small town in Florida. I wanted to find out - if this place just for rich or retired people? Could you or I move here and realistically create a new life? We’ll find out.

#florida #moving

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[NickJohnson]

Here's the rest of my entire Florida playlist: Everything About Florida Cities

[ebele]

i miss old Florida the small 20 room hotels, small cottage homes everywhere, everyone barefoot indoors and out , biking, family owned cafes , not worrying about break ins, enjoying even sleeping on beach in lounge chairs all night without worrying about being attacked, definitely miss how it use to be

[texasred]

As someone who lives in a rural area about am hour and a half from Austin and is seeing it get "discovered" I bet the good folks of Cedar Key aren't going to be too happy with this video.

[donnasuehoward]

As a Florida native (at least 6 generations), it is very sad to see what has happened to the state in my years... my grandfather and great grandfather had the 1st car in Bradenton. It took them a few days to walk from there to the port of Tampa to get the car. It took them almost two weeks to get back. There were no roads for cars, just horse and buggy trails. And they were not big enough for the car to get through. They literally had to cut the trails wide enough to get the car through.

I remember when it seemed to take forever to go from Tampa to Temple Terrance and now they are connected. This was before Disney World.

Things have changed so much. I don't go to the Strawberry Festival or State Fair anymore. The last few times I've been, I hear others talk about how it's nothing like what they have where they are from. How their versions are so much better. I don't want to be rude but I'd like to say that is the way it's done here. If you want what you have in your home state go back to those places. It is VERY RUDE of people to comment out loud about how it doesn't hold a candle to their home state. How would they feel if we went to their fairs and Festivals and said out loud how Florida had so much better.

I think it's just BAD MANNERS, UNCOUTH AND BAD FORM for VISITORS, TRANSPLANTS OR SNOWBIRDS to say such things. Here in the South we have a saying, " If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all! " IT'S CALLED MANNERS!

I don't have anything against VISITORS or TRANSPLANTS, just the way most act. They left their home state to move here because they didn't like it there. Then they come here and want to change it to be like their original state. Florida is being destroyed by people who are doing this.

Then you have contractors who bring there building practices with them. Which is great if you want a house that will have sinkhole problems down the road. They fill in the little swamp areas and build on them. You CAN'T AND SHOULDN'T DO THIS. Nine times out of ten you will have a sinkhole or some other kind of disaster happened. May not happen for 20 years or so, but it will happen.

Before you know it, there will be no more green left in Florida. It is all being cut down and paved over to make room for new housing. I believe in progress but this is flat out devastation. Here we are trying to save the rain forest and yet we are doing the same time here.

[skybluw]

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw you featuring Cedar Key! I live in Crystal River, which is only an hour away. We visit the island whenever we get bored around our own cute little town! Cedar Key is fun, love talking to the bartenders and store workers, they’re all very nice and welcoming. Hope the snow birds don’t destroy this little gem like they’ve done to so many parts of Florida. Come visit our little town next time! Love your videos!

[lindaartz]

I have been a Floridian since ‘90 and Cedar Key was our decompress place. We have stayed in the cabins and in a historic hotel downtown. My husband passed and I now live north of Tampa in old area on a canal and love it. I am so glad to see Cedar Key is still old Florida.

[tampafruitgrower]

What you didn't mention is when a small tropical storm blows by, it floods badly. This happens often.

[gvantassel]

I live in New York - 50 miles N of NYC - in a small village of 760 people known as Village of Nelsonville. And, a village street separating us from the Village of Cold spring (approx. 2500 people) which is along the Hudson River has ONLY one red light and TONS of tourists on the weekends. Pubic school is K - 12 with a graduating class of 66 students. Yeah, we do have the PRIVATE SCHOOLS for the new residents who want the "better" education for their children. Come visit these two small communities/villages and see what the influx of NYC people has done to our once affordable village. Love your videos.

[ryban]

Thank you for bringing back memories! I went to the University of Florida during the mid-1980s and Cedar Key was my gang’s regular getaway spot. Oh the nights!

[lanieparker]

I grew up in the area and once worked at one of the restaurants in Cedar Key. Sad to see how it’s been “discovered”….. I have a lot of good memories of my time there.

[shawnjackson]

Your mentioning of the 1 Black resident spoke volumes! Speaking in humorous tone doesn’t negate from the point you thought was subliminal but yet is was very lucid

[stjbananas]

I chose St John USVI 26 years ago and ended up making it my forever home, organic banana farm on a tropical rainforest mountain and all! Great video.

[Mr_CigarJaxGuy]

Nick is a good man and does great videos he truly looks out for us workin folks.

However those moving to Florida your money is pushing locals out of the state and none of y’all care. You want to build on pastureland and farms so you can have your coffee or gas 2 minutes away. Understand you will never be accepted by the locals unless you understand the local way of life and mentality. They know you’re from out of state. Respect the locals and understand your dream and passion for florida is forcing them to leave who were there way before you. You love moving to Florida and try to make it like where you came from. Florida locals don’t care about your homestate and don’t care where you’re from.

[abandonedstuff]

You're converted me man. I have really wanted to live in a small town since I started watching your videos.

[theniemcmeanie]

I grew up in Cedar Key. My parents left Miami in 1979 and relocated to Cedar Key. I have such fond memories of my childhood. I personally hope Cedar Key doesn't change much more. The local ecosystem cannot survive with a large population. There isn't much for work or rental homes anywhere in the area. Many locals have been there for generations. They simply want to protect the treasure that Cedar Key is

[mrscottswold]

Thanks for bringing the US to the rest of the world and showing us what it is like. Cedar Keys looks delightful. We have similar things here in Australia. Keep up the amazing work Nick. Just fantastic.

[purityall]

Nick you should do one on Everglades City. It’s a beautiful tiny town in what’s considered “The Real Florida”

[richardanderson]

A truly unique village, I hope that the residents can maintain the prevailing lifestyle and thank you Nick for bringing us to places where real people live. Your getting great at these gabalogues!

[IndianaCrane]

A true Florida gem! Great vid Nick! You do great for the locals—don’t listen to the naysayers about “letting the cat out of the bag”-these places would not exist without tourists!!

[bernadettegraffeo]

As always, great video, NICK!!! NEVER been there, but i do understand how locals feel about their areas....i am living in the same house i was born in 61 years later, and cannot wait to leave here....its not the same, overcrowded, traffic, sad