Cudjoe Key & the Lower Keys with Kids
Our February 2026 trip to South Florida was completed with four days spent exploring Cudjoe Key & the rest of the Lower Keys. Rich with beautiful nature, turquoise water, incredible wildlife and unique Keys culture, this is a trip definitely worth taking with kids. There are so many things to do with kids in the Lower Keys.
Cudjoe Key seems to be one of the lesser known of the Lower Keys. It’s mainly residential, with vacation homes & and snow bird communities abounding. However, it’s in the perfect middle ground for exploring all that the Lower Keys has to offer. Beautiful state parks, boat charters, kayaking adventures and the incredible culture of Key West are all under an hour drive from this little Key.
How to get to Cudjoe Key:
Flying into Miami International Airport or Fort Lauderdale International Airport are great options, although Miami will put you a little closer to the Keys. There’s also an airport in Key West, which is small, but efficient. We love to use Kayak to scout out the best flight deals. It’s easy to check for the cheapest and best timing across airlines this way.
Coming into any of these airports will require a rental car to complete the journey. A rental car is pretty much required for Keys adventuring. You can also use Kayak to compare rental cars for your group size. We booked through Alamo and their online check-in option made the pick up process so easy.
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Where to Stay:
We always prefer looking for a great VRBO when we travel with kids. It makes it so easy to relax in the evenings and, we think, provides a deeper connection to the place you’re calling home for the week. Our Cudjoe Key rental was so well stocked with bikes, kayaks, games and outdoor lounge spaces that it made our time at home into some of our favorite moments of the entire trip.
Cudjoe Key Favorites:
Spot Fat Albert
An iconic blimp-weather-balloon hanging out in the skies of Cudjoe, you’re sure to see him, and maybe Albert, Jr. as well. We found representations of him, including stuffed animal Fat Alberts that our kids wanted to take home.
Morning Joint breakfast & coffee
Tucked in right off the Overseas Highway, it’s truly a gem. Great coffee and breakfast options, cool merch, great hang out space – basically all the things a coffee shop needs. Those bagel breakfast sandwiches are worth a morning walk or a drive over from another Key.
Evening bike rides to Icestream
Located on the same property as Morning Joint, we loved biking to this little Airstream ice cream shop in the evenings after a day out exploring. Our kids were truly living the dream. The staff were so friendly, and the hang out space is perfect for kids, with a ton of outdoor games and areas to relax.
Kayak & paddle board rentals
Getting out on the water in some capacity is absolutely essential. Whether you go kayak or paddle board or full on boat rental, it will give you such a cool perspective of the Florida Keys.
We went down to the Keys determined to do some kayaking, but were thwarted at every stop in this regard. We were either restricted by the number of kids, number of kayaks or weather each and every time. I think getting out on kayaks would be so awesome.
Relaxing poolside
Heated saltwater pools abound in the Keys, so even if you’re visiting in a cooler month (February, for us), you’ll be able to enjoy the warm sun and the warm water whenever you want. Our kids loved starting and/or ending the day with a swim under the palm trees.
Sunsets over Cudjoe Bay
If it’s not from your own deck, find a place to set up for incredible sunsets over Cudjoe Bay. Sunsets are a celebrated thing in all of the Keys and should be taken seriously.
Things to do Beyond Cudjoe Key:
Bahia Honda State Park
A short 20 minute drive from Cudjoe, this state park boasts some of the Keys’ most beautiful beaches. Sandspur & Calusa Beaches are incredible, with white sand and teal water abounding. The beach is small (all Keys’ beaches are), but the tidal area stays shallow, so it’s a great space for kids to explore.
On the other side of the park, you can swim and practice snorkeling with views of the Overseas Highway at Loggerhead Beach. Search for sea sponges or fish. Walk the short Bahia Honda Railroad Trail to learn a bit about former travel in the Keys and spot the iconic old bridge that haunts the waters.
Kayak rentals are also available through the park. Check the park website for availability. We visited on a weekday and had zero problems, but heard that its sandy beaches make it a popular spot on weekends and holidays. The park will close once it reaches and certain capacity, so arrive early or later to ensure a better experience.
Key West day trip
There’s so much to take in in Key West – it’s absolutely worthy of a full day, if not a couple. Walk through Bahama Village and stop in one of the city’s most famous restaurants, like Blue Heaven, where you can dine with Key West chickens at your feet. Visit the Key West Lighthouse and spy Hemingway’s Home (I think seeing both from the outside is enough). Stroll Duval Street, in the evenings when music is playing and the place is really alive.
Sample key lime pies at Kermit’s Key Lime Café (frozen, chocolate-dipped key lime pie on a stick) and at Moon Dog’s Café (our favorite of the entire trip). Make sure you see the sunset from Mallory Square – linger as long as you can, it’s truly Key West at its finest.
Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
Located in Key West, this state park feels like it should be taken on a separate day than your Key West day trip. Go to relax in the ocean, picnic under the trees and explore the fort. Take along some things to do, books to read and plenty of snacks, or pick things up from the snack bar on site, and you’ll have a lovely beach day on your hands.
Boat Charter
Chartering a four-hour boat tour allowed us the chance to get much farther off shore and explore uninhabited keys and spot special marine wildlife.
Once again, weather was somewhat restrictive – it was chilly, which made snorkeling and swimming less appealing – but we loved cruising around spotting dolphins, sea turtles, conchs and one solitary shark.
My favorite part may have been experiencing the Florida seagrass lands, which are such a critical part of the ocean ecosystem. Our boat captain really explained a lot of this to our kids, which I think was super impactful for them.
The Chasing Coastlines Rundown:
Giving you adult-&-kid-favorites, our can’t-misses and our could-live-withouts.
Liked it, but don’t need to do it again
The Old Seven Mile Bridge that formerly connected Marathon and the rest of the Lower Keys is seriously cool. The water in this stretch is simply breathtaking, but wow, this place is BUSY. I guess because it’s one of the few places to get out and really walk or bike on these little islands, but the parking lot is bananas and the recreational section of the bridge is crowded. I guess it’s more fair to say I would go again, but would aim for early morning.
Loved it, would definitely do it again
The entire road trip through the Keys is an incredible experience. Granted, we lucked out without any major traffic delays due to an accident on the Overseas Highway. I just loved driving through each key along the route, naming them off and staring at all that beautiful water. It is one of the United States’ most iconic drives for a reason. Definitely recommend in daylight!
Speaking of the beautiful water, Bahia Honda was such an easy roadside stop with absolutely gorgeous water & the best sand. Niche? Maybe, but play with the sand a bit and tell me you don’t agree. Would absolutely stop here on our next trip to the Keys.
Missed it, first on my list for next time
Kayaking! As mentioned above, we really were quite unlucky in this regard. It’s definitely first on the list for a return trip.
Kid Favorites –
Fort Zachary Taylor State Park – loved climbing on the rocks, exploring the canons at the fort and, obviously, that water.
Bike Rides – cruising around on bikes to the ocean, or to the pool, or to the ice cream trailer, this really was a highlight of the whole trip for all of us.
The Wildlife – from iguanas (which are apparently an invasive species) to dolphins to manatees, the kids couldn’t get enough of the famous Florida animals.
More incredible spring destinations…
Things to do with Kids in South Florida
Exploring Banff National Park in the Off-Season
