The best Golf Cart Tours in Cedar Key, FL
Cedar Key is famous for clams, and aquaculture is more than something visitors see on a restaurant menu. Farm-raised clams are part of the modern working-waterfront economy and one of the stories that makes this Florida island community different.
Cedar Key has become one of the nation’s major producers of farm-raised clams. Clean coastal waters, generations of seafood knowledge and the growth of aquaculture helped create an industry closely tied to the identity of the community.
Cedar Key has a long history of making a living from the Gulf. As the commercial fishing economy changed, clam aquaculture became an important new chapter in the working waterfront. Today visitors can see evidence of that industry in local restaurants, boats, processing operations and the community’s clam-themed public art.
Clam aquaculture involves raising shellfish in coastal waters under carefully managed conditions. The process connects hatchery and nursery work, growers on the water, harvesting and processing before clams reach restaurants and markets.
The Cedar Key Clam Sculpture Trail celebrates the industry with decorated clam sculptures around town. It is an easy way for families and first-time visitors to discover another layer of Cedar Key while exploring downtown.
Our Cedar Key Clam Farm Experience is being developed to take the story beyond the shoreline, combining time on the water at a working clam farm with a look at the processing side of the industry. For more trip ideas, see Things to Do in Cedar Key and our Cedar Key Day Trip guide.
Yes. Clam aquaculture is a major part of Cedar Key’s modern seafood economy and identity.
Yes. You can learn about the industry through local history and the Clam Trail, and our future Clam Farm Experience is designed to provide a closer look at farming and processing.
Local seafood restaurants frequently feature clams, but menus and availability change. Our Cedar Key restaurant guide is a good starting point for planning where to eat.