Cedar Key Airplane Tours With Marvin Franks

Ivana Dragojevic
05/19/2015

The tiny enclave of Cedar Key is a quaint, old-fashioned, Old Florida vacation spot – one that offers lovely beaches, fishing, and lush natural preserves.  

Located just over an hour northwest of the Villages of Citrus Hills, Cedar Key is one of the most popular destinations for residents looking for an interesting day trip or weekend getaway. The area features a wide range of activities.  Shopping and dining make this peaceful and relaxed community a perfect destination that everyone can appreciate. 

One of the most popular and exciting recreational activities in the entire Nature Coast region is the magnificent airplane tours over Cedar Key that are offered by local resident Marvin Franks. 

Acting as salesman, pilot, and tour guide, Marvin will take you on an unbelievable ride circling around and over Cedar Key that will let you see the area like never before! 

This bird’s eye view of Cedar Key is a great start to any day trip or weekend getaway to the area. It will give you a great perspective of the area if you plan to spend the rest of your day paddling around Cedar Key. It is also the best way to get up close and personal with the Seahorse Key Lighthouse, which is usually closed to the public. 

Your Flight Over Cedar Key 

 The Cedar Key Airplane Tour will take place in a white and blue 1950 Cessna 170A. For those who aren’t aviation experts, that is a small four-seat plane with a big propeller on the front of its nose. The flight will last about 20 minutes altogether and will give you the opportunity to take some breathtaking pictures of Cedar Key. 

The tours are conducted out of George T. Lewis airport, which is better known as Cedar Key Airport. The airport is an uncontrolled airport, which means that there is no control tower. It is a very popular airport in the aviation community because of the beautiful views it features for both takeoff and landing.

 Your Pilot and Tour Guide 

 When touring Cedar Key by plane, you are not going to get just any tour guide who shows up that day. You are going to be taken up into they sky by Marvin Franks, who is better known locally as Marve. He has over 20 years of experience as a commercial pilot and looks every bit like you would expect your “Old Florida” tour guide to look. 

With his vast experience, particularly with flying in and out of Cedar Key, you can feel completely comfortable with Marve. He has made more career landings at the Cedar Key Airport than anyone else.

 Airplane Tour Schedule & Cost

 https://www.ckislandairtours.com/

 The best way to take an airplane tour of Cedar Key is to simply show up at the airport on a Saturday or Sunday between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm. You will likely find Marve sitting in his lawn chair next to the plane waiting for you. He does not take reservations during his normal weekend operating hours, and all flights are weather permitting. 

If you would like to schedule a tour for another day or time, Marve can be pretty flexible if you contact him in advance and give him enough notice. He also has gift certificates available if you are looking for a great gift for friends, neighbors, or visiting family members. 

Marve’s Cessna can seat him and up to three passengers. The cost of an airplane tour is $35 for one passenger and $25 per passenger for groups of two or three passengers. 

Taking an airplane tour of Cedar Key will allow you to see the entire island from a whole new perspective. You will get to see all of the waterways around the island, have a great view of downtown Cedar Key, and even get to see the Seahorse Key Lighthouse. At the low prices Marve is charging, this is an absolute must-see attraction for anyone who visits the area.

Terms and Conditions:

No purchase necessary to enter or win. One (1) entry per tour will be provided upon completion of an in-person tour of The Villages of Citrus Hills between May 1, 2026 and July 15, 2026, regardless of the number of tours completed.
Prize consists of a trip for two (2) to the 2026 U.S. Open, including event tickets for one day of play, round-trip coach airfare, and standard hotel accommodations. Drawing will be held on or about July 17, 2026.
Winner will be notified via phone and/or email and must accept the prize within 5 days or an alternate winner may be selected. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
Travel dates, event tickets, and accommodations are subject to availability and may be determined at Citrus Hills’ sole discretion. Prize is non-transferable, has no cash alternative, and cannot be substituted except at sponsor’s discretion. Taxes, upgrades, and additional expenses not expressly included are the responsibility of the winner.
Employees, affiliates, and immediate family members are not eligible. Offer subject to change or termination at any time without notice. Additional terms may apply.
The US Open is a registered trademark of the United States Tennis Association. This promotion is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the USTA. 

Terms and conditions:

Offer valid on new construction homes purchased through Citrus Hills Construction with a fully executed purchase agreement between May 1, 2026 and May 31, 2026. Citrus Hills Construction will pay the buyer’s customary lender and title closing costs when the home is closed through Manatee Title, LLC. Closing costs must be verified by an official Closing Disclosure prepared by Manatee Title, LLC. Citrus Hills Construction will provide a credit at closing for eligible closing costs as reflected on the final settlement statement. Offer does not include prepaid items, property taxes, homeowners insurance, optional upgrades, or non-standard lender fees.
Offer is non-transferable and may not be combined with other incentives unless expressly approved in writing. Offer subject to change or termination at any time without notice. Additional terms and conditions may apply. See Sales Executive for details.

GET YOUR FREE BROCHURE

By clicking submit, I agree to be contacted by Citrus Hills Investment Properties and affiliates via call, email, and text. Communications may include newsletters, promotional emails featuring move-in ready homes, travel incentives, seasonal updates, and club and activity information. To opt-out, you can reply “Stop” at any time or click the unsubscribe link in emails. Message and data rates may apply.