Whether you’re a winter visitor, vacationer, or full-time resident, Florida’s 1,200 miles of coastline is yours to enjoy and we’ll help you by bringing you all the details on Florida’s best beach town – Sarasota. Sarasota is located in a county of the same name – Sarasota County, which is home to other favorite little towns, such as Venice, Englewood, and Longboat Key. Beautiful Sarasota Bay separates the county’s barrier islands from the mainland. With its 40 miles of beaches, Sarasota County is one of America’s most attractive places to live and vacation.
Sarasota accommodations are varied and many, and you can choose from a quaint Sarasota inn, to a Sarasota resort, and even a Sarasota motel or two. You can find Sarasota vacation rentals at Siesta Key condos, Sarasota condos, and Sarasota villas. Sarasota restaurants throughout the county are many and palatable. In Venice, Café Venice Restaurant & Wine Bar is the place to go. Cork on St. Armand’s Circle on Lido Key was named “Best New Restaurant”. It’s quite an exciting place with exciting food! Ophelia’s on the Bay offers beautiful alfresco dining overlooking Sarasota Bay and Euphemia Haye on Longboat Key is legendary. Gift certificates for all these famous and fine restaurants are available at The Florida Beach Book. Try them all!
To the beaches!
Tortuga Beach
Rental: South end of Siesta Key
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking lot: parking is free and abundant
Mod cons: ½ mile beach, free Wi-Fi at campground, boat ramps, canoe / kayak launch area, horseshoes, picnic shelters with grills, playground, restrooms, volleyball courts, campground, restaurants within walking distance distance
Activities: camping, boating, swimming, fishing, surfing, snorkeling, volleyball, sunbathing, walking
Pets: Not
Of special interest: Turtle Beach is named after the turtles that like to nest in the soft, piled-up sand here. YOU can nest here too, as Turtle Beach Campground offers one of the few remaining opportunities to park a recreational vehicle (RV) or pitch a tent near the Gulf of Mexico and wake up the next morning in the Florida sun. The camp has 40 campsites, with areas for RVs and tents. Cable and electricity hookups are available.
Crescent Beach
Rental: Siesta Key. Beach access n. 12 – Stickney Point Road and Access No. 13 – Point O ‘Rocks Road
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking lot: limited roadside
Mod cons: none
Activities: swimming, sunbathing, fishing, scuba, snorkeling, walking, surfing
Pets: Not
Of special interest: Offers the best diving and snorkeling at Point of Rocks in offshore formation
Siesta Key Beach
Rental: 948 Beach Road, south end of Beach Road, Siesta Key
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking lot: free lot
Mod cons: .4 miles of beach, lifeguards, restrooms, showers, picnic tables and grills, concessions, volleyball courts, handicap access and handicap wheelchair access, soccer field, tennis courts, security building, soccer fields ball.
Activities: swimming, sunbathing, volleyball, fishing, snorkeling, parasailing. Special events throughout the year including: Kids Summer Run Series, Sand Sculpting Contest, Sandy Claws Arts & Crafts Festival, Sandy Claws Beach Run, “Say I Do It Again.”
Pets: Not
Of special interest: Siesta Beach is known as one of the most beautiful beaches to be found anywhere. In the “Great International White Sand Beach Challenge”, Siesta Beach was recognized as having the “whitest and finest sand in the world”. The shallow water depth in nearshore areas along with year-round lifeguard protection make this one of the safest and most popular beaches in the county. Siesta Key’s sand is 99% pure quartz and exceptionally soft and white. Combine that with turquoise blue water and you have a winning combination! Ranked # 2 in the country by Dr. Beach in 2009.
Siesta Key (Accesses)
Rental: There are 10 beach access points on the north side of Siesta Key:
Beach Access # 1 – Shell Road
Siesta Drive, west to Higel, west to Shell Road
No swimming
Beach access # 2 – Messina Avenue
Ocean Boulevard, west on Avenida Messina
No swimming
Beach Access # 5 – Ocean Boulevard
Intersection of Ocean Boulevard and Beach Road
Beach access # 7 – Calle de la Siesta
Beach Road and Calle de la Siesta
Beach access # 8 – Plaza de las Palmas 1
Off Beach Road, north of Siesta Beach
Beach access # 9 – Plaza de las Palmas 2
Off Beach Road, north of Siesta Beach
Beach access # 10 – Winter Street
Beach Road, north of Siesta Beach
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking lot: free, limited on the street
Mod cons: none
Activities: swimming unless otherwise noted, sunbathing, walking, fishing, shelling
Pets: Not
South Lido Beach (park)
Rental: south end of Ben Franklin Drive at the south end of Lido Key
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking lot: free lot
Mod cons: 640 feet of gulf beach, 3,500 feet of bay, seasonal lifeguards, picnic tables and grills, jogging trail, multipurpose field, nature trails, playground, self-guided rafting trail, restrooms, tennis courts volleyball, observation towers and decks, showers
Activities: swimming, fishing, sunbathing, canoeing, volleyball, sunbathing, shelling, volleyball, hiking
Pets: Not
Lido Beach
Rental: 400 Ben Franklin Drive, 1/2 mile southwest of St. Armand’s Circle, Lido Key
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking lot: free lot
Mod cons: 3100 feet of beach, 15 acres, lifeguards, handicap accessible and wheelchair accessible, concessions, gift shop, observation decks, children’s play area, recreation building, restrooms, showers, picnic tables, swimming pool 25 meters
Activities: swimming, sunbathing, fishing, surfing, volleyball, walking
Pets: Not
Of special interest: great beach for young children and very active
North Lido Beach
Rental: 400 Bean Franklin Drive, a quarter mile northwest of St. Armand’s Circle, across from John Ringling Blvd., Lido Key
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking lot: free, small batch
Mod cons: 77 acres, nature trail, handicap accessible
Activities: sunbathing, walking, fishing
Pets: Not
Of special interest: The beach is easily accessible, but visitors enjoy privacy. Caution should be exercised when swimming at this beach as the currents are very strong.
The Best Florida Beach City – Sarasota welcomes you for a day, a week, or for the rest of your life. Now what are you waiting for? Get swimming!