Visitors come from all over the world to walk the beaches of Sarasota. They are famous for their crystal clear sands, the blue-green waters of the Gulf, and their wonderful sunsets. It is not unusual to see weddings at Siesta Public Beach. And on Sunday nights, the legendary drum circle draws a huge crowd that watches, dances and sways to the beat of the sunset at Siesta Public Beach. Lido Beach, closer to downtown Sarasota, offers a different kind of sand and a different experience.
There are actually six beaches in Sarasota, three on Siesta Key, and three on Lido Key.
KEY BEACHES OF SIESTA:
Siesta public beach, easily accessible from 10 free beach access points along Beach Road, and from the free main entrance and parking lot, it is world famous for its 99% pure quartz white sand, soft and fluffy like sugar in powder and fresh for the feet. In fact, it won awards for being “the whitest and finest sand in the world.” The water along Siesta Beach is fairly shallow, so you will see people standing in the depths of the generally calm waves. On rough water days, surfers in wetsuits test their skills in the waves. There are four colorful lifeguard stands on the beach in front of the pavilion at Siesta Public Beach.
On the terrace, you can buy food and supplies for the beach, borrow wheelchairs for the beach, and use the bathroom facilities. Nearby, there are tennis and volleyball courts and a shaded playground and picnic area. Depending on where you park, it’s a 5- to 15-minute walk to Siesta Key Village, where you’ll find plenty of fun and funky beach bars and restaurants, laundry facilities, beachwear stores, and grocery and hardware stores. On Sunday afternoons, drummers arrive with various types of percussion instruments and prepare for the weekly Drum Circle. Inside the circle, adults and children dance, spin hula hoops and sway to the hypnotic rhythm. Many people gather around the circle to look and smile. The drumming continues until shortly after sunset.
Crescent Beach the sands are soft and white, and it’s basically a south extension of Siesta Public Beach. It is quieter and more peaceful as it can only be accessed from one point along Beach Road. The southern demarcation of Crescent Beach is Point of Rocks, where visitors enjoy snorkeling and diving to see coral rock formations and underwater marine life.
Tortuga Beach It is located at the southern end of Siesta Key. It is narrow, with a steeper drop towards the water’s edge. The sand here has more shells and you will see petrified shark teeth, which appear in greater numbers after a storm. Turtle Beach also features picnic areas, a playground, volleyball court, and horseshoe pit. You can fish in the adjacent Blind Pass lagoon, and there is a jetty. Restaurants, a few nightspots, and shops are north of Turtle Beach before reaching Stickney Point.
KEY BEACHES LIDO:
Lido Beach It is accessible from several points. You can drive around St Armands Circle and turn right at the Lido Beach parking area. From there, it is a short walk to a wooden platform, a footbath, and a ramp to the beach. Or you can drive through the parking area, turn left onto Ben Franklin Boulevard, driving south along the beach until you reach Lido Beach Pavilion, which contains concessions, a fenced community pool (a small fee to use it ), a nearby picnic area and playground, showers and toilets. The sand on Lido Key is thicker and darker than the sand on Siesta Key. The texture is similar to that found on the beaches of New Jersey and Long Island. Lido Beach is quiet and less lively than Siesta’s public beach. It’s also closer to downtown Sarasota, via a short drive over the John Ringling Bridge.
South Lido Beach It offers picnic tables, a children’s play area, showers, and restrooms, but no lifeguards. You can fish in the pass or play volleyball, have a barbecue picnic and relax under the shade of the trees. There are also two walking trails and a self-guided canoe trail in this 100-acre park at the southern end of Lido Beach. The parking lot is large and the park is accessible by boat.
North Lido Beach It is located north of the lifeguard posts on Lido beach. Years ago he was known for his topless bathing, of course that is no longer allowed. It is beautiful and peaceful with spectacular views of the Gulf. Simply enter Lido Beach from the access near St Armands Circle. A variation on foot is to turn immediately to the right after entering the beach. You will see a walking path with beach grasses along the left side and a wooded area along the left side. If you walk north on this trail, you eventually come across the beach near the water’s edge, so you can go back along the beach.
Parking is free at all of these Sarasota beaches. In addition to providing memorable beach wedding venues, the beautiful sands make a wonderful backdrop for family beach portraits. Whenever you see groups of people dressed in matching jeans and white shirts, or some similar variation, you can be sure that there is a beach photographer cornering them in attractive poses so they can take home photographic memories of their vacation.