Much of the Sarasota area, including Siesta Key is home to some of the world's most beautiful beaches! Imagine picnicking, sea shell hunting, swimming, or walking on white sand beaches fronting warm, clear water. That is Sarasota Florida.

Siesta Public Beach is located mid-island off Midnight Pass and is the perfect spot to find the action. Of course, it also offers some of the world’s finest, whitest sand. Not only is it the most popular beach in the county, but it is also the widest. On a busy weekend you can find more than 15,000 people enjoying the beach. Facilities are numerous and include a concession stand, restrooms, volleyball nets, tennis courts and year-round lifeguards. Pine trees shade the picnic area, which offers grills for outdoor cooking and a playground for the kids. Siesta Public Beach is also within walking distance to Siesta Village, a shopping and dining mecca with a unique island flair.

Siesta Key - Turtle Beach is a relaxing beach situated on the southernmost tip of Siesta Key on Midnight Pass Road, about two and a half miles south of Stickney Point Road. It is the perfect beach to spend a few hours sunbathing, reading or picnicking under its covered shelter.

Siesta Key - Palmer Point Beach begins at the south tip of Siesta Key and continues till the north end of Casey Key. The northern portion of the beach was previously home to Mote Marine Laboratory. The closing of Midnight Pass in January of 1984 created this extended area. And because of it's length, the beach will give you a feeling of privacy and seclusion. The beach is a popular spot for boaters and those who like to walk along the shore from Turtle Beach. Two things to note if you are visiting; there are no Lifeguards on duty, and there are no facilities present.

Additional Sarasota Beach Information

Manatee County Florida Beaches

Longboat Key is a great secluded area. These gorgeous beaches are a well-kept secret and public access is minimal.

Greer Island is at the north end of the Key and can be accessed by boat or by North Shore Blvd. It is actually a very secluded peninsula with a large beach and excellent shelling. Privacy is ensured with no facilities or lifeguards..

Coquina Beach, on Anna Maria's southern tip, is a popular public beach featuring Australian pines behind the beach. You can enjoy this park due to its full-service concession stand, ample parking, barbecue pits, picnic facilities, boat ramp, playground, restrooms, showers and lifeguards.

Cortez Beach, also known as Bradenton Beach, is just north of Coquina on Gulf Blvd., and extends three-fourths of a mile, all with sugar like sand. Again, privacy here is key with no facilities or lifeguards. There is however a restaurant and snack bar that even serves pancake breakfasts on weekends.

Anna Maria Bayfront Park, on the northern end of Anna Maria Island, is a secluded beach fronting both the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. According to the locals, Anna Maria Bayfront is the best beach in the area to find scalloped cockleshells and unbroken sand dollars. The beach is perfect for sun lovers due to it's small sand dunes, sea oats, and a great view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. For those looking for a park atmosphere, you will find barbecue pits, picnic shelters, a playground, restrooms, showers and lifeguards. The park is open 6 am- 10 pm.

Sarasota County

North Lido Beach is a breath taking half-mile length of beach and is the area's most famous.

Lido Beach, located mid-island on Lido Key, is minutes from St. Armands Circle and the facilities are numerous. Besides the beautiful beach and ocean, this get away also offers showers, lockers, dressing rooms, a 25-meter swimming pool, concession stand, public meeting rooms, beachwear souvenir boutique, and children’s playground.

South Lido Beach is a county owned park on the southern tip of Lido Key on Benjamin Franklin Drive. The area features ample parking, many picnic sites with built-in grills, volleyball nets, a playground, changing rooms and a peaceful nature trail. It boasts more than 1,000 feet of beach front and eventually curls around Big Pass making for a great view of Siesta Key. South Lido is one of the favorite destinations for boaters and family outings.

Nokomis Beaches. You can find the beaches by turning west on Albee Road off U.S. 41 and crossing over the Nokomis Bridge. Here you’ll find Nokomis Beach with two parking lots, lifeguards, picnic tables, grills and bathrooms. To your right is Casey Key.

Venice Beaches. Fossilized sharks' teeth are the main attraction at Casperson Beach. It also features a fishing pier, nature trail and a restaurant. The sand is white and smooth, which compliments the crystal blue water. Amenities include picnic benches and showers. The beaches are located near the airport off Harbor Drive in Venice Florida.

Casperson Beach is located south of the Venice Airport on Harbor Drive. What is unique about this beach is that the southern two thirds of beach front has been left in its natural state. It can be described as uncultivated, wind-swept, and private. A dune restoration system has been implemented to preserve the shoreline.

Casperson is well known in the area as one of the most enjoyable shelling beaches. It is also an exceptionally good area to find prehistoric shark teeth. You can see freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangrove areas, and tidal flats. Casperson features rest rooms, a huge foot boardwalk, ample parking, a picnic area, a nature trail, and dune walkovers. Please note that there are no Lifeguards on duty.

North Jetty Beach is located on the southern tip of Casey Key. The Jetties make this one of the best surfing beaches on the west coast of Florida. Other than surfing, it is also a very popular picnic spot for families and large groups and the fishing is rumored to be especially good. If you enjoy watching boats, this is a perfect spot for you as boats can be seen daily passing through the jetties from the Intracoastal Waterway to the Gulf of Mexico. There are rest rooms, parking, a bait shop, large and small picnic shelters, horseshoe courts, volleyball courts, concession stand, and dune walkovers. Lifeguards are on duty year round.

Brohard Beach, in the southern most part of the City of Venice on the Venice Airport property on Harbor Drive, is owned by the City of Venice and operated by Sarasota County. This area is great for fishing as there is a 740 foot fishing pier on the property open to public use. The pier features rest rooms, a snack bar, and a bait shop.

Amenities include The City of Venice municipal fishing pier, limited parking, Sharky's Restaurant, the United States Coast Guard Flotilla Training Center, Pelican Man Sanctuary, wetlands and several vegetated upland communities that offer great bird watching. There are no Lifeguards are on duty on this beach which is city owned and county operated.

Charlotte County

Blind Pass Beach is on Manasota Key Road, one mile north of the Charlotte County Line on Manasota Key. The beach features rest rooms, parking, canoe launch, nature trail, playground equipment, picnic shelter, and dune wildflowers. There are no Lifeguards on duty. The address to the beach is 6725 Manasota Key Road, Manasota Key 34223. (941) 316-1172

Manasota Beach is located at the west end of Manasota Beach Road. This is a perfect place to spend your leisure time if you are interested in taking a walk, collecting shells, or maybe flying a kite. This beach is sits between the Gulf and the Intracoastal Waterway. On the Intracoastal side, a boat ramp and docking facilities are available allowing boat access to the Bays and Gulf. The dock can be used as a scenic boardwalk that meanders through the mangroves.

You will find rest rooms, parking, boat ramp, the Joseph Daniel Anderson Picnic Shelter, several small shelters, and dune walkovers. For your safety, there are Lifeguards on duty year round.