BeachHunters Favorite Florida Beaches
Best Beach Overall - Siesta Key Public Beach
I can't help but keep coming back to this beach. It's only 15 minutes from downtown Sarasota, parking is free, it has a snack bar and restroom facilities and is a short distance from Siesta Village where there are plenty of great island restaurants for lunch or dinner (bathing suits are considered proper attire in many restaurants as long as you have a shirt and at least a pair of flip-flops on your feet). The sand is the softest, whitest sugar sand you will find anywhere and the beach is very wide.
This beach is protected by lifeguards and attracts fairly heavy crowds on weekends and holidays. The beach is very flat and is a popular beach for walking. You can even ide a bike and push baby strollers on the hard-packed sand near the water.
The water is shallow and slopes gently into deeper water. Normally the water is cleaner and clearer here than anywhere else in the area. For walking, swimming and just lounging around, Siesta Key Public Beach is my number one pick. I could come here every day.
Siesta Key is also one of Florida's Best people-watching beaches. It has a relaxed crowd of all ages and is frequented by Sarasota's toned, tanned, young, and beautiful people. It's a huge beach, so you can find the spot that's perfect for you. Stay close to the snack bar and hang with the youthful crowd, or walk north where the crowds are much thinner and the beach is quieter.
Wherever you go, the waters are calm and inviting and the sand is brilliant white. Take a three hour walk up the beach and back, or just kick back and do nothing. Once you are settled into the sand here, you won't want to leave. Stay for the sunset, and the moonrise. Take a long night walk up the beach. It's beautiful.
Siesta Key has a huge assortment of beach houses, condominiums, and hotels. Be sure to see my web pages specifically created to help you choose the right Siesta Key Beachfront Vacation Rental. For the budget conscious, you can get a less expensive hotel in Sarasota and drive to the beach in 15 or 20 minutes.