Sarasota Attractions - 35 miles of beautiful beaches

Whether you are looking for swimming, surfing, sun tanning or a nice long walk on the beach, the beaches along the Suncoast offer many choices; from Anna Maria Island all the way down to Venice.

Anna Maria Island has 8 miles of sugary-white sandy beaches. Anna Maria Beach, at the north end of the island on Gulf Drive, is uncrowded. Next comes Holmes Beach from Beach Drive to 27th Street off Gulf Drive, with a feeling of how Florida used to be. Then comes Bradenton Beach, offering a wonderful day in the sun for everyone, off Gulf Drive. At the southern tip of the island is Coquina Beach, one of the largest beaches in the area


Longboat Key is a quiet island bordered by the Gulf of Mexico on the one side and Sarasota Bay, on the other. This 10-mile-long, uncrowded paradise has long welcomed the famous, from early Spanish explorers to film stars and writers. Most of the beaches front on the Gulf but unless you are a resident or staying at one of the resorts, there are very few available public beaches.
There are, however, several Beach Access points with free limited parking at Longview Drive, Westfield Street, Mayfield Street and Neptune Avenue.

Lido Key
North Lido Beach is located on Lido Key, one quarter mile northwest of St. Armands Circle, off of John Ringling Blvd.
The beach is easy to get to and very private. Please note that there are no lifeguards on duty at this beach and the currents are very swift.

St. Armands Circle has sidewalk cafés and fine dining, boutique shopping, art galleries, all within walking distance to the beach. St. Armands was originally designed by the circus magnate John Ringling. From the Circle, coconut palms stretch down to Lido Beach, which reaches to South Lido Park, a great destination to explore nature trails, canoe, kayak, and picnic, with great views of the water.

Siesta Key
Siesta Beach is located on Beach Road on Siesta Key. Siesta Beach is known as one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the world
Unlike beaches elsewhere that are made up mostly of coral, Siesta Beach's sand is 99% quartz. Even on the hottest days, the sand is so reflective that it feels cool underfoot. It's estimated that the sand on Siesta Beach is millions of years old, and started in the Appalachians and flowed down the rivers and was eventually deposited on the shores of Siesta Key.
Shallow water depth in the near shore area together with year round lifeguard protection, makes this one of the safest beaches in the County and great for small children.


Turtle Beach is located on Midnight Pass Road near the south end of Siesta Key. It features a large picnic shelter and is very popular for family outings.
In the center of the park is Blind Pass Lagoon which connects to Little Sarasota Bay. Although the sand at Turtle Beach isn't as fine as it is farther up the key, it makes up the difference in privacy. Here you'll be able to walk for miles down the beach. Since the closing of Midnight Pass, you can also walk all the way down Casey Key.

Casey Key
Just to the south of Siesta lies Casey Key. There are not any chain hotels here. This is Florida at its best. A collection of inns is a stroll away from the public beach access and marina rentals. Covered in a canopy of tropical trees, a winding Gulf-front road makes for an unforgettable Sunday drive among some of Sarasota's most attractive homes. The twisty curves and little traffic also make for a great bike ride.

Nokomis Beach is located on Casey Key directly west of the Albee Road Bridge.The park includes 22 acres with 1,700 feet on the Gulf and 3,200 feet on the Intracoastal.
There's an on-site snack bar serving sandwiches, snacks and cold drinks.

North Jetty Park is located on the southern tip of Casey Key. The jetties there make it one of the best places on the west coast of Florida for surfing. It's a popular spot for picnics and there is good fishing. Boats pass through the jetties from the Intracoastal to the Gulf

Venice Beach is located at the west end of Venice Avenue one mile west of business Route 41. If you're a scuba diver, a reef containing fossilized material is located a quarter of a mile offshore. You can also find fossilized sharks teeth along the beach.


Brohard Park is located in the southern most part of the City of Venice, on the Venice Airport property on Harbor Drive.
If you enjoy fishing, there's a 740 foot fishing pier on the property for public use. The pier has rest rooms, a snack bar, and a bait shop.
Also located at the park is Sharky's Restaurant and the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center.
The wetland area is known for bird watching. There are no lifeguards on duty.
The Venice City Commission voted to allow dogs at South Brohard Park. There is a fenced area, a dune walkover, a drinking fountain and showers for dogs and fire hydrants and leash posts. A 300 foot section of beach behind the City's wastewater treatment plant is a dog beach for dogs and their owners. Dogs must be on leash or under voice control. Owners must clean up after their pets.


Caspersen Beach is located south of the Venice Airport on Harbor Drive.
Upon visiting Caspersen Beach the visitor will find that the southern end of the beachfront is still in its undeveloped, natural state. Sarasota County has the highest nesting density of sea turtles on the Gulf Coast, with many of these occurring on Caspersen Beach. Caspersen is knowns as one of the most enjoyable shelling beaches in this area and is an exceptionally good area to find prehistoric sharks' teeth. The visitor will also find freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangrove habitats, and tidal flats.