The Super "Perigee Moon" on 3/19/2011 ~ Photo courtesy of R.Webster of Longboat Key
SARASOTA & her Island Beaches
Experience Florida's Sun Coast on the Gulf of Mexico
with its Beautiful White Sandy Beaches,
Challenging Golf Courses, Warm Breezes and Magnificent
Sunsets!
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SARASOTA There are numerous reasons why Sarasota is one of the most desirable places to...
vacation... live... work... and raise a family. While maintaining a small town atmosphere, Sarasota has a big city
feel with exceptional amenities… offering some of the finest museums, art and antique galleries, as well as numerous
shops and boutiques. Be prepared to include a few evenings in Sarasota with our resident ballet, opera house,
symphony, live theatre, comedy clubs, and jazz bars.
With year round sunny days and tropical breezes Sarasota invites
you to partake in 60 challenging golf courses, tennis, 35 miles of pristine beaches, boating, fishing, sight-seeing
and numerous nature loving adventures.
Places to Stay &
Things to Do in Sarasota...
BRADENTON With Old Florida flair, Bradenton offers plenty of diversity. Sports, recreation and eco
enthusiasts will enjoy 150 miles of pristine shoreline boasting some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Families looking for low key activities can board a water tour, snorkel for sand dollars, shell and picnic on the
beach. Get up close to Snooty the Manatee while visiting the South Florida Museum and Bishop Planetarium. Biking and
kayaking, as well as numerous beaches, bars and nightlife are plentiful.
Those seeking laid back relaxation might
want to browse Village of the Arts where an artist community work and live or find treasures at the Red Barn Flea
Market. Head to Ellenton for Factory Outlet Shopping or cross the river to Palmetto’s quaint boutiques and shops.
Be sure to enjoy a night at the Players Theatre or dance and dine along the Manatee River.
Places to Stay & Things to Do in Bradenton...
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ANNA MARIA ISLAND Old Florida charm and pristine living is the essence of this narrow seven mile
stretch of land. Comprised of three actual towns, Anna Maria Island is located north of Sarasota and off
the coast of Bradenton. At the north end, with an atmosphere of yesteryear, is a quaint little village known
as the City of Anna Maria. With little traffic, cyclists often pedal the shaded, lanes of colorful cottages,
bungalows and the occasional beach house. At the widest point and the center of the island is the City of
Holmes Beach featuring restaurants, shops and the only grocery store on the island. Although the public
beach has plenty of parking, you’ll also find beach access along the side streets dotted with condos, houses as well
as mom and pop motels. There’s an executive golf course, unfortunately... it’s private.Farther south is the bustling
City of Bradenton Beach with restaurants, souvenir shops, ice cream parlors and a city pier on Sarasota Bay.
This area is suited for the active vacationer seeking water sports and night life. Heading south of the city, the
beach widens and becomes shaded by towering Australian Pines. Nature lovers will enjoy a walk to the tip of the
island where a path leads under a draw bridge connecting Anna Maria Island to Longboat Key. Follow the path to a
sanctuary of sea oats, sand dunes, inlets and mangroves where shore birds are plentiful. Direct access and parking
are available on the bayside.
Places to Stay & Things to Do on Anna Maria Island...
Anna Maria Island Beaches:
coquina beach |
cortez beach |
bradenton beach |
holmes beach |
manatee beach |
anna maria beach
LONGBOAT KEY and
LIDO KEY are barrier islands off the coast of Sarasota and have a more cosmopolitan style with easy
access to the famed shops on St. Armands Circle, beautiful beaches and the renowned Longboat Key Club golf courses.
Sarasota is just across the Ringling bridge offering a lively downtown, three convenient malls, antique shops, galleries,
restaurants, night-time entertainment and wonderful attractions.
Places to Stay &
Things to Do on Longboat Key...
Places to Stay &
Things to Do on Lido Key...
Longboat Key Beaches:
beer can island beach |
whitney beach |
longboat key beach
Lido Key Beaches:
north lido beach |
lido beach |
south lido beach
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SIESTA KEY Located off the coast of Sarasota, Siesta Key is a bit more active than Anna Maria Island.
Quaint shops, boutiques and cozy, sometimes bungalow style restaurants tend to be a little more sophisticated and
pricey. Crescent Beach, known for its soft white sand, is among the "Top 10 Beaches of the World" while
Florida Trend Magazine considers Siesta Beach to be... "The Best Beach in Florida".
As for nightlife, Siesta offers island style entertainment with one of two bridges accessing the best of Sarasota’s
downtown. In other words... You can’t get any better than this!
Places to Stay & Things to Do on Siesta Key...
Siesta Key Beaches:
siesta beach |
crescent beach |
turtle beach
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CASEY KEY Located just south of Sarasota and Osprey in Sarasota County and is known for the number of celebrities who inhabit the northern end of the island.
The Casey Key public beaches are on the southern end of the island and are popular for sunworshipers and fisherman alike.
Places to Stay & Things to Do on Casey Key...
Casey Key Beaches:
nokomis beach |
north jetty beach
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VENICE "The Sharks Tooth Capital of the World", boasts the longest beach in Sarasota County.
Caspersen Beach has been left in its natural state, uncultivated, windswept and secluded, which makes hunting for
seashells and pre-historic sharks' teeth a favorite among visitors. Located Just south of Sarasota, this
quaint, historically preserved town features shops, cafes, and dinner theatres to provide a wonderful distraction.
Places to Stay & Things to Do in Venice...
Venice Beaches:
venice beach |
brohard beach |
brohard paw beach |
caspersen beach
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MANASOTA KEY Off the coast of
ENGLEWOOD exists an enchanting barrier island where high-rises and traffic lights are non-existent;
just a two-lane road shaded by live oak trees and pristine beaches. The north end has private homes tucked behind
lush tropical foliage with boat docks and private beaches. At the south end are low-rise apartments, condos and a
few restaurants and souvenir shops. If you’re looking for solitude, Blind Pass Beach provides the best opportunity
with a nature trail of dunes dotted with wild flowers on Lemon Bay. This is definitely Old Florida with a slower
pace.
Places to Stay & Things to Do on Manasota Key...
Places to Stay & Things to Do in Englewood...
Manasota Key Beaches:
manasota beach |
blind pass beach |
englewood beach |
stump pass beach
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NORTH PORT With 77 square miles of land and an 8,000-acre state forest, North Port is Florida’s
third-largest city in land area. There are two golf courses, and 144 miles of waterways, some with direct access to
the Myakka River. The Myakka is one of only two rivers in Florida to be recognized as a “Wild and Scenic River” by the
state legislature. Nearby Charlotte Harbor and Gulf of Mexico attract people of all ages for Kayaking, Canoeing,
fishing, birding, biking and hiking. Everybody loves the beach and Manasota Key is only 15 minutes away. Halfway
between Tampa and Naples, North Port provides easy access to Sarasota/Venice culture and nightlife.
Places to Stay & Things to Do in North Port...
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PORT CHARLOTTE This is Florida’s premier Eco-Tourism destination while “Sail Magazine” rates
Charlotte Harbor among the “Top Ten Greatest Places to Sail”. Located on the northern bank of the Peace River, Port
Charlotte and Charlotte County boasts 165 miles of man-made waterways, estuaries, nature trails and five national
wildlife Refuges that attract people from all over the world. This includes Boca Grande, Don Pedro Island, El
Jobean, Cape Haze, Little Gasperilla Island, Palm Island and Placida. So, get off that beach towel, slip on your
hiking boots, man that bike or kayak and explore the flat woods, cypress swamps, rivers, marshes and beaches of
several hundred trails... We dare you to change your perception of relaxation and get involved with physical,
educational, natural adventures.
Places to Stay & Things to Do in Port Charlotte...
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PUNTA GORDA Where the Peace River flows into Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll find a
most enchanting historic little town. Featuring palm lined Streets, restored period homes, brick lanes, old fashioned
gas lamps and park like settings... and... nearly everything waterfront... from hotels to restaurants, shops and
parks. Money Magazine rated Punta Gorda the “Second Best Place to Live in America”. In 2005, Golf Digest ranked
Punta Gorda #3 on their list of best cities for golf. This is where you’ll definitely find a slower than average
pace, with little night life... not even a movie theater...But, you’ll love its small town feel. With bike paths,
2 mile bay walk, access to fantastic island beaches and exhilarating eco-friendly adventures, you’ll be too tired
for anything more!!!
Places to Stay & Things to Do in Punta Gorda...
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