Siesta Key is a beautiful eight-mile-long barrier island just across the bay from Sarasota. With world-famous beaches, water sports, and wildlife within easy reach of Sarasota attractions and restaurants, Siesta Key makes a great vacation destination.
Here are some of the most popular things to do on Siesta Key, Florida to get you started.
Siesta Key has won a host of awards for its gorgeous white sandy beaches, including AARP #1 Best Beach in the World 2015 and Trip Advisor’s #1 Travelers Choice Top Beaches USA.
Photo credit Nita EttingerSiesta Beach
Thanks to the high quartz content, the sands on Siesta Beach are stunning. As well as miles of sand lapped by warm Gulf waters, this beach offers concessions, tennis courts, volleyball, picnic pavilions, and children’s play areas. Beach equipment rentals provide umbrellas and lounge chairs as well as watersports equipment for fabulous days on the beach. Linger until sundown and you’ll be rewarded with stunning sunsets too.
Photo credit Nita EttingerCrescent Beach
Crescent Beach was rated “The World’s Finest Whitest Sand” by the Great International Sand Challenge, so it has a lot to recommend it. Located south of Siesta Beach, Crescent Beach ends at Point of Rocks which is a great place for snorkeling in the clear warm waters. The area is teeming with corals and colorful marine life.
Photo credit Mary Carol FitzgeraldTurtle Beach
At the southernmost end of Siesta Key, you’ll find Turtle Beach which is a dream for recreational activities. The beach has a boat launch, volleyball court, a playground, and horseshoe pit making it ideal for families. The beach has slightly darker sand and a steeper incline but this makes it a great place to find seashells that wash up with every high tide. You may even find a triangular shark’s tooth if you’re really lucky. Fishing can also be enjoyed from Turtle Beach in the waters of Blind Pass Lagoon.
Photo credit Nita Ettinger