A view from the Beach

Longboat Key's narrow beaches stretch some 12 miles from one tip of the Island to the other.  Out of the way, out of the ordinary and easily accessible, Longboat Key's beaches offer a relaxed, quiet and secluded island paradise experience.

Lido Key's beaches are all located just minutes from St. Armands Circle.  Explore the completely undeveloped and unspoiled North Lido Beach, where you can picnic under the Australian Pines or anchor a boat along the shore.  Enjoy the park-like atmosphere of South Lido Beach or the public pool.  Visit the souvenir shop or restaurant of the commercial mid-key Lido Beach.

Siesta Key's sand tops the list for the whole country in the category of "Best Sand". from Dr. Stephen Leatherman's "Best Beaches in the USA" survey.  Siesta Key offers three very different kinds of beaches.  The public beach is broad and flat and made up of fine, pure, "sugar-white" sand.  This most popular of all beaches has tennis courts, concession stands, lifeguards, picnic tables and a playground for children.  Crescent Beach, located just south of Siesta Beach has a very distinctive feature, unusual for Southwest Florida, called the "Point-of-Rocks".  This shallow lime rock rising out of the water makes a great spot for snorkeling.  At the southern most tip of Siesta Key is Turtle Beach, a great spot to get away from the crowds, go for a long walk, go shelling or just relax in the calm breezes of the Gulf of Mexico.

Casey Key's beaches start at Midnight Pass where Turtle Beach ends.  The beaches stretch down miles and miles of exquisite beachfront homes  to Nokomis Beach and the North Jetty at the end.  Nokomis Beach is popular for fishing and is Sarasota's oldest public beach.  Located at the western end of Albee Road, Nokomis Beach also includes a boat launch ramp.

Venice has several fabulous beaches, with even a special beach for dogs!

Reef divers love Venice Beach because of the reef lying only a quarter mile offshore.  Collecting  prehistoric sharks' teeth has been a favorite pasttime of visitors and residents of the Venice area for years.  The teeth you'll find on Venice Beach are from sharks extinct for millions of years and who lived and died in the Gulf of Mexico.  The South Jetty at the north end of Venice Beach is a popular spot for fishing and dolphin-watching.

Caspersen Beach, pristine and secluded, is the nature lovers' paradise.  The southern two-thirds of the beach has been left in its natural state with freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangroves, and tidal flats.  Located south of the Venice Airport on Harbor Drive, Caspersen Beach is one of the best places to find fossilized sharks' teeth.

Brohard Beach Park, located on South Harbor Drive on Venice Island, is the only beach (although Sarasota County has several dog parks) that welcomes dogs. Park facilities include doggie drinking fountains, showers on wooden decks for the pooches, fire hydrants and leash posts.