I'm not saying Siesta Key Beach is the best beach in the United States... but I'm also not not…read moresaying that. This beach is easily in my personal Top 5. The sand was CLEAN, WHITE, and ridiculously soft, while the water was so clear and warm it felt like somebody set the Gulf to "luxury bathtub" mode. I could've stayed out there all day with absolutely ZERO plans beyond: Beach chair Umbrella Get in the water Nap Repeat And the breeze?! 10/10. No notes. It was giving "why do I have responsibilities?" We rented 2 beach chairs and an umbrella for the entire day for $70 including tip, which I honestly thought was pretty reasonable considering we basically secured ourselves a beachfront living room for the day. I went on a Friday around 2 PM, so I'm sure conditions and crowds can vary, but my experience was giving PERFECTION. And yes, I ate. I grabbed a hot dog with fries and a virgin piña colada. Everything was tasty, and I asked them to get my hot dog as well-done as humanly possible. They heard me loud and clear. At this point, I was basically living my best retired-person life: chair, umbrella, water, breeze, snack, nap. Please don't call me back to reality. I'll DEFINITELY be back to Siesta Key much sooner than later because apparently I've found my new emotional support beach.

A couple things to note The walk from the car is kinda long…read morejust fyi There is a big visitor center you can stop at and buy things (;food alcohol sunscreen) There are big Publix bathrooms and picnic tables which is great. Parking is free No dogs allowed Water is super clear and awesome and you can go way out and just hang out Not a lot of waves. Very cool beach! Definitely recommend !! You can buy frozen drinks and take them on the beach Drinking is allowed at this beach

This has become our go to beach in Sarasota. We like it better than Turtle Beach, our other go-to…read morebeach. We don't love Siesta Key as well bc it's so crowded. This is always a chill gem of a beach. We find the same parking in a side lot or the street that are always free as well. This beach is on the way to and from St. Armand's Circle. We can also go to the restroom at the nearby Lido Beach Resort if we need to, plus they have a beach bar too.

Beautiful beach and great for shell hunting!…read more We used the free breeze trolley to get here and that was a very quick and smooth ride. It dropped us right at the pavilion area that has tables and bathrooms. The back is very wide and has tons of shells. The water is calm and it's really overall relaxing. The sunset view here was gorgeous! If you plan to stay long, make sure to bring some sort of shade as, opposed to the beaches that I'm more used to on the east coast of the state, there's not really many trees or anything in the sand.

I liked Turtle Beach even more. It's just so close to the free parking. It's super convenient…read more There's not so many people even on the Saturday before Mother's Day. People will gravitate towards Siesta Key not so far away for the sand etc. but it's so crowded and the walk to the beach is a hike. I'm so happy that Turtle Beach is not crazy busy like that. It is truly relaxing. Now, if u are ok with not having that fine powder sand this one will be everything else perfect. I'm ok with not having the same sand. That's the huge difference here besides the crowd. Yes there are bathrooms and showers not right outside the beach but just a little walk away.

This hidden, off the grid beach is exactly the kind I love and always go looking for! Turtle Beach…read moreis right next to Siesta Key, so if you're looking for a much less busy location to still soak up some sun, salt air and hear those lovely ocean waves, this is your place! Parking is free and there is a lot of it. They even have bathrooms and rinse stations, as well as a playground and picnic/ grilling area. My friends and I actually stopped at a to-go Daquiri bar that was literally minutes away from this beach, so there's still a lot nearby without going directly into Siesta Key. One thing that may be a letdown- the sand is not the crazy soft white that you find at SK or Clearwater. It's more the characteristic darker sand of the Engelwood beaches. Personally, I don't have a problem with it, but don't come in expecting otherwise. This beach still has so much to offer! The water is clear and gorgeous, there are plenty of shells to find and enjoyment to be had! There's a sandbar if you swim out far enough, and I even saw a large school of manta rays swim by and it was the coolest thing ever. This is for sure a quiet gem beach I'll come back to.

We came to Longboat Key for vacation in June. We're lucky enough to stay at a place that has…read morebasically a private beach. The sand is soft, the water is beautiful shades of blue, and there always seems to be a breeze, which is nice. We got to see a lot of different types of birds each morning, manatees, dolphins, and the occasional shark. Shelling on this beach can be hit or miss. If there winds up being a storm out at sea, you may be lucky enough to find various conch shells!

The beaches of Longboat Key are absolutely stunning. We had a wonderful sunset picnic and it was…read moresome of our best memories in the Sarasota area.

I've been to Coquina Beach b4,& it's a beautiful spot to spend the day in Florida. There's a huge…read morepark area w/ plenty of space to relax, have a BBQ, & enjoy some time outdoors. Of course, there's also a big beach w/ plenty of room to swim, soak up the sun, or just enjoy the water. The water is always so warm & clear. Unfortunately, the day I went this time, the weather had other plans. We were dealing w/ thunderstorms & rain, so we had to pack up all our BBQ stuff & leave. It was a bummer b/c we were ready to enjoy a nice beach day & BBQ all day, but safety comes 1st. Even though the weather cut our day short, I still enjoy coming to Coquina Beach. I'd come back again hopefully next time w/ plenty of sunshine so we can actually enjoy the whole day!

Yes I recommend it cuz it's Gorgeous waters but a couple of things…read more - no dogs allowed - no alcohol allowed - the little chairs with umbrellas that are out you have to rent from the shop/ cafe right there -free parking -there are bathrooms and showers -parking isn't far from your car -water is super clear and sand is great! This is. A part of Anna Maria island I believe. The little shop sells alcohol and food but you can't take it on the beach. There are lifeguards and guards that drive around. I saw some people bbq by the parking lot so not sure if that's up for grabs or not

When we went, the sand felt just like siesta beach and the water was super calm. There wasn't much…read moreshells. It was kind of crowded but we found a spot.

Running south from Siesta Key Beach, Crescent Beach is a popular spot for those staying in the many…read morenearby hotels and vacation rentals. (some count it as part of siesta key beach only). It's not a local favorite, it's one of the quieter destinations in the area for visitors looking for peace on their trips to one of the most popular islands in the U.S. With its sweeping coastline carves out a huge "C" where it meets the Atlantic Ocean (the crescent shape, of course, giving the area its name). it maintains an "old Florida" vibe as a quieter beach with white sand and is primarily residential. If you're staying along Crescent Beach, your accommodation may provide roped-off sections of glorious white sand for your enjoyment. beautiful crescent moon-shaped beach, just right for laying out on or for strolling the strand. Soft gulf breezes. Breathtaking sunsets. It gets no better. Parking: We used public beach access # 12 (I guess there is just one public access road, Midnight Pass Rd, and it's very easy to miss). it's a cramp, one-way alley and only suitable for compact cars. to go back, drive forward, take a K-turn, and merge into the main street. yup as it's one way you can find yourself stuck when someone comes from the same side. see the pic and you would understand.

Nice place Kids enjoyed burning off the much needed food…read moreintake from Oleary's. Nice layout. Love that shade option. Keep up the great work. Will return when in the area! Respectfully, Bryan Oklahoma City

Nice park with a half a mile walking loop that is close to the marina, lots of nice boats. There's…read morea restaurant located on the premises that I didn't get to try. Enjoyed the swing bench and watching the water while exploring Sarasota. There's a lot of art featured here also. The huge parking lot is three hours max I believe.

It was a nice beach, but it was raining so we couldn't enjoy the whole experience. It was clean…read moreand the water was clear. We were able to sit for about 30 minutes, it was drizzling so it made the whole experience calming and peaceful.

First time at AMI, what a beautiful beach! St. Pete Beach is less than 20 minutes from me so I…read moredon't find myself compelled to visit other beaches, but AMI was a treat. A lot of free street parking (even arriving at 12:30pm on a Sunday), perfect sand, and pretty water.

My friends and I had a perfect beach day! It was my first time at this beach and I loved it! There…read morewater is so clear and pretty and the sand is very soft. There are so many food options at the Anna Maria Island Cafe! My friend got a chicken tender platter, and although I think the prices are a bit high, you do get a lot of food. Also she was charged .50¢ to pack her food "to go" which is strange. All in all we had a great day and will definitely be back!

Heaven on Earth can be found here. If I could just stay here, & go no where else I would be happy…read more Only thing is the beaches aren't dog friendly here. The closest is in Venice. It's ok though. We go to the same spot on the beach. We have the best free parking here always found and the beach is steps away. There's no restrooms here. The closest is the Walgreens. There's also a nearby plaza with Crepes, tacos, ice cream, and souvenirs, Publix and CVS are just down the street. It's a perfect spot in our happy place in Anna Maria Island. Also pretty close to getting off the island which is good bc the traffic is crazy in other spots.

If survival shows had a snorkeling episode, it would be here. You have to walk FOREVER just to get…read moreto the ocean, then walk through the water to even reach the snorkeling spot. Parking? Better wake up at 5:30 a.m. because there's barely any unless you enjoy circling like a lost seagull. And the waves??? Felt like the ocean had personal beef with everyone there. People were getting tossed around and there were basically no signs warning how rough it was. Came to snorkel, almost left fighting for my life.

Found lots of great shells during our week stay here! Also got to enjoy the sunset and early…read moremorning beach runs. We stayed on Point of Rocks road, so it was a quick walk to the beach.