Sarasota • Siesta Key • Longboat Key • Lido Key • Venice
Sarasota, Florida is home to some of the best beaches in the world! It should come as no surprise that spending time on Sarasota beaches is on the top of the list of things to do when visiting the area.
Vacationers will want to slather on the sunscreen, grab a towel and some beach games or a good book, and then head out to find out what all the fuss is about.
We’ve provided a list of the best beaches in the Sarasota, Florida area.
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Siesta Key Beaches
The blue-ribbon winner in the area, Siesta Beach earned its bragging rights in from its 99% pure quartz sand in 2011 when Dr. Beach ranked it No. 1 on his annual list of America’s Best Beaches! Siesta earned additional accolades in 2015 when National Geographic ranked the beach No. 6 on its list of Top U.S. Family Beaches and most recently in 2020 TripAdvisor voted Siesta Beach No. 1 in the USA and No. 11 in the world!
You’ll find more of this famous sand at Siesta Key’s Crescent Beach, rated No. 10 on Travelocity’s 2011 Top 25 Beaches in the United States. Once you dig your toes into the powdery soft sand you’ll understand why folks come from all over the world to relax and play on these shores.
Caspersen Beach and Venice Beach
Families will want to include a trip to the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World”. On Caspersen and Venice beaches you can hunt for washed up sharks’ teeth of all types and sizes.
Nokomis Beach on Casey Key is the area’s oldest public beach and is popular for fishing and surfing. Even if you do not surf it is fun to watch others catch a good wave.
The warm Gulf breeze, sand between your toes and the sun on your face….ahh, this is Southwest Florida beaches at their best!
No Smoking at all Sarasota County Beaches and Parks
Smoking cigarettes and filtered cigars will be prohibited at all Sarasota County beaches and parks beginning October 1, 2023.
Beach Conditions
To see detailed, updated information about any Sarasota County beach in real time, visit Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s Beach Conditions Reporting System.
Loggerhead Turtles
People aren’t the only ones flocking to Sarasota’s shores. Did you know that Florida beaches are home to 80% of Loggerhead turtles in the U.S?
In fact, beginning in May and continuing through October, there are an estimated 50,000 sea turtles in Florida making it the most important nesting area in the United States!
You can help the new hatchlings make their way to the water by keeping outside lights off, removing chairs, umbrellas, and leveling sand castles and any holes dug before you leave the beach.
If you encounter a sea turtle nest on the beach please don’t disturb the area. Read our Sea Turtles of the Paradise Coast blog article here.
See more things to do in Sarasota, Longboat Key, Lido Key, Siesta Key and Venice Florida.
Check out our Naples and Marco Island and Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel & Captiva visitor guides.
