Page Updated: September 19, 2023
Beach Hopping Sarasota County
Siesta Key Beach FL
Not all beaches are the same, and Sarasota County has over 35 miles of beach line to explore and find the perfect one. A top destination for locals, the beaches also host over 6 million visitors a year.
On September 28, 2022, Category 4 Hurricane Ian made landfall near the island of Cayo Costa, FL. Damage to the island and the surrounding greater Fort Myers area was catastrophic. Many communities lost businesses and homes. The determined began the arduous process of rebuilding. Others have chosen to move on.
On Sarasota day, we stopped at a couple of beaches along the way to check out their vibe.
Our first stop was Caspersen Beach, Venice, FL. Its beautiful dunes are protected with boardwalks in an effort to preserve the natural shoreline. The beach stretches for a mile and a half and makes a good little shelling beach. It’s also reportedly abundant in prehistoric sharks’ teeth.
By comparison, the beach at Venice Fishing Pier is quite different. The 700 ft long pier is popular for fishing, and the sands of the beach run along restaurants like Fins and Sharky’s. Sandy volleyball courts, pavilions, picnic shelters, and tropical drinks contribute to a day of fun or evening sunsets.
Siesta Key Beach was by far the largest and busiest beach stop of the day. The large swaths soft sugary sands and warm waters of the gulf are an obvious haven for beach goers. We arrived at the beach at 11:30 and tourists were piling in for the day. Nearby condos contribute to the masses.
Each beach has it’s own vibe and a full day at each of them would’ve been ideal. Pressed for time and trying to see as much as we can during our leg, we still enjoyed our morning hopping around from beach to beach. Next time maybe we’ll spend time in the ocean.
-b&b
Myakka River State Park
Sarasota
