nanabee

A friend & I are thinking of taking our annual spring break to Sarasoga and Siesta Key.
Can you recommend this or would you recommend somewhere else that might have a tropical island feel?
Thanks

BBgt

My dad used to own a timeshare on Siesta Key, so my husband and I have been several times. I guess it depends on what type of beach you're looking for as to whether you'll love it or not. The beach itself is beautiful - the whitest, softest sand I've seen anywhere, and lovely warm, clear water. On the negative side, the area was too built-up for our tastes. But then, our idea of vacation is to seek out solitude and wild areas.

On the positive side, the area definitely caters to visitors coming for the beautiful beaches, and we found it to be a very friendly, casual atmosphere. A very nice spot to visit if you are inclined to stay stateside.

nanabee

Wow, thanks so much BBgt, your information is very helpful.

SEW

We recently visited our former neighbors in Bradenton and they took us on a drive through Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Sarasota and Anna Maria Key.

They specifically took us to Siesta Beach - I have never seen such a beautiful beach in my life and I am from California and have been up and down that coast and have been to Hawaii multiple times, along with Mexico. It is this pristine white sand which is so fine it barely sticks. The beach there is larger than I imagined it would be and had the weather been better, I would have lingered there much longer.

It had the buildup of most areas which are right on the water, but I thought it would be a nice place to spend some time. We only drove through Sarasota, but it looked like a really nice city.

I thought they had their share of tourist spots, but far fewer than I have seen in California in beach cities like Santa Cruz, San Diego or Huntington Beach.

Wherever you end up - Enjoy!

nanabee

Thanks so much SEW, I think this sounds good!