Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida - Sarasota, Florida - Renowned White Quartz Sands on Central Florida Key

Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida is located on the Siesta Key in south central Florida. The Key is in the Gulf Coast, just west of Sarasota, to which it connects by two roadway bridges. Siesta Beach is roughly 55 miles south of Tampa and 255 miles northwest of Miami.

The Siesta Beach and other Gulf Coast Florida beaches are often cited as some of the best beaches in the world, with warm waters and white sands. Parasailing and kayaking along the beach and beyond it into the mangroves are among the available activities here. The beach always provides the option of lying in the sun on the very fine soft sand, which is 99% quartz, or swimming in the clear Ocean, which is usually calm.

Almost every Sunday night there is a drum Circle held at the beach by locals which visitors are welcome to attend. Volleyball games and badminton games are frequently seen along the beach as well as Frisbee tosses. The beach is open to early morning joggers and late into the evening for visitors and locals alike. There is a 20 station fitness trail in the area.

Tarpon, Kingfish and Spanish mackerel are among the abundant game fish found in the deeper waters by fishermen off the Coasts of the Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida. Natural limestone outcroppings, ship wrecks and artificial reefs are also found in surrounding ocean waters.

A variety of shops and restaurants, many with outdoor seating, are located steps from the beach in Siesta Village. There are also large variety of beach resorts and other accommodations that fit within a wide range of budgets.

The Beach covers 40 acres of land, with 2,400 linear feet of shoreline. All year round there are on duty lifeguards here.

There are 13 points of access to the beach along Beach Road with a limited amount of parking. Restrooms can be found at the Safety Station as well as information. There are 10 volleyball courts and 4 illuminated tennis courts in the beach as well as shaded picnic tables and 8 small picnic shelters along the open beach.

It is most likely that the white quartz sand flowed into the northern part of the Gulf, carried by river waters from higher lands. Slowly natural processes of erosion moved it down the coast over millions of years to where it is today.

Siesta Beach contained 9 acres, only 1200 feet of shoreline beach, until the 70s when the County bought 30 acres to the south, expanding the beach to its nearly 40 acres today.

Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida holds special events for children throughout the summer months. Average temperatures go no higher than the low 90s on the hottest days and the low 50s during the coldest nights of the year.