When does the spring break crowd leave Sarasota? (Rio: violent crime, new home)

[njkate]

Easter doesn't even fall untill 04/20 this year so have to agree with all the other posters and put your trip off until May if you don't want to deal with Spring Breakers.

[Rushmore]

May is far and away the best time of year for the beach here. The crowd is gone, the beach is gorgeous, the water is beautiful, the air is clear, there's not much rain.

Other than that, it's awful.

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by Rushmore

May is far and away the best time of year for the beach here. The crowd is gone, the beach is gorgeous, the water is beautiful, the air is clear, there's not much rain.

Other than that, it's awful.

I agree with this.

To the OP, the college age Spring Breakers don't really come to Sarasota. It is mostly families. College age kids want to go where there are bars and they can drink at 18.

While you may see a few in March, it is more of entire extended families.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Originally Posted by blueherons

I agree with this.

To the OP, the college age Spring Breakers don't really come to Sarasota. It is mostly families. College age kids want to go where there are bars and they can drink at 18.

While you may see a few in March, it is more of entire extended families.

That makes sense. I just couldn't imagine college kids picking Sarasota for a wet and wild week, but hey..I have been surprised before.

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by Cardiff by the Sea

That makes sense. I just couldn't imagine college kids picking Sarasota for a wet and wild week, but hey..I have been surprised before.

For one thing, it is too expensive when they can go all inclusive for a week in Cancun for $800 and the drinking age there or on a cruise is only 18.

[sware2cod]

Originally Posted by Cardiff by the Sea

That makes sense. I just couldn't imagine college kids picking Sarasota for a wet and wild week, but hey..I have been surprised before.

Mostly you see school aged kids visiting their grandparents and doing things in the area. Usually mom and dad are with them too.

Contrary to what some folks far away think, all the beaches in FL don't get overrun with rowdy drinking college and HS aged spring breakers. Like you see on MTV. There are only some places where this occurs, and Sarasota isn't one of them.

[Avalon08]

I live near Anna Maria Island and the time around Easter, I don't even try to get to the beach. Spring breakers, families, visitors, whatever, it's one big traffic jam from Bradenton to AMI. I would imagine it's similar in Sarasota.

Contrary to what some folks far away think, all the beaches in FL don't get
overrun with rowdy drinking college and HS aged spring breakers. Like you see on
MTV. There are only some places where this occurs, and Sarasota isn't one of
them.

This made me chuckle. My one and only visit to Siesta Key beach was on the Sat. of Mother's Day weekend in May of 2011. There was some enormous party on the beach, it was overrun with college kids, tents, kegs, and even an ice luge for shots.

[Rushmore]

Originally Posted by Avalon08

I live near Anna Maria Island and the time around Easter, I don't even try to get to the beach. Spring breakers, families, visitors, whatever, it's one big traffic jam from Bradenton to AMI. I would imagine it's similar in Sarasota.



This made me chuckle. My one and only visit to Siesta Key beach was on the Sat. of Mother's Day weekend in May of 2011. There was some enormous party on the beach, it was overrun with college kids, tents, kegs, and even an ice luge for shots.

Honestly, that is an anomaly. While as a local, I don't bother with it during high season, it's still not in the same universe as other resort destinations.

[SARASOTA COUNTY RESIDENT]

If you are thinking about moving to this area, think twice and then think twice more! The area has become a parking lot and locals are not happy with so many "snowbirds"/transplants anymore. U.S. 41 through Sarasota and Venice is a parking lot. Forget about eating out in the evenings. Local workers are so irritated they are telling out of state residents in person they can leave or go elsewhere. Words being exchanged in parking lots and stores; and, the drivers are irritated on the streets and showing it with their driving. New York cab drivers on steroids here. They are tired of it taking double/triple time to get home after work. Housing is a huge problem for workers. Snowbirds and future retirees are purchasing housing and condos, driving prices higher, and renting up the available rentals that workers need. Things are getting nasty. No violence, yet. However, the natives have had their limit with the 2013/2014 streets packed with out of state plates and drivers who drive like they don't know what they are doing. If you don't already have a place here, suggest you look elsewhere. Rethink any thoughts about this area. It is no longer a paradise for out of state refugees and a bumper sticker that was seen reading, "Open season on snowbirds" no longer sounds funny. This is no longer a fun place to be on the streets.

[kgmccann25]

Yeah, traffics crazy. What surprises me is the local paper just pushes growth growth growth! 5000 new homes in lakewood Ranch! are you kidding me? Why aren't locals up in arms over this? I have seen this in other places. A Paradise destroyed to benefit a few fat cat developers. They say it creates jobs, but the influx of people eaves the unemployment rate the same. A major no growth movement needs to happen here fast!