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Old 05-05-2010, 10:23 AM
 
Location: Sarasota, FL
1,642 posts, read 3,345,307 times
Reputation: 814

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On Sunday, my lovely fiance and I went to the beach. Having lived in St. Pete for quite some while, I never found the beaches too overrun after April1, really, so I figured it would be fine.

It was not fine. We dumbly went to Siesta Key Beach, and it was just a mob scene. It looked like what I would imagine Spring Break to look like. Volleyball, beer, frisbees, everyone in packs...ugh.

I mean, it was a nice day, and the beach is nice, but no way do I go through that again, not like that.

Seeing as we are now full-time residents (noobs, yes, but still RESIDENTS), and seeing as we pay taxes, I am hoping some of you kind folks will share your beach preferences with us. I grew up in a resort beach town, and have no interest in that scene. Ever seen "Jersey Shore?" Arg ugh, and blecch.

If you want to keep it relatively hush-hush, feel free to PM me, but please, have a heart. We need a quiet spot to go once or twice a week.

Not the setting for the next Girls Gone Wild video.

Thanks.
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Old 05-05-2010, 10:46 AM
 
1,235 posts, read 3,679,440 times
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You could go a little further south on Siesta key to Crescent or Turtle beach. Both much less chaotic People seem to be sticking around a little later this year than normal. Probably because it was so cool at the beginning of season, timelines were pushed back a little.
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Old 05-05-2010, 10:52 AM
 
Location: Sarasota, FL
1,642 posts, read 3,345,307 times
Reputation: 814
Quote:
Originally Posted by PixiStix View Post
You could go a little further south on Siesta key to Crescent or Turtle beach. Both much less chaotic People seem to be sticking around a little later this year than normal. Probably because it was so cool at the beginning of season, timelines were pushed back a little.
Turtle Beach is very nice, don't get me wrong, but I wondering if there is a superb white sand beach that has nice clear water that is not overrun.

We promise, we won't tell.
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Old 05-05-2010, 10:57 AM
 
Location: Northern NJ
453 posts, read 1,742,550 times
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Or head a little bit south to Venice Beach. Or, better yet, a little further north to Anna Maria Island. Totally different, just like our beach in Lavallette NJ is totally different than Seaside Heights, two towns away where Jersey Shore was filmed.

If you haven't checked out AMI, do yourself a huge favor and drive up for the day. You are very fortunate to live so close by. Read up about it first and let us know how you make out.

Siesta Key is nice but I was similarly uncomfortable there. The crowds didn't bother me so much as just the sheer enormity of the public beach and parking lot.

Rhys
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Old 05-05-2010, 10:58 AM
 
879 posts, read 1,953,828 times
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how about timing? i live in Ny (long island) with private beaches but they do get quite busy on weekends and during holidays like memorial day weekend. We tend to go later in the day and it's less crowded or go early and leave around lunch when it's hottest anyway. Is it the same there or just a mob around the clock? i was in sarasota at the end of april and we went to siesta key beach at about 3pm. there were people, yes and crowded parking lot (we got a spot in 5 min anyway) but it was fine in my opinion. i have a picture from that day actually - i should upload it. it was a gorgeous day!!

Just curious - we are hoping to still enjoy the beaches once moving down but are not used to public beaches. thanks
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Old 05-05-2010, 12:07 PM
 
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Maybe the sand sculpture competition made it more crowded than usual?
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Old 05-05-2010, 12:16 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, FL
1,642 posts, read 3,345,307 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RhysNJ View Post
Or head a little bit south to Venice Beach. Or, better yet, a little further north to Anna Maria Island. Totally different, just like our beach in Lavallette NJ is totally different than Seaside Heights, two towns away where Jersey Shore was filmed.

If you haven't checked out AMI, do yourself a huge favor and drive up for the day. You are very fortunate to live so close by. Read up about it first and let us know how you make out.

Siesta Key is nice but I was similarly uncomfortable there. The crowds didn't bother me so much as just the sheer enormity of the public beach and parking lot.

Rhys
I grew up in Pt. Pleasant, so I guess you know what I mean.

We will start making daily journeys to alternatives, beginning with AMI.

Thanks.
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Old 05-05-2010, 12:20 PM
 
17,535 posts, read 39,141,385 times
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Personally, I like Coquina Beach, or the other Bradenton Beaches. Siesta makes me crazy with the crowds and parking. I also think this is a better walking beach than Siesta, and there are also trees which I like.
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Old 05-05-2010, 02:11 PM
 
Location: Where the sun always shines..
1,938 posts, read 6,263,235 times
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Lido beach is nice, right off St Armands in Sarasota further north than Siesta. It's a bit of a walk to the beach off the sand but it's nice and never as crowded as Siesta Key. We LOVE the sands at Siesta, but we also prefer a more quiet beach. That is the most popular beach in the area. It was rated the number one beach in the US! We live in Bradenton and usually hit Cortez Beach.. we've never had any issues. It's not the greatest sand out there, but hey, a sunset is a sunset when youre on the Gulf. Cortez beach offers nice walkways over the sand and the water is right there... There are some people, but they aren't overwhelming and always friendly..
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Old 05-05-2010, 02:14 PM
 
Location: Where the sun always shines..
1,938 posts, read 6,263,235 times
Reputation: 829
Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsychic View Post
Personally, I like Coquina Beach, or the other Bradenton Beaches. Siesta makes me crazy with the crowds and parking. I also think this is a better walking beach than Siesta, and there are also trees which I like.
EXACTLY my point!! Beaches in Bradenton are nice, so they lack white powdery sand.. they have bathrooms around and are NEVER insanely busy! I always want to avoid the drunken, suncrazed partiers that inhabit Siesta key,,
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