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Longboat Key is an ideal beach and bayfront settings for the ultimate Florida vacation. Stretching between the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico and serene Sarasota Bay, Longboat Key attracts those who come to enjoy the average year-round temperature of 73 degrees, perfect for the outdoor activities for which this island is so well known.
The area is appreciated by wildlife as well, so these waters are home to manatee, dolphins, and fish, while pelicans, osprey, and a variety of shorebirds find sanctuary here. Tennis and golf enthusiasts will find first-class facilities here, and there are several parks on the key to visit for a relaxing afternoon.
Longboat Key has two public beaches, Longboat Key Beach and Beer Can Island Beach. Longboat Key Beach stretches the entire length of the key, with several beach access points, and is not very crowded and a good spot for shelling. Beer Can Island Beach is a favorite spot for fishing, sunning and partying. It is on the very north end of Longboat Key, accessible from North Shore Rd. off Gulf of Mexico Dr., and a great place to watch the boats going through the pass.
Longboat Key is a boater’s paradise. It just doesn’t get much better than heading out to enjoy the gentle waters of Sarasota Bay or the breathtakingly beautiful Gulf of Mexico. The Bay provides calmer waters that make for a great day of water-skiing, wakeboarding, or tubing. Parasailing, scuba, and jet ski rentals, along with power and sail craft, are available on island. Fishing opportunities include flats fishing around the Sister Keys, in the bay or Gulf looking for redfish, snook, and speckled trout, or in the Gulf surf looking for trout, flounder, grouper, and sheepshead. Pier fishing is also productive.
Longboat Key offers the Longboat Key Bike Path that runs the entire length of the island, a 24-mile round-trip down Gulf of Mexico Drive. You might also like to visit Quick Point Nature Preserve.
Three main shopping centers are located on the island: Whitney Beach Shopping Plaza, The Centre Shops of Longboat Key, and Avenue of the Flowers Shopping Plaza. St. Armand’s Circle, famous for its first rate shops and boutiques, along with fabulous restaurants, is adjacent to Longboat Key on the South. Dining and nightlife can be found at Siesta Key Village and all along Gulf of Mexico Drive.
Round out your vacation with an easy day trip to the Sarasota or Bradenton areas.
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