East Coast Beaches to West, Florida Beach locations in Sarasota County are Some of the Best!

Whether you are a winter visitor, vacationer or full-time resident, Florida's 1,200 miles of coastline is yours to enjoy and we're going to help you by giving you all of the details on the top west Florida beach locations including special amenities, recreational offerings, hours, pet regulations and more. Sarasota County is home to many well known towns including Sarasota, Venice, Englewood, Siesta Key and Longboat Key. Beautiful Sarasota Bay separates the county's barrier islands from the mainland. With its 40 miles of beaches, Sarasota County is one of America's most desirable places to live and to vacation.

Sarasota accommodations are varied and many, from Sarasota inns, to Sarasota resorts, to even Sarasota motels and the same is true throughout the County. You can find Sarasota vacations rentals in Siesta Key condos, Sarasota condominiums and Sarasota villas. Sarasota Restaurants throughout the County are many and palate pleasing! In Venice, Café Venice Restaurant & Wine Bar is the place to go. Cork on St. Armand's Circle in Sarasota was named "Best New Restaurant." It's a pretty exciting place with exciting food! Ophelia's on the Bay offers beautiful alfresco dining overlooking Sarasota Bay and Euphemia Haye on Longboat Key is legendary. Try them all!

On to the beaches!

Here are 6 of the 17 beaches in Sarasota County:

Blind Pass Beach Location: 6725 Manasota Key Road, one mile north of the Charlotte County line on Manasota Key Phone: 941-861-5000 Sarasota County Hours: sunrise to sunset Parking: free lot Amenities: ½ mile of beach and 66 acres gulf to bay, canoe launch, picnic shelter, nature trail, playground, restrooms, handicapped accessible Activities: swimming, fishing, sunbathing, surfing, walking canoeing, kayaking Pets: no Of Special Interest: In addition to enjoying this beautiful beach, canoeing, kayaking and fishing are popular in the coves and lagoon on the bayside.

Manasota Beach Location: 8570 Manasota Key Road, west end @ Manasota Beach Road. Phone: 941-861-5000 Sarasota County Hours: sunrise to sunset Parking: parking lots are free and plentiful Amenities: 1500 foot beach, 14 acres gulf to bay, lifeguards, boat ramps, boardwalk, docking facilities, dune walkovers, picnic shelters, restrooms, volleyball courts, handicapped accessible Activities: swimming, boating, fishing, shelling, walking, sunbathing Pets: no Of Special Interest: The beach is situated between the Gulf and the Intracoastal Waterway. On the Intracoastal side, a boat ramp and docking facilities are available allowing access to the Bay and Gulf. The 620 feet of dockage becomes a scenic boardwalk that meanders through the mangroves.

Casperson Beach Location: 4100 Harbor Drive, Venice, south of the airport Phone: 941-861-5000 Sarasota County Hours: sunrise to sunset Parking: free lots Amenities: 2 miles of beach, 177 acres, 1100 foot boardwalk, .34 mile nature trail, picnic area, restrooms Activities: swimming, shelling, walking, fishing, handicapped accessible Pets: no Of Special Interest: Caspersen is recognized as one of the most enjoyable shelling beaches in this area. This is an exceptionally good area to find prehistoric sharks' teeth. You can see freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangrove areas, and tidal flats. Enjoy a 20 minute walk through Caspersen's nature trail which has been developed through a coastal hammock. The southern two thirds of beachfront has been left in its natural state. A dune restoration system with walkovers has been implemented to preserve the shoreline.

Brohard Park Location: 1600 Harbor Drive on the Venice Airport property Phone: 941-861-5000 Sarasota County Hours: sunrise to sunset Parking: free lot Amenities: 84 acres, Venice municipal fishing pier, bait shop, Pelican Man Sanctuary, restrooms, food concession, restaurant nearby, Paw Park Activities: bird watching, swimming, fishing, sunbathing, walking, shelling Pets: yes, in Paw Park Of Special Interest: For dog lovers, at the south end of Brohard Beach is the Paw Park, with doggie drinking fountains, showers on decks for dogs only, fire hydrants and leash posts. Dog lovers have declared this park and beach to be the best doggy park in the state, where dogs are allowed to roam free.

Service Club Park Location: 1190 Harbor Drive, north of and adjacent to Brohard Beach, Venice Phone: 941-861-5000 Sarasota County Website: Hours: sunrise to sunset Parking: free lot Amenities: playground, picnic tables, restrooms and showers, handicapped access, playground, dune walkovers Activities: swimming, fishing, shelling, sunbathing, walking, fishing Pets: no

Venice Beach Location: 101 The Esplanade, west end of Venice Ave., Venice Phone: 941-861-5000 Sarasota County Hours: sunrise to sunset Parking: free lot Amenities: 2 miles of beach total, 7.5 acres, lifeguards, handicapped accessibility and handicapped wheelchairs, concessions, dune walkovers, pavilion, restrooms, volleyball courts Activities: scuba, snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing, volleyball, walking Pets: no Of Special Interest: A reef containing fossilized material is located a quarter mile offshore making it a favorite spot for local divers.

We hope you enjoy your stay on a west Florida beach, whether it's for the week, or for the rest of your life. Now what are you waiting for? Get swimming!

By Maria Norton