Siesta Key FL is home to the #1 Rated beach in America and a top 5 rated beach in the world!
In the early 2000s when blogs were becoming popular and people started rating beaches, a name that appeared at the top of most lists was Siesta Key Beach. – for the last decade Siesta Key dominated most polls and consistently ranks as the best beach in the US.
Living next to such a prized procession became a search for many. We started to see vacation rentals built and a lot of wealth being invested in the area.
One of the biggest benefits of Siesta Key is the proximity to downtown Sarasota. Sarasota was quickly becoming the #1 city in the US to start a new business and also the #1 place to retire and this dynamic made Siesta Key the best beach island for those retired and many still working bringing more business and opportunity here.
Where is Siesta Key?
Siesta Key is located on the Gulf coast in the middle of Sarasota. Sarasota downtown is only 6.5 miles away making it the closest downtown to a beach along with Lido Key. SRQ airport is also one of the closest airports to a beach at only 11.5 miles away. Longboat Key is 11.5 miles from Siesta Key and would take you through downtown Sarasota and through Lido Key to get to it.
What is Siesta Key known for?
Siesta Key is know for having whitest and softest sand in the world! It's also one of the largest beaches in the state both in width & depth. Your eyes will be amazed taking in this large area of 99% fine quartz sand lining the beautiful blue water while your feet and hands get to touch the most pleasant sand and the warmest water in the world.
There are 4 colorful life guard stations spread out on the beach. The sand is so white it looks like snow. The energy of vacationers and local visitors seems to be high rear round. People from this area started quoting the phrase "we live where you vacation" as Siesta Key has been one of the best islands for professionals to live and work in this paradise.
What part of Siesta Key is best?
My favorite area in Siesta Key is the north part of the island. Majority of the homes are on the water and they have incredible views any way you look. Siesta Key north bridge connects this part of the island to the mainland making everything you would want a very short drive away. There are some very large homes here with many trophy properties.
In the middle is the widest part of the island. Majority of the homes are located here. There is a very intricate canal system giving hundreds of homes access to the gulf and bay. Many older homes are being torn down and replaced with new builds. There is a surprising number of people that live here year round.
Siesta Key Village is located here and this is the heart of the island. 23 of the restaurants and shops are located here and year round this area is filled with life.
In this area we start to see some vacation rentals. 1 mile south of The village is the public beach access. South of the public beach for the next 1.5 miles we see condos of all sizes lining the shore and bay. These are all mostly older with only a couple newer ones on the southern end.
If you like the elevated views from a condo this is a great choice for low maintenance and a million dollar view.
The south bridge to Siesta Key is located here giving us 2 access points to the Island. South of the bridge we have another 3 miles of residential area. The Sanderling Club is a large gated community with homes on a private beach.
At the south end of the island is Turtle Beach. There are a handful of condominiums here with homes throughout. The sand is more course here and noticeably more gray.
How wealthy is Siesta Key?
Siesta Key is the 2nd wealthiest Island on the Gulf coast of Florida. In the last 3 years there have been 50 homes SOLD over $5 Million, and 155 residences SOLD between $2.5 - $5 million.
Here is a chart showing the number of residences sold on the Florida gulf coast Islands.
What is the biggest negative of living on Siesta Key?
The biggest negative of living on Siesta Key would be the traffic. You would need to learn to time you're driving. If you are looking to get off and on the island both north and south bridges are draw bridges. Every 30 minutes if there is a sail boat or large yacht looking to pass, the bridges goes up and it will slow you down approximately 5 minutes about the same length of 2 traffic lights. Also after sunset there is a big rush of cars getting off the island.
How does Siesta Key compare to St Pete Beach?
St Pete Beach is the most comparable to Siesta Key. There are a lot more condominiums on St Pete beach and the island feels older as most of it was developed first. The sand is also very white on St Pete beach but it is not the same as Siesta Key.
There are a lot more hotels and resorts on St Pete Beach so the island does feel more touristy while majority of Siesta Key feels very residential.
Here is a chart comparing some of the statistics between the most popular islands on the gulf.
Here is a video tour of Siesta Key that will give you a better idea of what the island has to offer.
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