SIESTA KEY BEACHES

Crescent Beach

In 1987, Crescent Beach was rated ” World’s Finest, Whitest Sand” at the Great International Sand Challenge, beating more than 30 other entrants. Today, this beautiful beach is the most private, non-private beach in town, as many hotels and resorts block off parts of the beach for their guests. The Island House Beach Resort sits directly on Cresent Beach and has the most significant private span of the beach, for its guests to enjoy the sand and sea. 

A quick stroll down Crescent Beach takes you to Point of Rocks on the southern tip of the beach. This area is rich in coral formations and colorful marine life. It’s the perfect place to go snorkeling or diving when the tide is in. 

At Point of Rocks, a giant limestone shelf extends a half-mile out into the Gulf of Mexico. Another great thing about this place is that when the tide is out, you’ll have an intertidal zone where you can walk out (with water shoes) and see small fish, starfish, mollusks, and other reef inhabitants in small tide pools. 

Siesta Key Beach

Siesta Key Beach has been consistently rated as one of the top beaches in the United States. With the cool, 99% pure quartz sand and a mile-wide view, there is no wonder why visitors flank the beach year after year. 

Siesta Key Beach offers a variety of amenities to make your beach day the best it can be! Lifeguards are on duty 7 days a week for your safety. If you need assistance, be sure to seek out one of the four iconic lifeguard stations. Other amenities include a large parking lot, two concession areas, restrooms, outdoor showers, a tennis/pickleball court, volleyball, a shaded playground, and a picnic area. 

Forget something for your beach day? It’s no problem; head to the Siesta Sand Plaza concession stand. They have everything you could need including beach toys, hats, and towels. You can even rent chairs, shade umbrellas, and a beach wheelchair. 

This iconic beach is very large. No matter how busy it may be, you shouldn’t have trouble finding the perfect place to set up.

Turtle Beach

On the south end of Siesta Key, you’ll find Turtle Beach. Turtle Beach is different from any other beach on the island due to its black and white, or “salt and pepper,” sand. This is a great place to bring the kiddos if you enjoy searching for seashells. 

The beach tends to be on the quieter side as it is lesser known. So here, you don’t have to worry about finding a parking spot in the large lot or being unable to find a spot on the sand. This is an ideal beach for swimming and relaxing. However, if you are walking on this beach, exercise caution as there are coves and a relatively steep descent to the water.

Turtle Beach offers a “sportier” beach experience with its picnic areas, playground, volleyball court, and horseshoe pit. Just adjacent to this beach is the Blind Pass Lagoon. The lagoon is home to a public boat lunch and offers boat trailer parking. You can also rent kayaks, paddleboards, and fishing gear.