We had a fiesta in Siesta Key! Siesta Key is a barrier island in the Gulf
of Mexico that is off the coast of Sarasota, Florida.
Siesta Key was ranked the number one beach in the United States.
Accommodations
We chose to stay in an Air BNB on the residential side of Siesta Key. We stayed one mile from Turtle Beach. We were 4 miles from Siesta Beach and Siesta Key Village. There are two sides of Siesta Key: one is residential with all the homes and the other is the condo district. The residential side is quiet and in a neighborhood. We loved it here. The condo district is closer to Siesta Key Beach and Siesta Key Village.
Transportation
There is a free trolley system that has routes all around the island. It is called The Siesta Key Breeze. You can hop on the trolley at any SCAT bus stop. If you stay in the neighborhood district on Midnight Pass Road, you can flag the trolley down at any time on that road and get on. That is the area we stayed in and we flagged the trolley down to ride it. It makes stops at Turtle Beach, Siesta Beach, and Siesta Key Village. It will come to each of these pickups around every 30 minutes. The trolley stops at 10 PM.
We got an Uber from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport to Siesta Key. We then scheduled a taxi on the way back to the airport.
Turtle Beach
Turtle Beach was a quieter and less crowded beach. Turtle Beach was a mile from our Air BNB located on Midnight Pass Road. The free trolley stops at this beach for you to ride there and back. Turtle Beach has gray sand that is a little rocky and the water is a blue/emerald color.
Siesta Beach
This is also known as Siesta Key Beach. This beach is ranked the number one beach in the United States. It is easy to see why this pristine white beach is the top beach. When you walk on the beach there is endless white pearly sand. It has so much room for people to put tents and enjoy the sand. Then you finally make it to the ocean. It was an emerald green color and very warm when we went in May. It felt like bath water and was very clear. There is also a 2 story bar by the main entrance to the beach that serves daiquiris in a beach pail/bucket. This gives your beach vibe a whole upgrade.
Food
Daiquiri Deck:
This is a place Siesta Key is known for. It has a whole wall of Daiquiris to choose from. You even get a souvenir cup when you buy one. Our favorite was the Purple Haze (tasted like gatorade), Bushwhacker, and Purple Nurple (purple haze mixed with frose). You can also order food.
2. Another Broken Egg Cafe:
We ate brunch here in Siesta Key Village. It was right in the center of the village. We got chicken and waffles and a cold brew coffee with alcohol. 3. Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay:
We ate brunch here with a view of the bay. This was a mile from our Air BNB on Midnight Pass Road. We decided to ride our bikes to eat brunch. It was such a beautiful ride down the neighborhood on the island. 4. The Hub:
This was a Mexican Restaurant that was in the middle of the Siesta Key Village. This restaurant was lit up at night and had a band entertaining the crowd while they ate. It had such an upbeat vibe and we ate there at night for dinner.
Siesta Key Village
This is a trendy village on the island where everything is happening. There are shops, food, night life, restaurants, and it is close to Siesta Beach. The trolley stops here for you to get out and enjoy what Siesta Key has to offer.
Tips:
Dont go on a holiday because it gets too crowded. The island is so small and the one way road gets packed going to the beach. We went on Memorial Day and it took 2 hours to get 4 miles to the beach because of traffic.
If you want to be closer to walk to Siesta Beach, then don’t stay on Midnight Pass Road in the neighborhood district. Stay more in the condo district.
If you want to be close to Turtle Beach and stay in a quieter area, I would recommend Midnight Pass Road in the neighborhood in an Air BNB.