Living in Florida has its advantages. There are some wonderful places to visit.
Disney World in Orlando, of course, but there’s also the Keys, Daytona Beach, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and St. Augustine, to name just a few. All the usual most famous Florida hot spots, but there’s so much more to explore.
For this author, it is preferable to get off the beaten track. Some well kept secrets and some not so well kept. I’m talking about the beautiful Gulf of Mexico coast of South Florida. The Gulf Coast has the beaches to visit. The effervescent blue waters set off by white sand beaches that won’t burn bare feet, wonderful between your toes. White sand beaches and gentle waves, this is paradise.
Siesta Key has one of the best known white sand beaches in the world. This relatively small key is home to two publicly accessible beaches; the main beach is, appropriately enough, Siesta Beach. Plenty of parking, volleyball nets, tennis courts, and picnic tables with grills. The Key is home to a quaint “downtown” area that caters to a “parrot-headed” mentality (Jimmy Buffet fans), native to a Key setting. Walking distance to the main beach with great food, nice music, and sunsets you only see in pictures, this is Siesta Key.
South of that is Florida’s best kept secret, in my opinion. South of Venice, Florida, lies the beginning of a long, thin strip of land called Manasota Key. You will find three beaches, the southernmost with a small tourist area. Gift shops, vacation home rentals, a hotel, a couple of nice restaurants overlooking the Gulf, and of course a tiki bar (the sunset from the tiki bar’s perspective is spectacular).
The northern area is home to Manasota Beach. A few BBQ grills, covered picnic tables with plenty of parking. Right over the coastal bridge, this is the first beach you’ll arrive at when leaving Venice.
The middle beach is called….. Middle Beach, by the locals. There are basic facilities and a long beach, but it’s a hideaway, a couple of miles drive down a narrow road from either direction. Opposite Middle Beach is the intercoastal access into a fairly large wildlife refuge. Dirt roads provide a few exits to the intercoastal waterway, perfect for fishing. If you’re not squeamish, go for a walk on the flats (that’s IN the water). Stunning adventures, if you can sit still for a minute you can watch the various fish swim by your feet through crystal clear water. I used to enjoy walking the flats and fishing with a couple of friends. It is wise to be with friends on those walks, for sure.
Then south of Englewood Beach, I started to describe it from the beginning. The beach is huge and the sunset is always spectacular. On the weekends you can always hear live music over the water at night from the tiki bar at Stump Pass, well between sets of live music at the tiki bar where one can find oneself.
This part of Florida is a personal favorite.
Other areas of exploration have their unique escapades and complexities. I will have more to share in other writings. The point of view of a local is the advantage of a tourist.
