Siesta Key: America's #1 Beach

January 13, 2017

Siesta Key: America's #1 Beach

On New Year's Day weekend, Monday, January 2, we decided to go to Siesta Key Beach since it is only a morning's drive and it happens to be known as America's #1 Beach. This is something we have been wanting to do for a long time.

We began our journey early in the morning and it took us 3 1/2 hours to get there from a little ways north of Orlando. A good part of our time was taken up sitting in traffic in Sarasota, Florida. Once we actually got to the island area it took us an hour to find parking.

The area is beautiful. Siesta Key reminded me, more than any other Florida beach that I had been to, of the beautiful Orange County California beaches that I had grown up with as a child in Southern California.

The cleanliness of the beaches, the beautiful architecture, and beach homes in the area is something that I really miss, but Siesta Key did helped bring that all back for me.

What was frustrating, however, is that we had assumed that even thought it was a holiday weekend we could still gain access to the beach. We have never had trouble with this on the Atlantic coast side.

I really shouldn't make a stink about this. It's not like there is some customer service department to complain to about the crowds. Like the beaches on the east coast, I figured Siesta Key would be crowded, but I didn't realize that it would be major-hurricane-evacuation-crowded.

By the time we got to Siesta Key Beach, every single parking spot within 2 miles of the main beach was taken up, and there was no place to use the restroom! One of my family members had to go really bad and he ended up going to a bar to use the restroom.

The Siesta Key City beach parking lot was horrible!!!!!!! There were bumper to bumper cars so packed that the parking lot was at a standstill. It was truly frustrating and dangerous.

Just as we were deciding to abandon the whole idea of Siesta Key, we passed a private parking lot, that had opened up, and by this time it was 1:00 p.m., advertising $20 a day parking. The lot was owned by a real estate agent who was taking advantage of the need. He started out his price at $15.00 and as the afternoon progressed and demand increased the parking price went up, until the lot was full, which it filled up in about 45 minutes. So by 2:00 the lot was completely full.

We took advantage of this opportunity, and we are glad we did.

We ended up on the very north end of the beach where there were no services like restrooms, showers, or life guards, but this didn't deter us. We had made too much of a sacrifice to get there to not take advantage.

The only disappointing part of the day was the fact that if we hadn't found this private parking option, we would not have even been able to park to even take a look at America's #1 Beach and after all of that driving.....

We sat on the bumper of the Suburban and took turns playing guitar while waiting for people to change into their suits in the car. Luckily, we have tinted windows. It looks like my son is taking a peek, but I promise he wasn't. :)

We also doused up with sunscreen while waiting for others to change.

Once we got done parking (and changing our suits in the car, and eating our food at the car because the walk was too long to bring our food), we made the 1/4 mile walk to the beach through a public access that wasn't too bad. It was a pleasant and easy walk.

Unfortunately, we had to use the same restrooms that the pelicans and sharks do.

The sign said, "Share the Shore" which we did in more ways than we care to say.

DID I SAY SHARKS? Yes. SHARKS! There was a shark at the beach that day and it swam right up to the boys legs. We have two witnesses, so I believe them when they say it was a shark.

There were so many fish swimming around, my first thought was there has to be some sharks in there.

Fortunately, it was just a little guy.

We were on the north end of the beach which is beautiful, being the more primitive part. I love beach grasses with their beautiful red painted daisies.

More wildflowers

Siesta Key is a beautiful beach with fine white sand, vibrant blue skies, lots of pelicans, and views of water craft in the water. Where we were on the north, it was not crowded and we were able to find a good spot for our blanket.

This shows the amount of distance from the beach access to the beach. It's not a handicap friendly access.

I wouldn't say this is my #1 beach, as I would rather spend a whole day at more accessible beaches like Cape Canaveral Beach or Ponce Inlet Beach on the Atlantic Coast side, but the town was pretty, the beach was pretty, and I'm glad I got to say that I have been there.

Looking south from the north end of the beach toward Sarasota

The boys looking for a spot for the blanket.

Okay, they say the Gulf Coast is warmer but not this January 2nd day.

Lots of pelicans means lots of fish. Lots of fish means sharks, and yes we saw a little one.

Dad tries the water. "It's refreshing", he says.

The little one looking for shells.

One thing you have in the afternoon on the Gulf side that you don't on the Atlantic side which makes the ocean so beautiful is the reflecting sun on the water.

There were tons of pelicans there that day.

Brothers enjoying the beach together.

My oldest boy introduces his newly wedded wife to the boogie board.

A pelican diving for a fish.

My 14 year-old has been inspired to learn the guitar by another beach musician, Jack Johnson. Dreaming of Hawaii here.

Okay, so we have since learned that this is a very dangerous activity and that you never bury someone in the sand. We didn't know this until a native Floridian told us yesterday that the lungs can't stand up to the pressure, so this is the last you will see of such an activity.