Among Friends

[Shelbelle]

Siesta Key has been named one of the nicest beaches in the world many times.

[Skididdy]

OH FLORIDA @haddon9. I love Florida. For me, Sanibel was breathtaking.  I love the Ft Meyers, Captiva, Sanibel areas.  YES definately pricey as heck. a more stuffy atmosphere where people are concerned, but beautiful.  Sarasota, if your looking to have more to do and more up late type of things.

[I am still oxox]

Siesta Key Drum Circle and sunset

[Bhvbum]

Most definitely siesta key. Look at a good map of Sarasota and you will see that there is the city, and then there are a string of islands right off of Sarasota. They are Longboat key, Lido key and Siesta key is the most southern in that little string. All these “keys” are actually islands and there are bridges they go over to them.  Siesta key has very few hotels so you would be renting a condo or a beach house. There are a couple of hotels but most of them are on Longboat key and Lido. 

Also since you are flying into Tampa there are some beautiful beaches along Clearwater. They are all on the Gulf of Mexico, and have beautiful white sand.

[I am still oxox]

@Bhvbum

A must see in Clearwater is the Aquarium and Winter Dolphin she is the subject of the movie Dolphins Tale, she was saved from certain death by the Aquarium

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wrote:

Most definitely siesta key. Look at a good map of Sarasota and you will see that there is the city, and then there are a string of islands right off of Sarasota. They are Longboat key, Lido key and Siesta key is the most southern in that little string. All these “keys” are actually islands and there are bridges they go over to them.  Siesta key has very few hotels so you would be renting a condo or a beach house. There are a couple of hotels but most of them are on Longboat key and Lido. 

Also since you are flying into Tampa there are some beautiful beaches along Clearwater. They are all on the Gulf of Mexico, and have beautiful white sand.

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[software]

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wrote:

I'm hoping for some good suggestions.  I'm making my annual trip down to Florida to visit my mother who's in the Ft. Lauderdale area (Tamarac) in early April.  My brother will be joining me.  This year rather than flying directly into Ft. Lauderdale we're flying into Tampa.

I have a relative that I'm going to see our first night we arrive in Tampa and we'll have dinner with her & her husband.  She's in an eastern suburb of Tampa and we plan on finding a hotel to spend the night in the area.  Then we plan on driving down to St. Pete's and visitng a few museums.  Then it's on to Sarastoa where we plan on spending either a night or two.

My brother really wants to spend some time on a nice beach.  I can't decide if we should spend two nights in either Sarasota or Sanibel Island.  As for me I need to have a beach chair to sit on....I simply can't lie on a towel in the sand so I'm thinking we would have to either buy them or stay at a beachfront restort.  I also want to mention that though I go to Florida often I rarely go to the west coast.

Doesn anyone have any good suggestions?

TIA!

ETA:  Once we leave Sanibel, we'll drive down to Naples then from there over to visit my mother in Tmarac.

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Avoid Spring Break  wherever you decide

[pigletsmom]

As far as a beach chair goes, I would just swing by a local Walmart, CVS or wherever and grab a cheap one. Then on the last day just give it to someone on the beach who might need it. This is of course if you don't need a super nice chair or something.

[Lilysmom]

@haddon9, I have been to Sanibel and Siesta Key.  Sanibel is quite different than Siesta Key as noted already.  Both Sanibel and Siesta have beautiful beaches.  Sanibel is very resort oriented, quieter, less activity than Siesta.

The last time I was at Siesta Key, it was so busy we wound up leaving before we got to the beach.  Traffic was a standstill.  On a hot afternoon, not where we wanted to be.  If you are staying at a beach hotel/condo in Siesta Key, this may not be an issue for you.  We were staying on Lido Key when we visited Siesta Key.

Whichever you choose, enjoy your visit!  LM

[haddon9]

@Lilysmom . Thanks!  You've been very helpful!