Florida question about nice Gulf beaches

[jeaux90]

We fly into Tampa plan to stay in Kissimmee for a week, then across to Miami for a couple of nights, do the Everglades park and then....not sure. Want to start getting back up towards Tampa perhaps and have a few days in a nice town/area with lovely beaches.

Does anyone have recommendations for those last few days after Everglades?

My aunt and uncle have a home in Bradenton and had a bit of wind with that last big hurricane. Parents were visiting a few weeks ago and said Anna Maria and the rest was in fine shape, but definitely more expensive than it was say 10 years ago or so. Lots of condos available for weekly rent, or you can get the super fancy brand new large beach houses with private pools if you want the works. We've stayed at the below twice, great great little cottage and walkable to most everything you need:

There's a little trolley 'system' on Anna Maria and Long Boat Key that you can ride all the way down to Sarasota, or at least take around the island to different beaches/restaurants/bars. The traffic can be messy on weekends and holidays as there is only a two lane road through most of it.

Thanks everyone just tossing up between staying on one of the keys which is expensive but looks incredible or getting something inland with a pool (we have teens and have US based family staying too)

What are good areas in Sarasota or Branderton to stay? Prefer areas where we can walk to restaurants if possible.

@TelevisionIcon was a there a link that you meant to put in the reply to a specific cottage or location? That would be really great!

Downtown Sarasota:

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/srqal-aloft-sarasota/overview/?scid=d2406702-e8ea-4b45-bb9b-69cddaaef03d

This one is right downtown with a rooftop pool. Dozens of restaurants within easy walking distance; you can walk everywhere in Sarasota. Ten minute car ride to Lido, Siesta and Longboat Key beaches.

If you just want to step outside the hotel right onto the beach, checkout:

https://www.opalcollection.com/lido-beach/

This is easy walking to St. Armands:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34618-d109809-Reviews-St_Armands_Circle-Sarasota_Florida.html

Your pick of restaurants, shops, etc.

A word about Bradenton....

Bradenton beaches are very nice. While there's nothing wrong with the City of Bradenton, it is a city with lots of strip malls, traffic and some pretty rundown areas. There's a small, cute downtown area (just a couple of blocks) with a few restaurants and hotels.

I have a house in the Sarasota area and I'll put it this way - I'd stay in Sarasota. It's a pretty, upscale, safe city.

@GulfCoastBeachGirl that's really helpful so you are saying Sarasota if we aren't staying on a key. We are going to hire a house/cottage so is the area of north Sarasota a good choice?

@jeaux90 Technically North Sarasota covers a fairly large area and you could be quite far from downtown. Not a bad area (probably close to Ringling college, New College and Indian Beach) but you won't be walking to restaurants downtown.

If possible stick with listings in downtown "proper" or the southside/Rosemary district. Also anything in the St Armand's area will give you beach access as well as a ton of restaurants and shops.

Anna Maria Island would give you endless beach options but isn't near downtown Sarasota, but is a quick ride into Bradenton. Your kids will love it though.

https://www.visitannamaria.com/

Second Anna Maria /Bradenton. It's stunning. Just got back 2 weeks ago. will definitely be returning.

Naples is also beautiful - very upmarket and a stunning beach. All of the barrier Islands are gorgeous so I hear.

I've also been to Sanibel Island and Captiva - also beautiful but I think they got hit by a hurricane recently and so I don't know how much they have rebuilt.

Op sorry, its this one:

https://www.annamariaparadise.com/anna-maria-island-rentals/dolphin-cottage

Five minute walk to the beach, no major streets to cross (although the main road is in front, there is a fence around the pool and its more private that it looks. Its not a bad price if you have multiple people going to the house on its own. Just enough pool to float and bounce around in and feel refreshed.

You really can't go wrong between Anna Maria and down into Sarasota. St Armands Circle is a great little locale to walk around, get something to eat, people watch, shop. Or it used to be when the exchange rate was better :)

All comes down to budget, what you want your vacation to be, and what your family likes to do. Sarasota area you can get a wide mix of activities and locales, Anna Maria is lazing around and beach/pool time - island time is REAL and you think you will get off your duff but forget it, too much work :)

I have been a few times and spent 2 weeks in Kissimmee and a week at north reddington beach. We stayed in an apartment that overlooked the beach and it is very very quiet and peaceful. We have sat on the balcony and watched some terrific storms ( obviously that's a personal taste thing) and there are lots of lovely restaurants nearby in a cute place called ST Johns Pass.

Naples - quite an upmarket, calm place, quite genteel. Naples Beach itself is very nice and usually not very busy if you avoid just around the pier. There is also Wiggins Pass and Lowdermilk beaches. You often see dolphins and pelicans! If you go on Naples Beach, it's very long - some beautiful, empty stretches if you go towards the tip near the multi-million houses near Port Royal. And of course you should do a boat trip to Keewaydin Island with their food / ice cream boats!

We have stayed in Englewood near Sarasota. It has lovely beaches (where you can find sharks teeth) and a lovely beach vibe with great outdoor restaurants. Lots of great Vilas too.

https://www.tmirealestatecompany.com/vacation-rental-home.asp?PageDataID=27863
villa we used. Has good view of beaches

We went to Naples a few years ago - not somewhere I’d go back to, found it a bit soulless, but we were mostly put off by the beaches. The beaches can be beautiful, but when we were there they were suffering with the ‘red tide’. The red tide is a toxic algae bloom - some say it’s natural, some say it’s a by product of farming. We couldn’t go in the water and even just walking on the beach gave us itchy eyes and throat. And there were piles of dead fish on the beach. Just horrrible!
I think it’s worth checking if the red tide is likely when you plan to go. It can affect quite a few places along that coast.

This is the cottage we stayed in on Anna Maria..it was one of the most affordable we found. It was lovely and the pool was great. It was very walkable to Rod and Reel and the Waterfront restaurant and very near ti the amazing Bean Point. We took our deck chairs from the cottage to the beach every night for sunset
Check out this Vrbo rental:
https://t.vrbo.io/aW21Aa6FGzb

I think there is sargassum (the red tide/algae) around this year in the southern tip of Florida rather than up by Anna Maria/Sarasota side.

Here is a map with up to date information:

Still contemplating my navel over this. Anyone have a view on Cape Coral area and Fort Myers?

I haven't been down that way since the storm, but I do know that Fort Myers sustained extensive damage during Hurricane Ian. It's possible that that's all been cleaned up/repaired, but you'll definitely want to inquire before you go.

Fort Myers Beach was beautiful. I stayed in a lovely little beach cottage a few steps from the beach. Sadly the hurricane took it, and the others belonging to the same company, with it. They aren't being rebuilt as the area was so badly damaged.

As for the rest of the area - I have been back since, but follow some sites on social media. Things are re-opening but it isn't back to normal yet. There still seems to be a fair bit of damage and disrepair, and there were still issues with the sea iirr. You'd need to enquire properly with the hotel/accommodation to get a fuller picture.

I love Naples and Key west, we went on honeymoon and hope to take the children next year.

My first vote would be to shorten the Miami trip and head down to the Keys…but, I’m not a Miami fan. The Keys on the other hand are so nice, particularly Bahia Honda.

If you come back up the Gulf Coast, then I personally enjoy Anna Maria Island, which is particularly quiet. Gorgeous ocean, with plenty of dolphin and manatee. (A theme arising here is that I’m not one for bars and noise).

If you come back up the Atlantic side, Vero Beach is lovely. We always rent points to stay at Disney’s Vero Beach, which is very beautiful and very much like a seaside themed Grand Floridian.

You’ve just reminded me that we’re off soon and cannot wait!

We just came home from a Florida trip. We loved Key West and Bahia Honda, great snorkling! We also liked Miami Beach a lot.
Also stayed at Lido Key near Sarasota , but i preferred other places.

Around Naples and Fort Meyers some beaches and State parks are still closed due to hurricane Ian. You can easily see it on google maps when you zoom in.

I think I am coming down on the side of Siesta Key. We have teens and it looks like there is more there. I mean we will be doing trips etc but I think if it was just me and DP I'd pick Anna Maria. I'm I getting that right Gulf specialists?

Siesta Key beach is famous for a reason - it's gorgeous! Can't imagine teens not liking it, and it's a quick uber to downtown Sarasota if you've had enough sun and sand.