Destination: Siesta Key, Florida

This is a beach that I have been visiting every once in a while since I was 20 years old. I remember when I first went there I could not believe how white and powdery the sand was, along with the bright blue-green, clear water. And still every time I go I am transported back to that first time visiting. The one thing that Siesta Key has over our beaches here in Northwest Florida is the coconut palms that grow out of the sand. It has a much more tropical feel. Plus unlike Pensacola Beach it has an old florida, Key West style strip of shops and restaurants. In all the times I have visited I have never been disappointed with any of my meals there. Most have nice large outdoor seating areas along the street front.

The one major drawback for Siesta Key is parking. Finding a place to park can be excruciating, especially on weekends. What I suggest is to park somewhere away from the main beach and business areas and bike from there. Biking around the Key is quite a pleasurable experience since the area is very bike friendly. And as a note, there is a pay-to-park lot just south of the main beach parking with a beach access trail, but it is at least 1/2 mile trek to get to the beach on that path. But surprisingly enough, even with all the traffic and parking woes, the beach stays fairly uncrowded as it is quite large.

One of the major pluses for me is the volleyball community there. I have played in several at Siesta Key and I love jumping out of the sand as it is more shallow and packed than our beaches. It lets me hit like I am in my 20s again!

Overall this beach gets a 9 out of 10 for me and it is probably a top 5 beach in Florida if not the U.S. So if you are ever in that part of Florida I highly advise stopping by.
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