Siesta Beach

The beach has not been maintained well and the restrooms are not great. Having the number 1 beach status , it definitely needs a world class maintenance but unfortunately it’s not . I see a lot of puddles on the beach and the sand is tight at many wider spots spoiling the landscape beauty of the beach . There is a lot of algae and the breeze stinks . The only good thing about this beach is free parking .

I visited Siesta Beach for the first time today, and it was absolutely gorgeous! The sand was coarse yet soft underfoot, and best of all, it never got hot. The beach itself was spotless, and the water was crystal clear.

Beautiful as always!! Parking can be an issue but I go to Beach access 12 and look for the free parking area. Point of Rocks is changed but it's still beautiful.

One of the absolute best beaches I have ever been to - also very busy and full of people - if you are looking for a quiet relaxing experience (not so much unless you go early). Soft, white powder sand. Bathtub temp water. Bathrooms and places to rinse off all over. Set up and chill out. Drums at sunset. If you imagine the post card with the beach, sunset etc - this is it.

Siesta Beach is hands down one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been to. The sand is incredibly soft and powdery—almost like walking on flour—and it stays cool even under the hot Florida sun, which is perfect for barefoot walks. The water is crystal clear with stunning shades of blue and green, and it’s usually calm, making it great for swimming or just floating and relaxing. The beach is exceptionally clean and well-maintained. There are plenty of amenities including clean restrooms, outdoor showers, picnic areas, and lifeguards on duty. You can also rent chairs and umbrellas, and there’s a large (and free) parking lot, though it fills up quickly, especially on weekends. What really makes Siesta Beach special is the atmosphere. It’s family-friendly, peaceful, and never feels too crowded despite being popular. And the sunsets? Absolutely breathtaking—people actually gather just to watch them. It’s the kind of place where time slows down and everything feels a little more perfect. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing day in the sun or a scenic spot to catch a Florida sunset, Siesta Beach is a must-visit.

No doubt its US no.1 beach. Sand feels like such fine grinded ones. Easily accessible with lot of parking and just 1 minute walkable to the beach. Very clean water, loved the waves and the scenic view of this beach. kids really enjoyed playing here. Multiple shower and big rest room option available. Overall great experience.

Vacationing to Florida for the first time so first time at this beach. As talked about the sand is amazing to play with for the kids as well as doesn’t get hot. Beautiful white sand. There is a lot to offer such as playgrounds, wash stations, bathrooms, picnic tables, pavilions, grilling etc… an immense parking lot all free. Only downside to me is it’s obviously well known so there was a ton of people here. We prefer less crowded beaches. With that being said though was a very calm beach considering the amount of people here. No rude or ignorant instances like we have seen up north in the Jersey and Maryland area. People are much friendlier down here. Florida beaches are where it’s at.

Great beach! Arrived at 10am. We waited for a parking space for about 30 minutes. Many thanks to the police who regulated the traffic in the parking lot, otherwise it would have been total chaos! Parking is free! There are showers and toilets. The sand on the beach is like flour, soft and white. Food and drinks can be ordered by qr code and will be brought to your pick up location, just perfect! 🤩 If you want to enjoy the noise of the waves, you'll have to walk a bit because there is different Latin music playing from every beach umbrella. 🙃

Consistently ranked the #1 beach in the U.S., Siesta Key Beach is a must-see. The sand is famously white, soft, and cool to the touch thanks to its 99% quartz composition. Parking and beach access are completely free, and there's a convenient refreshment stand serving up alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, snacks, and casual food. Pro tip: Bring your own reusable straw - those frozen electric lemonades hit different, and trust me, sipping with a spoon is just not the vibe.

I finally made the trip to visit Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, FL. Now, I cannot say it will be a beach I frequent often due to the overall drive coming from central Florida. However, I do see why many really rank this beach as a great beach to visit. Now, does it top some of my favorite beaches that are a bit closer to me, NO, but it does come close. Should I plan to go back in the near future, I will plan to stay the entire weekend to avoid having to deal with the drive back and forth in one day. I know some don't care too much for the long trek to get nearer to the water, but I kind of like that. Especially when the tide gets high, you still have so much room to migrate back and be out of nature's way. Now, I was not the biggest fan of the wet, compacted sand. Though it was cool on the feet and to the touch, I was expecting more loose white sands, as many brag about. However, with it being rainy season, I guess my hopes may have been a tad too high. I will also add that, even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the wet, compacted sand, I did appreciate how it made for a nice flat surface to set up a pop-up tent. I didn't visit on a super busy weekend, so I had high hopes that it would not be packed. To my dismay, it was PACKED. With it being summer break for most kids in Florida and just summer in general, I was quite delusional to think the beach would not be packed. Due to that, parking, while free, was an absolute PAIN in the behind. Spent about 30 to 45 minutes driving around, waiting for someone to leave to grab a spot. However, I am not complaining too much because I did mention parking was FREE. Far too often, beach parking is NOT free, especially in some of the more popular beach towns. Amenities, like food, drinks, and bathrooms, were conveniently located throughout the beach strip. Overall, for my first experience, I enjoyed my time there. Again, if I visit in the near future, I'll be sure to plan an entire weekend as well as get someone else to share driving duties with. Also, I'd like to explore more of Sarasota, too, as it is not a city I frequent often. Looking forward to visiting this beach one day soon, in the distant future.

A friend suggested we do a day trip over to Siesta Key rated the #1 beach in the U.S. and #4 in the world so of course I was down and excited to see the beach. The sand was nice and soft like powder and was not hot. There were so many people on the beach during the late morning off season so it was difficult finding a spot to set up. Once we got comfortable we decided to take a walk to the water and were not impressed at all. Clearly whomever rated this beach is either blind or hasn't travelled much. The water wasn't even clear. This beach looked like a desert and is definitely one of the worst beaches I've been to.

I was not impressed by Siesta Key, it was a major disappointment. I feel my local beaches are much better and prettier. You have to walk about 15 mins before you even reach the water (try doing that with a tent, cooler, and chairs). No trees in sight, the sand was compacted almost like wet cement which made it difficult to set up our beach tent and the water was murky. I had high expectations being its considered one of the best beaches in the U.S.A.

Can see why it's been voted the best beach in the county as it didn't disappoint. Lovely beach that's within easy driving distance from anywhere in Florida really. Soft silky fine white sand. Clear waters for miles with an abundance of marine life to explore and observe while snorkeling from plenty of sand dollars and little seas snails with plenty of little fishes swimming below. Large free parking lot and restroom and showers available. Short walk like distance from the parking lot to paradise! Only warning is you may hit a lot of traffic leaving the parking lot / beach as there's really only one way in and out of the area but well worth the little bit of time in traffic!

Guys. This beach is absolutely massive and absolutely crowded and smells like doodoo all the time. The water is oddly warm. It's one massive toilet. There are many smaller, emptier, prettier beaches around Florida. There is genuinely no way this beach is rated #1 in the United States and #4 in the world like seriously guys this beach THIS IS THE WORST BEACH I HAVE EVER BEEN TO. I probably just caught 12 diseases from how crowded this beach was. Thank you.

Most gorgeous beach we have ever visited in the US! The water was astoundingly clear and blue, transporting us to a world of serenity! The beach was meticulously clean and organized, offering some free parking destinations! Very impressed! We will never go to Miami again, this is now our treasured getaway! Multiple restaurants and bars with great happy hour around the beach as well!

Super fine sand. Clean restroom and shower facilities. Fantastic service from the cafe staff. Parking was a plenty. 10/10 would revisit! Thank you for being awesome Respectfully, Bryan Oklahoma City

I don't think I've been to a beach like this where I could walk on the beach in sneakers and my shoes don't sink into the sand where it feels like I'm in bootcamp for the military. The sand itself feels unreal and I've been to a lot of beaches. They call themselves the best beach in the US and I believe it. Unfortunately I came during a time where it was unusually cold in the 50s so it was way too cold to be touching the water or laying out on the beach as the wind made things freezing also. I did enjoy the lack of people thanks to the cold so we could take all the photos we wanted.

I love Siesta Key Beach. It is a must see when visiting Sarasota. Today was a colder day, but there are things to do here besides swim. I saw some people playing beach volleyball, and there is a park for children and a small cafe. Going to the beach here is such a calming experience.

This beach is the reason why I like to go to florida. The sand feels like flour, soft and airy. This was our first time going to this beach in July. We usually go around winter time. The water feels so warm. The waves are prefect, not too rough. There were a lot more people at this beach here when we went yesterday than the last time we went in the winter time for sure. We are glad that we can come here to watch the sunset. It was such a great experience, very calm and peaceful. There were some seashell in the water and on the beach. Parking spots here can be hard to find due to how popular this beach is since it is a wonderful place to go to relax.

Everything was beautiful the day the white sand the clear water the sunset all were just a perfect for the Celebration for my Pop.

I've got some Key knowledge but I don't understand the term, perhaps it's a shape thing and there are too many to know them all, they stretch all the way up and down the west coast. Someone told me "it's a top ten beach in the country"! And to this I smiled and replied something to the effect of "oh really? Wow, that's so interesting". This is my common response to anyone who I'm trying to get out of the conversation with and away from as soon as humanly possible. The water is flatter than a pizza box as is the sand. It's as if a giant roller rolled over this Key a multitude of times,back and forth nice and slow to really press it in. What's so great about that? Beaches have waves, at least the ones I go to and the sand is loosely arranged in clumps and troughed depths and you can see little kiddos building sand castles which ain't here either. The gulls look ghetto just posting up in militarized configurations looking for opportunities to jack someone's something. When it's low tide you gotta walk forever to the knee high deep end of the questionable Gulf water giving more space for the people to lay blankets and play the radio and drink and dance but that wasn't happening here either. Just a bunch of gods waiting room patients creaking along the toe high shore breakers. And no dogs allowed, as in never ever.

Wow- I thought Indiana Dunes had some nice beaches, but I have never seen sand like this, powdered sugar! AND it's easy to walk on, bike on, and relax on It is an expansive beach with a very large parking lot and the parking is FREE! They have restrooms along the beach, and a little upper deck top sandwich shop with amazing views. It's quickly becoming our favorite Florida beach!

I have been going to this beach for many years. I have gone to others, but no other beach can beat this one. White sands and clear water. Very clean beach and you can walk pretty far out before it gets really deep.

Great place free parking! Wonderful beach! I love it! But please go when weather is good.

What a beautiful beach. We parked in public lot 5 and walked around Siesta Key Village for a little bit and then hit the beach. I was amazed on how white these sands were here. The beach was very clean and absolutely loved the trail like walk to the beach. It is very evident that Siesta Key values and takes care of the wildlife. It was not too busy for a Tuesday afternoon. The beach was not over crowded and was relaxing. Shops were within walking distance with easy sidewalks to navigate. The only thing I could not find was a rinse station for after the beach. I didn't look too far and was hoping one would be in the public parking area we parked.

5/25/24. It's a beautiful but very hot day at the beach - 90 degrees. I personally don't know how long I'll be able to stand it, but my daughter loves it. She got me a little beach tent so I could have some shade. There are lots of people here today, which leads to why I didn't give 5 stars. The parking situation here is a mess. We drove around and around for at least half an hour until someone was leaving their spot and offered it to us. He was waiting for his wife and mother in law to shower off the sand. They arrived soon after, and we were blessed with a parking space. So be prepared for that little problem. The line of cars waiting to get into the lot was super long!

Good clean beach with beautiful water. Worth the long walk from the overfill parking lot. :)

Went to Siesta Key with my family, and we had a blast! The beach is pristine! The water is clear, and the sand is a beautiful ivory-colored powder! The sand bar was fun, but it was hard to get to with an 8 year old. However, it was totally worth the swim! The bathrooms were well kept and clean, but the walk from the beach isn't a short one, so use the facilities before making the walk to the shore. The parking can be a huge pain, however. All-in-all, it was a wonderful day with my family!

One of the best beaches we have been to. It was a lot of fun and pretty. It was very crowded and had good energy all around. The parking was free which I loved and how easy it wa dot get around was great. Very clean beach and had many great things to participate in here

A must-visit beach if you are staying in or near Sarasota! Every time I visit I come here to swim in the crystal clear waters. The sand lives up to the hype and is relatively clear of sharp shells as you trudge down to the beach front. It does get very hot though, so beware! This beach is also one of the busiest I encounter just because it is so well-known/advertised. We came here during Memorial Day week and while it was busy, there was still plenty of room to set up camp in the sand and go swim.

On our recent trip to Sarasota, we spent 2 full days at Lido Beach, as well as 2 full days at Siesta Key Beach...so by now, I can do a more thorough comparison of the 2 beaches. Since i'm reviewing both beaches, I'm sharing the same review for both beaches...just different pictures. Siesta Key Beach is the more prominent of the 2 beaches, having been voted #1 beach in U.S. in the past. It's also a longer stretch of beach...more expansive, and more manicured. However, the downside to that is that Siesta Key Beach has become quite popular over the years. For some reason, when we visited 3 years ago (around the same time in October), it was much quieter. Both days that we were there, the beach was packed. Still, the thing is this. This beach is SO expansive, you can always carve out a peaceful place for yourself... although that may mean a further walk up to the northern part of the beach. BTW, we saw 2-3 wedding parties and wedding photo sessions on both of the days there. With such amazing white sand, that was kind of predictable really. Outshined by the popularity of Siesta Key Beach, Lido Beach is less crowded, thus quieter, much more peaceful! It's still VERY beautiful, boasting white sands just like the Siesta Key, and turquoise-green colored water. Also, the walk-up to the beach is shorter and easier...given that Siesta has such an enormous body of white sand leading up to the beach. I guess the other difference is that Lido is a tad less manicured than the Siesta Key...but still, nicer and more polished than most beaches I've seen. My 2 boys actually preferred the convenience and the serenity of Lido Beach. Guess they didn't mind that it was a touch more rustic than Siesta Key or less expansive. I loved Lido Beach, and some of its upsides (especially the less crowded part!), but if I had to choose, it'd be Siesta Key Beach. The massive amount of white sands and the long stretch of beach seemed nearly magical! I've never been impressed with any of the beaches in the Carolinas (where I live), but these Sarasota beaches (and other beaches in Florida as well) are simply STUNNING! We also stayed on to catch the sunset at Siesta Key Beach for both nights (we missed sunsets at Lido...did that last time, 3 years ago). There was a crowd of sunset watchers on both nights...and with good reason! Again, their sunsets were STUNNING!! Unlike Carolina (and Californian) beaches, Sarasota beaches seemed much more serene and calming...since the waters aren't turbulent. In fact, there aren't any big waves at all...just softer waves near the shoreline. I guess this aspect would bum out the surfers out there. My boys are fans of bodysurfing, so they were probably a bit bummed. One more thing. On both of these beaches, SO many birds...much more so than I've ever seen in the Carolinas or in California. At times, I thought we were in the Hitchcock movie! I remember seeing a ton of birds at the Miami beach and Delray beach as well (in the past)...so I guess it's a thing in Florida? On one of these beach days, my son dropped threw a crumb of cracker at a bird, and Oh Boy, a flock swarmed over in a second...and they sort of kept their eye on us for the rest of the day lol! All I can say is BEWARE. Overall, I loved both beaches. Such sparkling white sands and turquoise-green waters!! They were both 5-star calibur for sure.

No argument here, this is a beautiful beach - wide, clean, white powdery sand, clear clean water, and full amenities from rentals, to restroom, showers, etc. near the main parking lots ! Ironically, as a "local" this is only the 2nd time that we have been here in 6 years since it is typically over run by traffic and crowds. So to prepare, we packed the car the night before and arrived on a May Friday morning by 10am. No problem finding a parking spot in the free main lot but by the time we were leaving around 1pm, we were stalked while vacating that spot. Fortunately, we did not get caught in the draw bridge action or much traffic on 75 heading north again. It is a bit of a hike from the parking lot to the beach so be prepared to cross that wide beach zone. Plan ahead and get there early to enjoy a lovely part of West coast Florida!

This is the widest white sand beach I've ever seen. The soft, fine sand makes a nice cushion while you walk to the water or sit under an umbrella. It was well-manicured and the water was fairly warm in May. I guess you could say it was crowded on a Friday but if you walk ten minutes down the sand in either direction it wasn't crowded at all.

Even beautiful in February.....but with freezing water. White sand beach. Highly recommend sticking around to watch a sunset. Don't forget to take a picture next to the famous sign.

Decided to spend our time at the beach here during on November vacation. Usually, parking is available at Access 12; however, due to the recent hurricane, was blocked off with some debris piles. When open, they only recommend compact cars and do have a turnaround at the end, but not on the beach. The beach was very open with lots of pretty sea shells. I was disappointed to find no food/beverage stands where we were located, but the main road had a few options. Even in mid-November, the water was relatively warm and due to sand bars, you can go out pretty far. I do recommend taking a look.

Powdery soft white sand, super shallow waters, and a flat beach makes this a family friendly day at the beach a win, all day, any day. There's tent rentals for out of towners and a convenient shop for buying sand toys, flippers, etc. Restrooms are very well kept, as well. If you are in the area - make the trip...it's well worth it.

I see why this beach is rated the #1 beach in the USA. IT IS AMAZING!! The sand in made of more than 90% quarts so the sand stays cool. It is nothing like walking on the beach and stepping in sand that is as hot as coal stones. Well, not at this beach! Also, the sand is fluffy and white. Just gorgeous. The water is a nice clear bluish green. A few cool features of the beach is that the sand area is huge and you can walk out really far in the water. I love this as it allows a large number of people to enjoy being in the water without being crowded.

It's been quite some time since I've first reviewed Siesta Key Beach. It's not really the first beach I think of. Probably because it's so popular which means it gets too crowded for my liking. This time we came back to our go to side of Siesta Key. That is Access 12. It's away from the main Public Beach but still same beach. One side is public and while the left and the right of it has private beach signs all over. I like that it's a narrow alley way parking lot but it can be a challenge to find parking. We somehow are always lucky to find a spot. It's a walk to the beach compared to others we go. At least we have a beach wagon now. The area that's public is smaller since the other private beaches surround it. At sunset is when the beach fills up more with people. Otherwise, there's not many people on this side due to the less parking spots. The water was nice as well as the sand here. It was quite relaxing and the sunset was perfect!

No 1 Beach in the USA (by authorities like Dr. Beach and TripAdvisor 2015-2017-2020), and Siesta Key Beach is not to be missed! The quartz sand and shallow waters of Siesta Beach have made it the most beloved of all Siesta Key beaches. The public beach provides a front-row seat to elegant green waters, flowing in and out as if petting the coast of the barrier island. After finding parking- wander down to the sandy shores to find a just as spacious beach. Don't forget to take a photo with the Siesta Beach signboard. Lifeguard towers are there at Siesta Key Beach. Green-Yellow- Red flag are waving at the tower telling you the hazardous level. The sand itself is so soft and the water is as clear as the Caribbean. You can spend an entire day just lounging by the ocean, which is why this spot is so crowded daily. Despite this, there is plenty of free parking, concession stands, and restrooms available for public use. This is a great family destination, ideal for children looking to collect shells as souvenirs. Siesta Key Beach has something to offer for everyone, making it one of the best Sarasota attractions. while doing my research (that's my part of visiting any place) - I come to know about below- Siesta Beach is known as one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the world. Unlike beaches elsewhere that are made up mostly of pulverized coral, Siesta Beach's sand is 99% quartz. Even on the hottest days, the sand is so reflective that it feels cool underfoot. It's estimated that the sand on Siesta Beach is millions of years old, having its origin in the Appalachians and flowing down the rivers from the mountains until it eventually was deposited on the shores of Siesta Key. Siesta Key Beach has many awards it has earned, like- "The whitest and finest sand in the world" (The Great International Beach Challenge, 1987), "The Best Sand Beach in America" (The Travel Channel, 2004), "The Best Beach in America" (Dr. Beach, 2011, 2017). Parking: An enormous parking lot befitting its popularity, I reached there at 9 AM, it was Sunday, though it was not even 20% full, but when I was leaving at 2 PM, I saw the board " Parking lot full" so better watch out, especially on weekend. Restroom: it's there and somehow clean as well. 3/5 Changing Room: no changing room Shower: a couple of showers are there.

They don't call Siesta Key the number one beach in America for nothing. It lives up to its name and all that. Massive area to setup shop and chill, lots of white silky sand and view to the ocean that's second to none. The water is crystal clear, and the sun is out all damn day long. The sunsets are superb. I prefer to catch the beach on the not so busy non lifeguarded end, but we spent time right down in the thick of things to. This is the first and only beach I've been to where the sand at the shore point is so well packed you can ride your bike down it. Siesta key in general is just gorgeous made even more beautiful by a one of a kind beach that hits every note one could ask for!

Truly the best beach in Florida. The white, powdery sand doesn't get hot, and is like walking on powdered sugar. You can walk for about three miles on the beach, the sunsets are beautiful, and there is enough space that it never gets crowded. Unbelievably, the beach is free and parking is free. There are 850 spaces in the free parking lot. Good beach food in the pavilion. Restrooms available too.

This is everything you want in a beach. I knew the sand was going to be awesome, but I had no idea it was going to be THAT awesome. The water is warm, fairly shallow, and goes out quite a long way. The vibe is relaxing - there were definitely people here, but I didn't find it incredibly crowded. There are quite a few access points and parking options (ours was free, which blew my mind) and the part of the beach we were at (near Siesta Beach Park on the map) had bathrooms, a snack bar, and showers. We went north for lunch and hit a great place on Ocean Boulevard, which, though not on the beach itself, wasn't that far away from our original spot. The #1 ratings don't lie - good luck finding another beach in the states with sand like this.

My favorite beach to visit, great place for anyone and everyone, couples, singles families etc! The sand is so soft and cold. Usually not to crowded although the forth of July (the day we flew out) it was extremely crowded, no sand in sight just beach goers umbrellas and colors. Clean. Beautiful. Amazing sunsets.

I heard that Siesta Key beach is one of the most gorgeous beaches in Florida. I definitely agree with that! Unfortunately we came at a wrong time when there was Red Tide so there was dead fish along the shoreline and we were coughing and sneezing. It's not great for those with respiratory issues. I do admit the sand is very soft and I love the free parking! Plus it's not very far from the Siesta Key Village! Hopefully next time we visit the red tide will not be there to ruin the experience.

Amazing dust-like white sand, clean, and breathtaking sunsets! Peaceful, not much if you like to collect shells, warm clear water.

It's clean, vast and beautiful. Parking is a challenge depending on when you go but is possible. The public restrooms and snack bar are very nice as well.

I'm from South Florida so it was wonderful to not have any seaweed in the water or sand while at the beach! It was my first time at this beach. Parking was free which is amazing. Getting to the beach was a longer walk than expected but it was beautiful here. The sand was so soft and white. The water was crystal blue and refreshing. Voted #1 beach in the US!

I am at the beach at Siesta Key But why is there so much debris? It makes me sick To see so much plastic It has become too messy

This is definitely a 5 star Beach in Sarasota, Florida that checks all the boxes: sunshine, soft white sand, long beaches for walking, food and drink vendors, plenty of available parking, and even vendors to rent beach chairs, loungers, and sun shades. We love to visit the Sarasota community and beach, whenever we are visiting the southern Florida area. I would highly recommend this beach for all ages, because it's a very family friendly beach especially for kids.

The place is so amazing. Very quiet and the sand and ocean colors are from another world.

Happiest of happy places! The parking is great, amenities available to purchase items if you forgot something. Everyone is pleasant & courteous on the beach. Most importantly, Mother Nature serves! It is heaven, remember where you park & what goes in must come out and you will have the best day ever. If the quartz sand and clear water wasn't enough.... If you are craving a cold bevvie and only packed water.. the bar comes to you.

Good place to go to for a day out at the beach plenty of parking and showers wide open spaces as you see in the pictures just a grate place to relax and have fun with the family. Brink your own food drinks and make sure that you throw away your trash as you exit.

Stopped here on a Friday afternoon. The day before we went to Clearwater Beach near the end of the day, and got the tip that Siesta Beach was the best of it wasn't Clearwater. I really appreciate the white sand and green water - something you don't see where we are from. Parking: there is a very large lot of public parking which you may have to get lucky to find a spot - we somehow got lucky. I burned the absolute sheen off the bottom of my feet walking across the lot and across the sand - so bring sandals and strap up. Somewhat busy but not overly crowded. This is the one of not Clearwater Beach

Lovely! White sand, nice water, plenty of room for everyone. A lifeguard on duty keeping an eye out for your safety. Vendors that rent whatever you need, and sno-cones to boot! A nice shower-off area for when you're done. Parking can be challenging the later it is, but in time you'll find a spot. A great, clean beach!

Clean beach, white sands, beautiful sunsets, shallow waters, dolphins, snd warm waters! What more could one ask for? There's plenty of parking available as people are constantly going and coming. It does get a bit crowded as it's a nice beach and well known. There are also various beach access areas if you don't want to go into the crowd and want more privacy. We went to the main beach access the first night and it was beautiful. We decided to go off the beaten path and follow one of the lesser known beach access spots the next night and there were still people but not nearly as many. The sunset from this spot was absolutely breathtaking. I'm not a big ocean person and it terrifies me once I can't feel the sand underneath my feet anymore but this beach is quite shallow. Even when you swim relatively far out, it was still shallow enough for me to feel the sand as a 5'5 person. Small reminder to make sure to keep our beaches and oceans clean by cleaning up after yourselves!

Beautiful beach, not over crowded. Loved white sand and amazing blue water. If you are near Sarasota, visit Siesta Key... especially the beach.

Beautiful beach with white, powdery sand. Go early for parking to watch sunset. Can find small shells usually.