As summer draws near and you begin planning your vacation, you can’t go wrong with Siesta Key family friendly activities and booking a vacation home on Siesta Key, Florida, a barrier island located just off Sarasota. Siesta Key has something for everyone in your family to do. Whether you want to relax on the beach, go kayaking, fish, canoe, swim, or shop, there’s an activity to suit your every taste. If you’re planning a family vacation there, be sure to check out the available vacation homes at Siesta Key Vacation Rentals as you’ll find plenty of comfortable, spacious and conveniently located accommodations.
Setting up a Siesta Key Family Friendly Vacation
Boasting some of the best beaches in the United States (Siesta Beach, Crescent Beach, and Turtle Beach) Siesta Key can’t be beat for beach loving families, and each beach is unique in its own way. Siesta Beach is the main attraction offering concessions and amenities for families such as lifeguards and food stands. If you’re looking for something a little quieter, head to Crescent Beach. Though it doesn’t have the same amenities as Siesta Beach, you can still go shelling, build sandcastles, and splash in the water with a little more privacy. Turtle Beach, like Crescent Beach, is limited in amenities, though it does include picnic tables and is a great place for snorkeling and picking up seashells.
Where to Stay
When traveling with family, it’s often more fun and friendlier to the wallet to stay in a vacation home. This way, you can spread out, stay in, cook out or in your own home, and just have more of an at-home vibe than you would if you stayed in a hotel. Some of these homes can be as simple as bungalows or cottages right on the water, or as expansive as a villa with sweeping views and picturesque sunset views. Whether you stay in Siesta Village (a few steps from the beach, shopping, and dining), quaint beach cottages, or modern condos, you’ll find a place for every budget and taste. Once you’re unpacked and settled in, things to do abound in Siesta Key for you and your family.
Where To Go
Go Shelling on Turtle Beach
Turtle Beach located on the south end of Siesta Key is one of the best shelling beaches in the Sarasota area and offers several amenities for your family such as a beachside playground, picnic tables, restrooms, indoor rental spaces, boat ramps and more. Feel the soft sand between your toes as you walk the beautiful shoreline of Turtle Beach in search of shells. Feel the texture of shells, listen to the ocean as you put the bigger shells to your ear, decorate your beach space, or take shells home as mementos of your trip.
Go Fishing
Fishing in Florida is one of the more popular family activities in Siesta Key. You can fish from the bridge or pier, surf or driftcast; and try your luck and find out which manner of fishing suits you best. If you’re 16 and over, you’ll need a fishing license. We highly recommend going with a charter boat and guide. These guys grew up there and know where the fish are. This way, you’re practically guaranteed to catch a fish or two (or you can make up the number and size). It’s not fishing without a few tall tales.
Go Kayaking or Canoeing
Ready to get off the mainland and get in the water? Need a little adventure and excitement in your day? Want to experience a lush, tropical, natural habitat at its finest?
Set off from Turtle Beach and paddle through the Jim Neville Preserve where you’ll travel from the shallow bay to a number of tidal flats. There, you can observe dolphins, manatees, and alligators around the mangrove islands in the spring and summer. In the winter, there are a number of migrating birds. As you paddle, you’ll also discover mangrove tunnels, rivers, and springs, oh my!
Check Out Smugglers Cove with the Family
If baseball is America’s favorite pastime, then golfing is Florida’s. The state is filled with sweeping golf courses, and Sarasota is no exception. Whether the golf course is pro player inspired or geared toward mini golfers with a golf adventure course, everyone gets their day in the sun.
Smugglers Cove keeps your hands out of harm’s way by providing old fashioned bamboo poles from which to feed live gators. It just wouldn’t be Florida without them. While a big part of the draw and adventure is the live alligators, it’s navigating that little ball through caves, pirate ships, and tunnels that will really test your golfing skills.Get golfing at these other amazing courses close to Siesta Key.
Be Sure to Catch Circus Sarasota
Circus Sarasota is a performing arts educational organization offering limited Circus Arts workshops throughout the year. Their aim is to encourage students to achieve professionalism in circus arts. You can also visit The Ringling, known as the State of Florida Museum, which offers the amassed art collection of John Ringling, the circus magnate, and his wife, Mable.
Check out Siesta Village
Your Siesta Key family-friendly vacation wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Siesta Village for souvenir and gift shopping and good food, friends, and fun. The Siesta Village on Siesta Key has about 100 boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and galleries catering to every taste and budget, and is easy to walk to.
Book Your Vacation Home with Siesta Key Vacation Rentals Today
When you book a vacation home or other great lodging option with Siesta Key Vacation Rentals, you’ll get to choose from many different, conveniently-located, amenity-loaded options that will give you a comfortable home away from home. Enjoy the best that Siesta Key has to offer and start planning for your family vacation today!
