Manasota Beach is waiting for
your discovery!

Ready for a road trip from Sarasota? Let's go to Manasota Beach in south Sarasota County! It's not far. It's just south of Venice on the north end of Manasota Key and is a bit of an old Florida beach. You'll enjoy it.

There's lots of beach and recreation area here, 14 acres and almost 1,400 feet of beach shore.

The views of the Gulf of Mexico from this beach are expansive, scenic and gorgeous.

This is a family friendly beach and because of its location, farther away from Sarasota, it seems to me to have a different "feel," perhaps even more laid back than normal, if that's possible. What do you think?

It's just the sense that I get when I'm out on Manasota Beach. Maybe it's because of the time of the year I tend to go to this beach, post "high-season" when the beach is sparsely populated.

With water as smooth as a millpond most of the time, you can set up your folding chair or lounge and gaze out over the clean, clear, blue water, kick back and soak up some rays.

Lined with sand dunes and sea oats, this is another of Sarasota’s “Healthy Beaches” that are monitored on a continuing basis.

There's a full complement of amenities featuring a covered pavilion which may be reserved in advance from Sarasota County for group activities, numerous covered picnic tables, showers, restrooms, volleyball courts and lifeguards year round.

There are also 2 boat launches and docks near by across the road from the beach on the Intra-coastal Waterway side of the road.

Manasota Beach – One Of The Old Time
Florida Gulf Beaches

You don’t have to worry here about finding a good spot on the beach because whether you want to be nearer to or farther from the water, there are plenty of great spots to stake out on this family friendly beach.

But most beach goers seem to stay centrally located near the lifeguard station here, so that really gives you lots of options to find your own little place in the sun.

This is true isolation; a real old time Florida beach as there are no stores, shops, restaurants, condos or high rises nearby. No commercialization at all.

You just park across the street and walk over to one of our finest of Sarasota beaches. This is a large beach and there’s a lot of beach combing to be done should the mood strike you.

Go swimming, walking, sea shell collecting, shark tooth hunting, looking for buried treasure with your metal detector, or just soak up the rays. It’s up to you. Do a lot. Do a little. Do nothing at all. But there's an umbrella and chair waiting for you!

You might even come across sea turtle nests here, as well as on other Sarasota Beaches, from May until late October.

Did you know? Of the six sea turtle species that are found in Florida waters or that nest on our beaches, all are designated as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

The Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service share Federal jurisdiction for sea turtles with the Fish and Wildlife Service having lead responsibility on the nesting beaches and the National Marine Fisheries Service, the marine environment.

Tips: There are no restaurants or concession stands nearby, so bring what you need to have a great day at the beach.

Directions: From Sarasota take Rt. 41 south to Venice, across the 41-Bypass, picking up Rt. 41 again in south Venice. Follow Rt. 776 which veers to the right off of Rt. 41. Take Rt.776 to Manasota Beach Road and follow west until you come to the beach.

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