Sarasota, Florida

Sarasota (/ˌsærəˈsoʊtə/) is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, connections to the Ringling family, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the southern end of the Tampa Bay Area, north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Its current official limits include Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2013 Sarasota had a population of 53,326. In 1986 it became designated as a certified local government. Sarasota is a principal city of the Sarasota metropolitan area, and is the seat of Sarasota County.

The islands separating Sarasota Bay from the gulf near the city, known as keys, include Lido Key and Siesta Key, which are famous worldwide for the quality of their sandy beaches. The keys that are included in the boundary of Sarasota are Lido Key, St. Armands Key, Otter Key, Coon Key, Bird Key, and portions of Siesta Key. Previously, Siesta Key was named Sarasota Key. At one time, it and all of Longboat Key were considered part of Sarasota and confusing contemporaneous references may be found discussing them.

Siesta Key, Florida

Siesta Key is a barrier island off the southwestern coast of Florida in the United States. It is situated between Roberts Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. A portion of it lies within the city boundary of Sarasota, but the majority of the key is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sarasota County. After the probable Amerindian name of Zarazote for the area and the bay, the key was originally named "Sarasota Key" by European cartographers during exploration beginning in 1513. That name can be seen on maps from the early 18th century as well as on all local maps drawn before the name change to "Siesta Key" in the 1920s. The population was 6,565 at the 2010 census.

Siesta Key is part of the Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

Siesta Key is located at 27°16′31″N 82°33′9″W / 27.27528°N 82.55250°W / 27.27528; -82.55250 (27.275150, -82.552631).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.0 km²), of which 2.4 square miles (6.1 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²), or 32.08%, is water. It contains a suburban residential area located on the Siesta Key barrier island on the West coast of Florida, just west of the town of Sarasota. The community on Siesta Key consists of single family homes, condominiums, retail shops and art galleries.

Key

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Florida

Florida ⁱ/ˈflɒrɪdə/ (Spanish for "flowery land") is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. The state is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south by the Straits of Florida and the country of Cuba. Florida is the 22nd most extensive, the 3rd most populous, and the 8th most densely populated of the United States. Jacksonville is the most populous city in Florida, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. The Miami metropolitan area is the eighth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Tallahassee is the state capital.

A peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida, it has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km), and is the only state that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the state is at or near sea level and is characterized by sedimentary soil. The climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south. The American alligator, American crocodile, Florida panther, and manatee can be found in the Everglades National Park.

Siesta Beach

Siesta Beach (sometimes known as Siesta Key Beach) is a beach located on Siesta Key, Florida, United States. The sand is 99% pure quartz, soft and cool on the feet.

The many awards it has earned include:

Siesta Beach is located on Beach Road on Siesta Key. Siesta Beach is known as one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the world. At the "Great International White Sand Beach Challenge" held in 1987, it was recognized as having the "whitest and finest sand in the world."

Unlike beaches elsewhere that are made up mostly of pulverized coral, Siesta Beach's sand is 99% quartz, most of which coming from the Appalachian Mountains. Even on the hottest days, the sand is so reflective that it feels cool underfoot. It's estimated that the sand on Siesta Beach and Crescent Beach on Siesta Key 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.