Siesta Key Live Cam

Siesta Key is one of the most beautiful barrier islands in the world. You will find it alive with tropical atmosphere, blessed with the world's finest beaches, filled with charming hideaways, and always offering plenty to do - but it is also a place to relax, get away, take it easy, and let the warm breezes, cool water and soft sand transport you to your personal paradise!

Siesta Key is world renowned for its powdery white sand beaches. Stretching from Point of Rocks, just below mid-key, to the Siesta Village area, is Crescent Beach. The Siesta Beach County Park is located on this stretch of sand which was judged the "worlds finest and whitest" in the 1987 World Sand Challenge. Facilities include an 800-space parking lot, picnic shelters, restrooms, concession stands, lifeguards, volleyball courts, tennis courts, a softball field, playground and fitness trail.

Siesta Key is blessed with a rich abundance of flora and fauna. Many species of tropical trees and shrubs thrive here, caressed by the breezes off the warm Gulf waters. Flowers abound, and exotic parrots that were once pets thrive in the wild, sharing the island with many varieties of native birds. Along the beaches and bays you will find gulls, terns, plovers, pelicans, egrets, herons, ibis, spoonbills, storks and cranes. Sea Oats, a protected coastal plant, help anchor the beach sand to prevent erosion. (Don't pick the sea oats - it's a crime.) Mangroves, with a tangled web of roots, provide a similar function on the bayside, and also filter pollutants from rainwater runoff while providing a beneficial habitat for numerous varieties of fish and sealife.Offshore dolphins and manatees frolic in the gulf and bay waters.

Impressed by the profusion of brilliant flowers, Ponce de Leon christened the new territory "Florida" Then came the Spanish explorers followed by the French, then the British and all the pirates of the world. Not even Hollywood could dream up a story as colorful, romantic and exciting as Florida's past, and this segues into the present, serving up a fabulous list of what to see and do on holiday - especially in Siesta Key, Sarasota, Florida. Experience the splendor of our magnificent sunset. Lie down with a good book and tan yourself. Walk the shore line and beachcomb. Get a taste of salt water while swimming, fishing, sailing or sightseeing.

And if you want a dash of culture, we take pride and pleasure in offering the Ringling Museum. The John And Mable Ringling Museum Of Art overlooks the sparkling waters of Sarasota bay. The museum is the legacy of John Ringling [1866 - 1936] business tycoon and cultural baron of his time, and a partner in the famous Barnum and Bailey circus. You can enjoy a fun filled day seeing the art museum with over 500 years of European art, the courtyard filled with fountains and statues, and Ca D-zan - the Ringling mansion. See how the rich and famous lived in the 1920s . And, don't miss the circus museum!

Directly across the street from the Ringling museum is The Museum Of Cars And Music of Yesterday. Over 75 classic vintage automobiles are on display, and this collection is continuously rotated. This museum also boasts the world's most complete collection of music machines - over 800 of them - and all working. Hear the sound of the hurdy gurdies, calliopes, disk and cylinder music boxes and player pianos. Also within a short distance of our magical beach island are many more fascinating places of interest.

There's plenty more - just visit the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce for a sampling of brochures and information. And, if that's not enough - how about our many (in excess of 50) fine art galleries? There's lots more to see and do in Sarasota than you ever dreamed would be possible - especially in and around a beach vacation resort island like Siesta Key.

And - lest we forget evening entertainment, our 10 legitimate stage theaters, our world class opera company, our West Coast Symphony Orchestra, our Sarasota Ballet, our Burns Court Cinema, our several multi-screen movie theaters, our fun bistros, our bars and cocktail lounges - all will keep you in a quandary, when trying to decide what to do, and where to do it. But, with all this food for the mind, let us not forget our food for the tummy! Siesta Key and surrounding area is a gourmet's paradise. You'll love our dazzling array of dining establishments - running the gamut from white glove to bistro - something for every appetite and for every pocket book. As we've told you, this is an exciting, wondrous place.