Thinking about going to Sarasota/Siesta Beach the last week of May. Has anyone been there? Is there plenty to do for families? How does it compare to Destin? Any suggestions?
- Me, Wife, kids (ages 15,15, 11 and 7)
- Looking on VBRO for a house as close to the beach as possible or one close with a pool
- Want a bay to take a Pontoon boat out in
Thanks in advance.
I initially read your first bullet point as you and your wife were both ages 15, and you had kids aged 11 and 7.
Twins? I have a set, but mine are 8 years older than yours.
I don't remember who, but there's somebody here that has some Sarasota experience--Kingcat, maybe? Dan?
Doc knows all things Florida, so maybe him.
I had a thread on this, we went in October. I'll look for it.
Was in SK last Summer. We stayed in a nice (extremely reasonable) hotel just off the beach for five days. The road we were on was Stickney Point at the Hibiscus Suites Hotel. A very nice friendly place (w/a decent Continental breakfast.
Heck, you could rent two rooms there for half the price of a house and the rooms and pool are A-1.
I/8 mile from the Secluded Harbor bay draw bridge and only a few hundred feet more to the beach. There is a very large several story watercraft and slip rental right off Stickney Point road as you cross the draw bridge. I believe the draw bridge is only used to allow the larger watercraft access to the north bay
B y the way, the wider part of the bay is more north but everything is pretty much close together.
As far as beach access we loved the huge Siesta Key beach but found the section where we were which was Crescent Beach much easier to access. We had some little ones and to walk across the main part of SK beach is probably an 1/4 mile walk. The teens will love the spacious main beach however.
Crescent Beach IS a part of the same beach, just not as far walking to the water. And the parking there is very hidden . You get there early and you are only 100 to 125 yd's from the water.
Be sure to check out the shops and eateries at The Village. A much smaller version of the Gatlingburg strip or the like. Some good eats there.
A very laid back place all in all, but the beach is about the best in Florida.
A short ride south will bring you to Caspersen Beach for the best shell and shark tooth hunting there is. A very nice natural beach with huge rocks inside the sand bar. Black mineral sand and all.
We enjoyed it there for a day.
Dick Vitale lives close to the Village on the street "Another Broken Egg" cafe is on I believe. Cant recall the street name. It's gated off naturally.
Don't let that stop you though..we really enjoyed it there.
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Last edited by kingcat; 02-02-2016 at 05:14 PM.
“Before I leave I’d like to see our politics begin to return to the purposes and practices that distinguish our history from the history of other nations,
“I would like to see us recover our sense that we are more alike than different. We are citizens of a republic made of shared ideals forged in a new world to replace the tribal enmities that tormented the old one. Even in times of political turmoil such as these, we share that awesome heritage and the responsibility to embrace it.”
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Here is the thread
http://www.kysportsreport.com/forums...8043-Tampa-Bay
We stayed at Siesta Dunes. https://www.vrbo.com/400511 He seems to be a nice guy. If you want to email him, let me know. I've been aiming to message him and I'll tell him you will be getting in touch with him.
Places we would definitely eat at again are:
http://www.creekseafood.com/
http://www.captaincurts.com/
http://www.flaviosbrickovenandbar.com/
http://www.subzeroicecream.com/ - The place where they freeze the ice cream in front of you
Stay at Crescent Beach. Turtle Beach in Southern Siesta Key does not compare to Crescent.
Go spend a day walking around St. Armands Circle. Beautiful area, but our new Nissan Sentra was out of place there
We also ate at this place. Lower scale but more budget friendly and we really enjoyed it that night.
http://www.turtlesrestaurant.com/
Having trouble posting this for some reason. Hopefully it does not post 5 times.Originally Posted by Crazy4Blue
I was able to avoid him.Dick Vitale lives close to the Village on the street "Another Broken Egg" cafe is on I believe. Cant recall the street name. It's gated off naturally.
Don't let that stop you though..we really enjoyed it there.
YES, glad you posted. Now I remember.
Check out Siesta Dunes. KyWildcat and I talked about it, I hadn't been in years but used to go regularly, was IMO one of the best spots on the island. Great location, and I much prefer the smaller feel of it versus the high rises and such.
People keep asking if I'm back and I haven't really had an answer. But now, yeah, I'm thinkin' I'm back.
Great feedback guys!! thank you.
Darrell - yes we have twin boys...we are a bit older
Glad to share. King and Citizen helped me a lot. I live for vacations but hate that unsure feeling of going to a new place. So anytime I can pay it forward I'm more than glad to do so. I'll be posting about one soon myself
Exactly, you don't want to screw up your vacationGlad to share. King and Citizen helped me a lot. I live for vacations but hate that unsure feeling of going to a new place. So anytime I can pay it forward I'm more than glad to do so. I'll be posting about one soon myself
Yep, did that at Hilton Head. Now I probably over research and make sure if we go with the in-laws, we go on our terms. It slows me down on trying new places, but hopefully I'll have a lifetime to explore and knock out the bucket list. If not, it wasn't meant to be.
That's funny that you say that...we hate Hilton Head. Just don't see what so many others do in that place.
I've never been to Hilton Head, but was curious why the two of you didn't like it.
I'd be concerned if we went, as I would be the only one in my family that would really enjoy the golf courses in the area for what they are worth. I assume you did not care for the beaches, restaurants, or other things to do in the area? Is there much there?
Years ago I went on a golf trip with three buddies to play Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay, Old Del Monte, etc. We had a blast, as you can imagine. But when I returned home, and was trying to let my wife know that it would be a great thing for us to do sometime in the future, I realize there wasn't all that much to do in the area besides play golf.
It wasn't like it was San Francisco. Besides, she has reminded me multiple times that I told her it was my once in a lifetime golf trip with buddies when I have approached the subject again. She has a memory that won't quit.
2 Things first. My diet is limited so no real comment there. But there was a decent amount of options. For every bad thing I'm about to say, my in-laws had the complete opposite experience the year before. But they would agree with most of what I'm about to say the year we went.
First, the parts that made the trip suck not related to Hilton Head specifically.
-We stayed and rode with the in-laws. I will always drive now even if we are going with someone.
-it rained most of the week.
-instead of getting out to do other things, they all preferred to sit inside and watch it rain
Cons
-I didn't like the beaches.
-I guess the part you would call the back shore was very unattractive to me and not functional. Basically a bank with washed up reeds everywhere.
-The tide was up all week and very little beach to make use of
-Every store and every thing down there looks the same and it is all hidden behind trees. Ex: Other than the sign, you can't tell Wendy's from McDonalds.
-I didn't see a lot to do there other than golf
Pros
-Plenty of Golf
-Lots of bicycling if you like that
If I truly loved golf and did a lot of it, I would go back to golf. I see no other reason to return personally. I prefer Isle of Palms near Charleston if I'm going that direction.
My brother in-law calls the previous year his best vacation ever. We only went the 2nd year. Maybe we just had a bad experience.
Since we were going and riding with them, I didn't research. Probably a mistake not knowing what to expect exactly.
That makes sense.
My mom and dad went many, many years ago. Dad doesn't play golf (and neither did Mom). Wasn't much of a vacation for them.
IMO...The Island is not very scenic, the beaches are not very nice and we ran into a lot a very rude people...especially the one's running the trolleys. Plus there's not much to do unless you play tennis or golf.
It didn't help that we opened our silverware draw and found giant bugs crawling all over them...but of course that can happen anywhere.
There is one nice area that we liked next to the Light House and Salty Dog Café.
There was one neat restaurant down there. I don't remember the name or location. But a guy from BG that was a WKU grad opened it. Had a lot of WKU stuff and some stuff from other state colleges. Food was just okay, but a nice area.
I'd love to hear from someone that enjoyed their Hilton Head experience.
I have a couple of friends who enjoyed their Hilton Head trips, but they're big golfers, and it was more a golf trip than a vacation, if that distinction makes sense.
I've never been, but everyone I've known who loves it also golfs. I doubt that is a coincidence.
It would be like going to Key West and you don't drink or Siesta Key but you don't walk on beaches. Cuts out a lot of the activity list.
People keep asking if I'm back and I haven't really had an answer. But now, yeah, I'm thinkin' I'm back.
I think this is the place you are talking about. Only reason I know anything about this guy is that he is currently renovating a building in preparation for opening a Steamers in BG
http://www.steamerseafood.com/team
http://www.steamerseafood.com/home
seeya
dan
I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight.
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