See you in July, Siesta Beach!

Just before the Memorial Day weekend, Siesta Beach (Sarasota, Florida) was named the #1 beach in America. We were thrilled! We have taken friends and family to Siesta Beach and they all loved it. Click on coastal expert Dr Beach's website to see his list of the top 10 beaches in America. Read more here.

Siesta Beach,Sarasota

Exploring beaches is our passion. Thanks to the Mai Thai, we've had the opportunity to explore many alluring beaches that are otherwise inaccessible (Caladesi Island, number 7 on Dr Beach's top 10 list, is one such beach). We are especially fond of the beaches along the Florida gulf coast, the stretch of fine white sand from Sarasota to Clearwater, and from Alabama to the Florida Panhandle (affectionately known as the Redneck Riviera).

Kayakers heading towards Caladesi from  Honeymoon Island

Shell Island Beach, Panama City, Florida (Panhandle) 

Beach in Carlsbad, Ca

Assateague Island National Seashore, Berlin, Maryland

A trip to Sarasota or the Tampa Bay area would not be complete without spending a day on the beach. Make your escape to Siesta Beach utterly perfect with a side trip to one of these attractions:

Bayfront Park is a lovely park complete with a marina, restaurants (read my TripAdvisor review on O'Leary here), playground, and swings. There are also lots of boats available for charter. Great place to soak up some sun and people and boat watch.

St Armand's Circle and Lido Key Unique shops, art galleries and many restaurants offering  alfresco dining make St Armand a charming place to visit. Nearby Lido Key has acres of  recreation area with playgrounds, public pool, picnic tables, nice beaches and spectacular views of the Gulf of Mexico. Traffic in and out of this area can get quite congested, so plan accordingly.

Ringling Museum and the Ca d'Zan mansion - The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, one of America's greatest institutions, brought down its curtain last month after 146 years. Sad news indeed. The good news is you can visit the Ringling Museum to see haunting relics of the greatest show on earth and experience the magic of the circus all over again.

Myakka State Park -  Located on opposite end of Siesta Beach (on Rt 72 past I-75), Myakka Park exudes Everglades ambience, with alligators and birds galore. Kids would love to climb the Canopy Walkway to the Observation Tower. Because of drought conditions, the Myakka river may be too low for an air boat ride. Check their website before going.

The beach is calling. See you on Siesta Beach!

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Horsing around Assateague Island National Seashore, Berlin, Maryland	Port of Call: Sarasota	Best Beach in America: Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Fl