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LIDO KEY VACATIONS
off the coast of Sarasota Florida
The Visitor Information & vacation Travel Guide to Lido Key Florida
Visit Lido Key ...and the neighboring St Armands Circle Shops
with its Beautiful Beaches, Facinating Sealife, Warm Breezes and Spectacular Sunsets!
Check AJ's Blog for latest happenings & special deals!
Lido Key is a barrier island just off the coast of
Sarasota, Florida with three sandy beaches facing the Gulf of Mexico. The island offers world class shopping, a
seasonal nightclub scene and untouched natural beauty with a woodland trail and mangrove islands.
Connected to the mainland by John Ringling Causeway, Lido Key is directly west of Sarasota’s Cultural Center between
Longboat and Siesta Key.
Plush resorts, hotels, and condominiums accommodate your every comfort while pursuing a host of activities that
include shelling, fishing, kayaking golfing, shopping and dining at "World Famous" St. Armand’s Circle as
well as cultural events and a nightlife of refinement or just letting it loose on the dance floor.
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St. Armands Circle
Whatever your heart desires... St. Armands offers sidewalk cafés, fine dining, boutique shopping and a slow stroll
with ice cream cone, and a hint of the sea in the air.
Designed by circus magnate John Ringling, St. Armands is a charming synthesis of past and present. A circular park
known as the "Ring of Fame" honors the talents of circus greats from the "Greatest Show on Earth"
along with statuary from Ringling’s personal art collection.
The contemporary collection of St. Armands 130 upscale shops and stores fulfill shopping passions from fashion
elegance to fine collectables, crystal, china and precious gems. Featuring exotic car shows, art festivals, craft
fairs and holiday happenings, the eateries restaurants and sidewalk cafes are perfect for people watching, sipping a
cocktail and munching a quick bite or sumptuous meal.
Unique in concept, history and beauty, St. Armands is an unforgettable experience for all to enjoy.
About the Beaches
North Lido Beach
With a backdrop of towering Australian Pines, this
77 acre park boasts sand dunes and secluded shore with limited parking, no lifeguards and no facilities. Yet,
this unspoiled oasis is perfect for shelling, birding, basking in the sun or sprinting along the beach. Swimmers need
to exercise caution as there are currents at the northern end.
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From February through August the area is a haven for nesting snowy plovers, Wilson's plovers, least terns and black skimmers. During these times it’s wise to stick close to the water's edge and avoid the vegetated upper beach and dunes. Using established pathways to the water’s edge is recommended as the nests and camouflaged chicks are very hard to see!
Lido Beach
Perhaps you prefer people watching, making new friends and enjoying the beach scene. Mid-key, the public
Beach supports a swimming pool, playground, concession stand and is within close proximity to St. Armands shops. Lifeguards are on duty all year-round making this location a perfect spot for young families and teens.
South Lido Beach & Park
Wrapping around the southern tip of the Key,
South Lido Park’s 100 acres offers a wide open beach, wooden walkways, canoe/kayak water trails, a playground,
picnic/BBQ facilities, and restrooms. This is a favorite spot for boaters to pull up and join the party. With
towering Australian pines as a canopy over much of the park, there is plenty of shade for the whole family to enjoy.
At the southern beach section of the park, enjoy the white sands of the Gulf of Mexico and New Pass, and the expansive views of Sarasota Bay, including Sarasota’s downtown skyline in the distance. Due to swift currents, it is wise to swim in designated areas only; lifeguards are on duty weekends only, from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Walking the beach along New Pass and Sarasota Bay you’ll see plenty of avian and marine life.
Approximately 140 Bottlenose Dolphins hunt, socialize and raise their young in Sarasota Bay while the grassy shallows are a haven to grazing manatees and their calves. Leafy branches of mangrove trees arch from the water housing rookeries of nesting water birds like brown pelicans, great blue herons and great egrets.
A one mile paddling trail offers an up-close look at some amazing ecosystems in a lagoon. The mangrove tunnel pools are nurseries for small fry, sea horses, starfish and crabs while the sea grass furnishes food and protection for channeled whelk, hermit crab, and mullet.
Bottom dwellers like sand dollars, star fish and sea urchins enjoy the calm shallow depths of Sarasota Bay and at low tide can often be spotted from shore.
Seahorses
With the head of a horse, the pouch of a kangaroo and the tail of a monkey, saddle up for a close encounter with our most captivating creature!
The bayside of South Lido Park is a favorite hangout for seahorses but, despite the shallow waters, they’re difficult to see in the wild. Although they’re fish, seahorses are not great swimmers. In fact, they prefer to rest in one area, sometimes holding on to the same piece of seaweed for days… and blend extremely well with their surroundings. As a matter of fact, they can change the color of their eyes and skin to match what they’re clinging to.
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So, if you miss seeing one in the wild, we have our own Mote Marine Lab Aquarium featuring horses up to seven inches
long. And, by all means, don’t miss the "nursery" where Mote supplies sea horses to most of the zoos and
aquariums around the world.
Another interesting fact...Seahorses are monogamous, meaning they mate for life. And, believe it or not, the male is
the one who gets "pregnant"! He will carry up to 150 eggs in his tummy pouch for approximately 28 days.
In the entire animal kingdom, seahorses are the only creatures to have true "male birthings"! WOW!!!
It has been documented that while the eggs gestate in his pouch, the male and his mate will circle in a
"dancing" motion each day, shortly after sunrise. No one knows why they do this but, they certainly are
odd and beautiful creatures.
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Sand Dollars
When you see a sand dollar on the beach, it usually appears as a round, white circular disk, typically one inch to
four inches in diameter. When alive, they're actually a dark color, covered with short dark spines that look almost
fur-like. These spines are moveable, and the sand dollar uses them both to move around on the bottom of the sea and
to push small pieces of food into its mouth.
Sand dollars reproduce by releasing eggs and sperm in the water to fertilize and produce free-swimming larvae. After
several stages of development a hard skeleton starts to form where they drop to the bottom and live the rest of their
lives on the ocean floor.
If the water is fairly calm they will often stand on edge, partly in the mud and partly exposed to the clear water.
If they live in an area with strong currents, they hold their position by burrowing into the soft bottom. They will
also swallow sand grains to build weight so they don't get washed away!
Since the sand dollar lives in sandy locations, anyone who would like to collect their shells should comb beaches as
the tide recedes. The very best time for collecting is after a heavy storm, as many of the shells that have died are
dredged up by the increased wave action.
Manatees
Manatees are a large aquatic relative of the elephant weighing up to 1200 lbs.(545 kg). Labeled as Florida’s state
marine mammal, they are grayish brown in color sporting thick, wrinkled skin, front flippers for steering and
crawling and a powerful flat tail to propel them through water. Of all marine mammals, manatees are the only
herbivores. Just to keep their big bodies warm, they need to eat one tenth of their body weight every day. For the
typical manatee that means more than 100 pounds of water plants! That’s equal to more than 200 heads of lettuce!
If you’re interested in getting up close to our manatees or "sea cows" kayaks are best and it’s recommended
you go with a guide who knows the area and can navigate the waters safely.
Kayaking
The waters around south Lido Park are very calm with excellent visibility as kayakers glide through red and black
mangrove tunnels where numerous birds, fish, sponges, starfish and seahorses are abundant.
There’s even a bountiful supply of live shells… the Florida horse conch (the state shell), lightning whelks, true
tulips, banded tulips, clams, scallops and crown conchs are quite common. Sea stars (starfish), sea urchins, sea
anemones, sea cucumbers and many more invertebrates are also visible.
If you’ve never had the opportunity to experience manatees, here’s your chance especially from March through December,
when the waters are warm. And, dolphins are always seen playfully frolicking and raising their young in the open
waters of Sarasota Bay.
The islands between Lido Key and Bird Key ...are filled with wading birds… like snowy egrets, little green herons,
tri-colored herons, cormorants and roseate spoonbills…even flamingos have been spotted in this area. For guided tours
and rentals go to
Bay and Gulf Adventures.
Shelling
If kayaking, it’s always fun to pull-up on an isolated beach take a refreshing dip and stroll along the shore.
There’s usually a great selection of shells and the best are found just before low tide. Left Handed Whelks, Augers
and Coquina shells are quite common.
Though you may be drawn to a shell with a living animal...our Florida state laws prohibit you from taking them.
Just think, next visit... and every time there after there’ll be plenty more to add to your shell collection.
Good shelling locations
If not kayaking, excellent hunting grounds are at North Lido and South Lido Beaches.
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Now, you may want to identify your shells. Yes... Who was the occupant that little house? The Bailey-Matthews Shell
Museum has a wonderful online shell guide that will help identify the various pieces in your collection. To browse
shells in South West Florida Click:
HERE.
For more eco-friendly activities please go to our
vacation planner for details.
Fishing Spots
South Lido Park... Game fish are plentiful making for a great location to throw a line.
Bird Key Flats... at Bird Key Park. Just before the Ringling Bridge to downtown Sarasota.
Ken Thompson Park on City Island... Plenty of room and several piers from which to fish and get a great view
of Sarasota’s downtown.
New Pass Bridge... This is the bridge between Lido Key and Longboat Key. Park on Longboat Key.
Golf and Tennis
With year round temperatures averaging 75 degrees, this island paradise is very conducive for just about anything.
Tennis and Golf enthusiasts will find first-class facilities at the
Longboat Key Tennis Center featuring ten manicured clay courts and the Longboat Key Club offers two award winning
golf courses that were featured in Golf Digest as one of the "Best Places to Play". There are 60 additional
Courses on the mainland and numerous tennis courts, including Leddbetter/ Bollitierri’s
IMG Sports Facility where you may hone your skills with some of the industry’s top coaches and trainers.
Some notable IMG attendees also declare this area home... like tennis stars Martina Navratilova, Maria Sharapova and
Monica Seles as well as Golfing greats Paul Azinger and Tony Jacklin.
More Sports
Baseball enjoys a rich tradition from February through March at
Ed Smith Stadium
McKechnie Field where the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates conduct their spring trainings.
And, for summer pro ball, cross the Skyway Bridge to St. Pete where the
Tampa Bay Ray’s play in an indoor climate controlled stadium.
If coming in July, the Gulf of Mexico explodes with rooster tail plumes featuring the
Sun Coast Off shore Grand Prix Races. This nationally sanctioned annual American Power Boat Race is held off the
coast of Lido Key and is the highlight of a 10 day, Fourth of July festival.
Stand-up Paddle Boarding is making a splash on Sarasota Bay at Bird Key Park and the Ringling Bridge. It doesn’t take
long to learn and despite what you may think, you won’t even need good balance.
Lodging |
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Baseball enjoys a rich tradition from February through March at Ed Smith Stadium and McKechnie
Field where the
Baltimore Orioles and
Pittsburgh Pirates conduct spring trainings.
And, for summer pro ball, cross the Skyway Bridge to St. Pete where the
Tampa Bay Ray’s play in an indoor climate controlled stadium.
If coming in July, the Gulf of Mexico explodes with rooster tail plumes featuring the Sun Coast Off shore Grand Prix
Races. This nationally sanctioned American Power Boat Race is the highlight of a 10 day, Fourth of July festival.
For Children
Families will surely enjoy
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, located at the south end of Longboat Key. Featuring sharks, dolphins, manatees,
sea turtles and 100 other species of marine life, staff members are there to educate and answer your every question.
It’s good to plan for a Monday, Wednesday or Friday as those are shark feeding days… and every day you can slip your
hand in a touch tank and pet a sea cucumber or baby ray.
From there, get on the water with the
Sarasota Bay Explorers for a true interactive marine science expedition. Offering sea life encounter cruises,
guided kayak tours and a nature safari, the staff is friendly and informative on the history and wild life of the
bay. The nature safari is (hands on find, your own creatures) while the sea life encounter is for those less
interested in holding a slimy creature. The biologist led experience provides interesting information and a cruise
on the bay is a spectacular way to spend an afternoon.
Across from Mote Marine is "
Save Our Birds ", where recovering shorebirds are up-close and personal. Travel the boardwalks on two water
front acres and see “endangered” brown pelicans with their famous throat pouches. Unlike most birds, which warm their
eggs with feathered breasts, pelicans incubate their eggs with their feet. They essentially stand on the eggs to
warm them. This peculiar incubation method made them vulnerable to the effects of DDT as the eggshells became thin
and cracked under the weight of their parents. Fortunately, their numbers are coming back.
I’ve been on a roll with marine and bird life and I’ve only scratched the surface of what awaits you! For more
things to see and do check-out our
Vacation Planner for more age appropriate activities.
Museums
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If art is your passion, the
Ringling Museum houses fine baroque period paintings including the oversized works of Rubens and many sculptures
from John and Mable Ringling’s collection. Stroll the bay-front grounds and tour the rose gardens then step inside
Ringling’s home, the Ca d’Zan, “the last of America’s Gilded Age mansions”. Constructed in 1924-1925, at a cost of
$1.5 million this “home” is 36,000 square feet with 41 rooms and 15 bathrooms. See memorabilia and artifacts at the
nearby circus museum where visitors of all ages can experience the magic of the center ring.
Downtown Sarasota and the city of Bradenton house two large artist communities called
Towles Court and the
Village of the Arts. Both feature a colorful collection of "Old Florida" bungalows housing galleries,
studios and cafes. In neighborly fashion, these artists live, work and feed off the enthusiasm of their counterparts,
while in pursuit of their own unique expression.
Towles Court features an art walk on the third Friday of every month while the first Friday and Saturday of each
month is assigned to the Village of the Arts. Check their sites for evening studio tours.
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For unusual and surreal, there’s always Saint Petersburg’s
Dali Museum with a building to match the artist’s quirky ways The architectural design includes a free-standing
spiral staircase and gleaming Glass Enigma with spectacular views of St. Petersburg’s waterfront.
Also in St. Pete is the
Morean Arts Center with a fine collection of Dale Chihuly as well as a working hot shop where the art of glass
blowing is demonstrated.
Other artists include Jasper Johns, Duncan McClellan, Allison Massari, Peter Max, Babs Reingold, Jun Kaneko and more.
Oh... I did get carried away with the art category... Yet, we don’t want you to miss a thing!
Take a look at more offerings in the
Vacation Planner.
Cultural Events
Sarasota’s downtown is just minutes away offering a vast array of arts and cultural attractions.
The acclaimed
Sarasota Ballet features a repertoire of classical and modern dance throughout the year while the
Asolo Theatre, is home to a leading regional theatrical company with performances November through June.
Within walking distance is the
John and Mable Ringling Museum where an
International Arts Festival is held every fall. This six-day cultural
celebration of music, dance, theater and visual arts is presented in collaboration with New York’s Baryshnikov Arts
Center.
Meanwhile, Sarasota’s
Film Festival,
Van Wezel and
St. Petersburg Times Forum attract top rated actors, concerts and international acts.
Shopping
Shopping - is a world-class experience right on the island at
St. Armands Circle with over 100 distinctive shops, boutiques, galleries and sidewalk eateries.
Sarasota’s
Southgate Mall features Saks, Macy’s and Dillards, while Tampa’s
International Mall is only 40 minutes north featuring Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom’s including 200 other shops and
restaurants under one roof!!!
Restaurants and Nightlife
Every day closes with a profusion of pastels lighting the sky; when folks head out for a
gourmet delight and where
evenings come to life with an assortment of musical vibes.
Who wouldn’t fall in love with Lido’s exquisite lifestyle so, sneak a peek at some of our
Real Estate offerings.
We look forward to assisting you with
your stay and thank you for considering Lido Key as your next vacation getaway.
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