Longboat Key Beaches

He's actually in my opinion the best beach in the area. You don't want to be around a lot of people and you like seclusion and you don't want to be around a lot of kids and screaming and all that stuff that I don't like being around. This is the best beach. It's not a ton of people at all. However, you don't have a bunch of restrooms and things of that nature. Either. You're not just going to pick up and oh let's go to a boardwalk and walk the boardwalk and find a bar. You have to go to the areas where that is and it's very small. The pavilion area that is but the beach is long is quiet. It's never crowded in my mind in this area of Florida. This is better than siesta key and lido Beach and all those other things keep in mind you still get the white sand. It's never hot. You know when they tell only at siesta key. That's a lie .

Longboat key is a very 'long' stretch of beach with limited parking if you are not a resident or staying at one of the hotel resorts. I parked at Bayfront Park (there is a bathroom) and there is beach access just across the street. It's a beautiful beach and the sunrise was one of the best I've seen on the gulf (see pics). Lots of turtle nesting spots taped off this time of year/ Summer. The sand was thick and soft, and there were lots of very massive drop offs near the waters edge. I ended up walk/running 3 miles towards south end before turning around. There are really no exit points outside of hotel guest access. Once I got back to car I drove down past the point I had previously stopped to find absolutely beautiful golf course and hotels/ resorts lining every inch of the beach. No public parking options anywhere to enjoy the south end of the beach. This seems to be a very exclusive area which can be good bc the crowds are limited. It was cool to see beach chairs available to use for 'guests' but really anyone can use them.

very nice in some spots. clear blue water with soft sand. bring food and drinks with you

Longboat key has a very beautiful beach. It is mainly private development on the Gulf side, but there are 12 public access points that have parking or nearby parking. The beach is never crowded so if you like seclusion, you can find it here. There are no facilities of any sort here.

Very biased review.

I feel like Longboat Key beach is all mine. Only mine. It's my paradise, it's my home away from home.

I say this because my family and I have been coming here since I was a tadpole. I have so many fond memories from my past and present. I love that its secluded and private. No public access. So clean. No crowds, no hooligans, no shenanigans (unless you want to create your own).

Sand is gorgeous and always feels great under your feet. Water is clear and mesmerizing. Breathtaking views from our balcony. Just listening to the sounds of crashing waves and inhaling the smells of ocean water, make me giddy. Sunsets and sunrises are a must see...always. Excellent boat watching too.

Long walks are always special and peaceful. You'll see some beautiful homes and a plethora of condo buildings. Pick up some seashells.

You'll notice many here are either vacation renting or reside in the nearby condo's and single family homes. Most are families or couples. This beach is known to be private and that's the appeal.

Beautiful location for a photo shoot. Wedding, or just because.

When I want to feel like I'm on a secluded island with just me and my thoughts, a time to regroup or re-energize, or have a romantic getaway only 3 hours from home and just be one with the water, sun and sand...this is where I want to be. There's no place like Longboat Key beach.

Sidenote: Sand fleas can be horrific during certain times here. My first encounter in all the years I've been coming here was a year ago. It's not a fun experience, in fact it's horrible..trust me. Be prepared and do your research. Your best defense is Skin So Soft repellent w/sunscreen by Avon, yes Avon. Walgreen's used to sell this, but I have yet to find one that does. Amazon has it. I highly, highly recommend this.

The West coast of Florida is definitely where it's at! I'm not a huge beach person but I've always found that I have had the most enjoyable time when I've driven out away from Central FL (where I reside) to the West Coast to beach it up!

The beaches aren't heavily crowded, the sand is loose and powdery and the water is clear and calm. My friends and I came here and found a place to stay right on the beach ( I HIGHLY recommend) and the beach was literally in our backyard. It was sooo insanely gorgeous. The sunrises and sunsets are worth waiting for.

Most of the folks that were at the beach were families and couples that were actually staying in the area. We didn't really see any public access areas where folks could drive in from outside the area and park. Which, in a way, is nice. It was like our own secret , secluded getaway.

This is a wonderful beach and one that I would travel to again. Make sure to lather up in sunscreen- that sun is no joke!

I have been to many beaches from up and down the east coast of the U.S. to Oahu and Kauai. I would have to rank the Florida Gulf beaches as among the best I have ever been to. What stands out to me for Longboat Key beaches are the lack of crowds, the clear and calm water and the quality of the sand. The warm water temperatures in the summer and fall allow you to stay in the water for hours on end. The bonus is the occasional sightings of sting rays, manatees and dolphins. This is a an amazing place.

On this 235th Independence Day, an homage to one of my favorite spots in the good old US of A: Longboat Key, Florida.

Florida is one of those states people seem either to love or to hate. I happen to love -- the Gulf coast, at least. Where Atlantic beaches have sand you can drive on, wet t-shirt contests, and coeds galore, the Gulf has miles of gorgeous sugar-sand beaches, clear, turquoise waters, and a removed feel. Longboat Key feels particularly remote and unspoiled. It's referred to as "the private island" because public access to its beaches is extremely limited: one lone public beach on the entire Key means that you can enjoy yourself in relative solitude, staking out a patch of sand that seems miles from your nearest neighbor. Just about everyone you'll meet is either a resident of or renting on Longboat.

The quietude of the Key also allows wildlife to abound. Here you'll find abundant shore birds including pipers, heron, egret, petrels, gulls, pelican, skimmers, and tropicbird. We've spotted comb jellies, king crab, miniature hermit crab, sand crab, and sea snail. We've seen dolphin pods fishing in the surf and sea turtle nests protected by local organizations. Shelling on Longboat is world-class, too: you'll find everything from sand dollars and augers to spiny jewel box, lightning whelk, and olives.

I can't think of many prettier or more archetypal beaches than Longboat Key. And it's right here in our own backyard. From sea to shining sea, America truly is a beautiful place.

The Beaches of Longboat Key deserve 5 Stars because they are secluded. Public beach access points are very hard to find but once you know where they are, you will get a parking space, especially on the weekend.

While Longboat Key beaches don't have the soft white sand of Siesta Key beach or Crescent Beach, they are cramped with people and this is a big trade off. When we went today, the closest person swimming near me was 100-200 yards away.

If you want to relax and not hear anything but the waves, this is the beach for you!

The beach is beautiful! , water is warm and the sand white . I really enjoyed that there wasn't too many people since I like quiet , kind of private beaches .
Parking can be tricky to find and that's definitely a downside for us , although we were very lucky to find the last spot this morning .
They also don't have public restrooms . This wasn't a huge problem for us, but if you have kids and that's a MUST ,Then you probably should try the beaches closer to the most popular area ( more people though) ...
This beach is beautiful !