You may have heard a lot about Siesta Key and the wonderful features the area has to offer—but where exactly is it located? What about the atmosphere here makes the weather so beautiful and the beaches so sought after? How long will it take to you get to Siesta Key and which airports are closest to the key?
All of these are good questions before you book your vacation getaway. We’re here to help sort out some of that information for you and get you all set to have a relaxing trip.
Is Siesta Key Part of the Florida Keys?
The short answer here is no. The Florida Keys is located at the far southern shore of the state. Although Siesta Key has “key” in its name, it’s not one of the famous Florida Keys. This is because a land mass labeled as a key is a specific type of island formed by sand being deposited on top of coral reefs which help create these low elevation spots.
As far as location, Siesta Key is nowhere near the rest of the Florida Keys. Siesta Key can be found just off the coast south of Sarasota.
Follow the Florida Gulf coastline on a map and you’ll find Siesta Key about halfway up the state to the north near other famous destinations like Lido Key and Anna Maria Island.
Getting to Siesta Key
Siesta Key is conveniently located about an hour from Tampa, half an hour from Venice Beach, and just over two hours from Orlando. You can stay at any of our Siesta Key beach resorts while still staying in close proximity to some top Florida destinations.
You’ll probably want to plan to rent a car to get to Siesta Key after flying into one of the nearby airports. You can choose to fly into the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport and drive about 25 minutes to your vacation rental. The St. Petersburg/Clearwater International airport will give you an hour drive to your destination and The Tampa International Airport is just over an hour away. Finally, the Orlando International Airport will put a two and a half hour drive ahead of you.
You can also choose to fly into one of the airports south of Siesta Key—but you’ll still probably need to rent a car or take one of the many shuttle or rental car services. Charlotte County Airport is about an hour drive from the Siesta Key beach resorts, and flying into Southwest Florida International Airport will get you an hour and a half away.
Why is the location of Siesta Key so Important?
A short drive from downtown Sarasota, Siesta Key is considered one of the hidden gems off the southwest coast of Florida. The prime location between Roberts Bay and the Gulf of Mexico lend the area to some of the most beautiful and unique white sand beaches that you’ll find in all of Florida.
These major beaches to explore during your Siesta Key Florida vacation include Siesta Beach, Crescent Beach, and Turtle Beach. As Siesta Key is most well known for these glorious and picturesque beaches, the spots have landed the area on many of the top “best beaches” lists nation-wide. The rising popularity of Siesta Key in the last decade has really put it on the map as a premiere Florida destination.
So, now that you know how to get to Siesta Key and why the location of this little island is so unique, it’s time to book your resort room. Start planning all the fun things you want to do on your next trip to southwest coastal Florida.
