LIDO KEY
Where
Lido Key promises some of the finest beaches in the county, white-sand wonders that include Lido Beach, sited at 400 Benjamin Franklin Drive, Sarasota, Fla., and North Lido Beach Park, and Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach.
Vibe
Relaxed, upscale marvel of nature with all the amenities. Blessed with the same pure white, quartz sand and gin-clear water as its famed neighbor, Siesta Key—so close that you can see it just to the south—Lido has managed to slip under the radar, which means while it’s popular, there are fewer crowds. Here, families soak up the sun and cool off in the tranquil waters; couples gather to watch the sunset; and almost everyone ditches their sandals.
See, feel
The official public beach of Sarasota residents, walkable Lido Beach makes your beach day easy with free, abundant parking that’s right next to the sand; an onsite restaurant and concession; and amenities like restrooms and showers. But the star of the show is the beach. Expect broad swaths of powdery sand that stays cool on the toes; water so clear it will make you weep; and a beach that’s shallow and slopes gradually, making it ideal for little ones or those timid about the water. While the water is usually calm, winds, tides and offshore systems can occasionally make conditions rough.
On or near the beach
Working on the perfect tan, swimming, and walking by the surf—especially at sunset with an ice cream cone in hand- are favorite pastimes at Lido Beach. The lap pool is affordable and inviting if you want to burn off more energy. Refresh with a picnic in the shade under the palms. Or, nosh on island flavors and traditional beach favorites at Lido Island Grill, complete with live music, tropical adult beverages, beer and wine. Just a short stroll from the beach, luxe St. Armand’s Circle is brimming with indulgent eateries, spoil-you-silly spas, and more than 100 stores.
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible facilities at Lido Beach include restrooms, concession stands, covered seating areas, and boardwalks. Beach wheelchairs can be obtained from the lifeguard towers free of charge, every day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you need of a beach wheelchair outside those hours, please contact the Sarasota County ADA Coordinator three days before your visit to make a request at 941-861-5000 or adacoordinator@scgov.net.
Facilities
Amenities at Lido Beach include a concession stand and restaurant with covered seating (Lido Island Grill); restrooms; picnic tables; water fountains; a rinse station; and a shelter/pavilion.
Lifeguards
Lifeguards protect Lido Beach year round.
Parking
Lido Beach welcomes you with free parking in a 368-space lot, sited right next to the beach on Ben Franklin Drive.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LIDO KEY
Q. Where is Lido Key?
A. Lido Key is a barrier island just west of downtown Sarasota, reached over the Ringling Causeway and through St. Armands Circle. The main public beach is Lido Beach at 400 Benjamin Franklin Drive.
It's a short island, and the beach runs most of its Gulf side. Siesta Key is the next island south, Longboat Key the next one north.
Q. What are the hours?
A. The beach is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Lifeguard coverage is a much shorter window inside that, so it's worth reading the next answer before planning a swim.
Q. Are there lifeguards?
A. Yes, year-round. Sarasota County lifeguards staff the towers at Lido Beach daily from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Lido is one of six county beaches with towers, along with Siesta, Nokomis, North Jetty, Venice and Manasota.
That's daytime coverage only. Before 10 a.m. and after 4:45 p.m. the beach is unguarded, and lifeguards watch the water only where a tower is staffed and a beach warning flag is flying. Swim near a tower.
Q. How do I check conditions?
A. Read the beach warning flags at the staffed towers, and look again if the weather shifts during the day.
The Gulf here tends to be calmer than Florida's Atlantic coast, and the bottom slopes gently. Tends to. Wind, tides and passing storms can change it quickly, and rip currents can form even when the water looks flat. If you’re caught in a rip current, remain calm, signal for help, swim parallel to shore until clear, then swim diagonally toward shore.
Shuffle your feet as you wade in to warn off stingrays.
Q. Is parking free?
A. The main lot is. Lido Beach has a large free lot of 368 spaces right at the beach on Benjamin Franklin Drive, with no meter and no beach fee.
The street spaces along Benjamin Franklin Drive are a different matter. About 80 of them are paid by the hour. If you want free parking, use the lot rather than the curb, and come earlier in the day during winter season when it fills.
Q. What amenities are there?
A. Here, you’ll find restrooms, a rinse station, water fountains, picnic tables, covered seating and a shaded pavilion, plus the Lido Island Grill for food and drinks.
Q. Is the beach accessible?
A. Yes. Beach wheelchairs are free and come from the lifeguard towers, available every day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Note that window is slightly shorter than the lifeguards' own hours.
Q. Can I bring my dog?
A. No. Dogs aren't allowed on Lido Beach. Sarasota County prohibits dogs at all of its beaches with a single exception: Brohard Paw Park in Venice, the county's only off-leash dog beach, next to the Venice Fishing Pier on Harbor Drive South. Service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act are permitted.
Q. What else is on the island?
A. Two things worth knowing about, both at the south end.
At the south end of Lido Key, you'll find two neighboring county parks with confusingly similar names. Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach, at 2201 Benjamin Franklin Drive, has Gulf and bay access, picnic areas, trails and a playground. Currents at the pass are strong, so it's a better spot for walking and paddling than for swimming.
Nearby Ted Sperling Nature Park, at 190 Taft Drive, is the place to go for paddling, with a canoe and kayak launch providing access to the area's mangrove tunnels. Kayak and paddleboard rentals and guided tours are available there.
Ted Sperling Park, on the bay side, is the launch point for the mangrove tunnels, a network of narrow shaded channels that's one of the best kayak trips in the area. Outfitters run guided paddles from there.
Back toward the causeway, St. Armands Circle is a ring of shops and restaurants a few minutes from the sand, which makes it easy to combine a beach morning with lunch.
Q. Is it good for families?
A. It's a strong choice. Staffed towers, free parking, restrooms, and food all sit together, and the sand is wide with a gradual entry into the water.
Check the beach warning flag before you swim and stay within arm's reach of small swimmers. Aim to be there inside the guarded window rather than at either end of the day.
Q. When should I visit?
A. Spring and fall give you warm water and comfortable air together, which is the best balance here. Winter through early spring is Sarasota's peak season, so the free lot fills earliest then, and while the air is often beautiful the Gulf drops into the low to mid-60s in January and February. That's too cold for most people to swim for long.
Summer brings the warmest water, along with heat, humidity and afternoon thunderstorms that usually move through quickly.
Q. What about sea turtles?
A. Nesting season in Sarasota County runs May 1 through Oct. 31, with most nesting early in that window and hatchlings emerging from roughly July onward. Loggerheads do the bulk of it here.
Leave nests and their stakes alone. Fill in any holes you dig and flatten sandcastles before you go, since a hatchling can be trapped by either. Take chairs, umbrellas and toys off the sand overnight. And keep lights off the beach after dark if you're staying Gulf-front, because artificial light draws hatchlings inland instead of out to the water. The state's sea turtle lighting guidance covers the details, and disturbed nests or injured turtles go to the Wildlife Alert line at 888-404-3922.
