Keys to the City
Five unique keys (that’s Floridian for islands) wrap the Gulf Coast like a necklace of glittering jewels, but there’s more than just pretty here. Kayak winding rivers, soak up rays on award-winning beaches, dine in swanky cafés and splurge in cosmopolitan boutiques. Here are a few not-to-miss spots on each island:
15 South
St. Armands Key
A quick power walk from Lido Beach, St. Armands Circle, an international shopping destination, throbs with casual outdoor cafés, upscale restaurants, hip nightclubs and highend boutiques.
Café L’Europe
For over 30 years, this restaurant has been the hotspot for romantic interludes. Grab an outdoor table and start with a Lido Sunset — an invigorating vodka potion offering the warmth of a sunset in liquid form — and move on to the Oysters Rockefeller and the Chateaubriand for two. 431 St. Armands Cir; 941-388-4415; www.cafeleurope.net
15 South Straight Up Night Club
Can’t decide between a late-night fix of octopus salad and lobster ravioli or throwing on your dancing shoes? This place offers both. The downstairs bistro, Ristorante Enoteca, serves up rustic Italian fare until 11pm, while the joint sizzles upstairs as patrons dance to Latin, Caribbean, jazz and Big Band music. 15 S Blvd of the Presidents; 941-388-1555; 15 www.southristorante.com
Oh My Gauze
This family-run boutique has redefined and modernized the hippie chic look for over 20 years. Style and comfort groove together in a colorful selection of billowing skirts, long, flowing pants and bright, layered tops by the same-named clothing line. 374 St. Armands Cir; 941-388-1964; www.ohmygauze.com
Lido Key
John Ringling purchased the area now known as Lido Key, building bridges to connect it with other keys. Today, it’s a world-class vacation spot with 13 miles of gorgeous beaches, swanky residential neighborhoods and upscale beachside hotels.
South Lido Park
This 100-acre wildlife preserve smack on the Gulf of Mexico teems with flora and fauna. Hike shady trails, picnic on sandy beaches or kayak through mangrovelined canals, bayous and lagoons. If you’re lucky, you might catch a pod of dolphins breaking the waves, though hiring a naturalist guide for a kayaking tour will increase your odds. 2433 N Tamiami Tr; 941-954-1009; www.islandstylesports.com
Mote Marine Laboratory
This world-renowned marine research center boasts an impressive array of high tech exhibits, like the “shark attack theater,” an interactive theater in which the audience experiences what it’s like to be a sand-tiger shark hunting for its next meal. See dolphins, sharks and manatees in their recreated natural habitats and a preserved 27-foot-long giant squid who goes by the name of Molly. All that, but no talking sponges. 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy; 941-388-4441; www.mote.org
Old Salty Dog
This rustic, picnic bench-adorned quintessential Florida seafood joint offers a postcard-worthy view that overlooks the shimmering waters of New Pass. Munch on down-home Florida chow like fish gumbo, conch fritters, stone crab and the mandatory grouper sandwich. 1601 Ken Thompson Pkwy; 941-388-4311; www.theoldsaltydog.com
Anna Maria Key
This laidback 7-mile island, once only accessible by ferry, offers a piece of Old World Florida, as well as peace of mind. You’ll find neither chains nor high-rises here — simply endless white sand beaches and lush mangroves.
Sandbar Restaurant
Enjoy some of the freshest seafood on the island at this rom-com worthy restaurant. Have a meal right on the beach, toes comfortably dug into the soft white sand while waves crash only feet away. Live bands fight to keep your attention, as the sun sets in a multitude of orange, pink and red hues. 100 Spring Ave; 941-778-0444; www.groupersandwich.com
Ginny’s & Jane E’s at the Old IGA
This quirky, multi-colored store is so chockfull of new and vintage jewelry, furniture, gifts and art that it could make you dizzy. Should that happen, take a seat anywhere in the 4,000-square-foot shop and enjoy coffee, smoothies and pastries to get a second wind — you’ll need one as everything in the store is for sale, even the chair you’re sitting on. 9807 Gulf Dr; 941-778-3170; www.annamariacafe.com
Siesta Key
Siesta’s beaches consistently win best in show for their sensationally soft sand. But sun worshippers and sports fanatics aren’t the only inhabitants. Native birds, dolphins, manatees and other wildlife bump shoulders with a lively mix of bars, restaurants, shops and hotels.
Water Sports on Siesta Key Public Beach
Siesta Beach won Dr. Beach’s 2011 “world’s finest, whitest sand” award, and aquatic athletes enjoying that sand can rent anything that bounces, dives, floats, flies, skims, skis or sails. Hang around for the Sunday sunset drum circle to hear the spirited sound of drums, bongos and maracas. Siesta Sports Rentals; 6551 Midnight Pass Rd; 941-346-1797; www.siestasportsrentals.com
Ophelia’s on the Bay
Named not after Hamlet’s soggy girlfriend but for a stately Victorian ancestor of the owner, this waterfront eatery offers a hypnotic vista of Sarasota Bay amid lush tropical gardens. The creative new world cuisine is constantly evolving, but start with the lobster-infused blue crab bisque and move on to the hog snapper (fresh from the Gulf), and you’ll understand why this restaurant has been a local favorite for more than 20 years. 9105 Midnight Pass Rd; 941-349-2212; www.opheliasonthebay.net
Longboat Key
This tranquil, skinny island offers a stunning but supremely secluded shoreline with few public access points. You’ll get the beach almost entirely to yourself — although occasional celebrity sightings (Maria Sharapova is sometimes spotted) are possible.
Joan M. Durante Community Park
Nature lovers will find a lot to love in this 32-acre park overlooking Sarasota Bay. Pack a picnic, and hike the trails and boardwalks that wind through a mangrove forest, a hammock of sea grapes, butterfly gardens, lagoons, and banyan and mango trees. 5550 Gulf of Mexico Dr; www.longboatkey.org
Euphemia Haye
Inside a charming, historic bungalow, chef/owner Ray Arpke has created a culinary institution that has been ruining diets for 35 years with its creative American cuisine that focuses on regional ingredients. Drink in an intimate, sophisticated ambiance downstairs or enjoy an animated bar scene, live jazz and an inventive late-night menu at the upstairs Haye Loft. 5540 Gulf of Mexico Dr; 941-3833633; www.euphemiahaye.com
Mar Vista Restaurant
Fresh-caught Florida fare is on the menu; pretension isn’t. Drink in the tranquil view of Sarasota Bay while enjoying the perfectly crunchy crab cakes that are packed with moist blue crab meat and a tangy seasoning that will leave you anything but crabby. 760 Broadway St N; 941-383-2391; www.marvista.groupersandwich.com
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