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SARASOTA & SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
The Premier On-Line Guide to Sarasota & Southwest Florida

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Experience Florida's Sun Coast

on the Gulf of Mexico with its

Beautiful White Sandy Beaches,

Challenging Golf Courses, Warm

Breezes and Magnificent Sunsets

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SARASOTA and its Gulf Coast Islands have matured into a diverse cosmopolitan community considered by many to be "The Cultural Center of Florida".  Daytime offers some of the finest museums, art and antique galleries, as well as numerous shops and boutiques.  Be prepared to include a few evenings with our resident ballet, opera house, live theatre, comedy clubs, and jazz bars. The year round sunny days and tropical breezes are a welcome invitation to over 60 golf courses, tennis, 35 miles of pristine beaches, boating, fishing, and sight seeing.

BRADENTON is bordered on the north by the Manatee River and shares many of the area's cultural interests.  Palmetto on the northern banks of the river extends to the bay with Anna Maria Island beyond.  Specialty shops, Desoto Square mall and the factory outlet shops of University and Ellenton are within a short drive.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND is comprised of three general locations.  The northern end, known as the City of Anna Maria, is a quaint little village with an atmosphere of yesteryear.  Bradenton Beach, just north of Longboat Key, and Holmes Beach are suited for the more active vacationer seeking water sports and night life.
Anna Maria Island Beaches


LONGBOAT KEY and LIDO KEY have a more cosmopolitan style with easy access to the shops on St. Armands Circle and Sarasota's lively downtown, three convenient malls, antique shops, galleries, restaurants, night-time entertainment and wonderful attractions.
Longboat Key Beaches and Lido Key Beaches


SIESTA KEY is slightly more active than Anna Maria Island yet manages to combine the quaint island atmosphere with easy access to island shops, boutiques, restaurants and Sarasota's shopping, dining and nightlife.  The famous Crescent Beach, known for its soft white sand, is rated among the "TOP 10 BEACHES OF THE WORLD" and Siesta Beach was recently named "The Best Beach in Florida" by Florida Trend Magazine.
Siesta Key Beaches


VENICE, "The Sharks Tooth Capital of the World", boasts the longest beach in Sarasota County. Caspersen Beach has been left in its natural state, uncultivated, windswept and secluded, which makes hunting for seashells and pre-historic sharks' teeth a favorite among visitors.  This quaint, historically preserved town features shops, cafes, and dinner theatres to provide a wonderful distraction.
Venice Beaches


MANASOTA KEY is an enchanting barrier island off the coast of ENGLEWOOD where there are no high-rises, no traffic lights; just a two-lane road and pristine beaches.  There are low-rise multi-family apartments and condos on the south end of the island.  The north end has private homes on one-acre lots, tucked behind lush tropical foliage.
Manasota Key Beaches


NORTH PORT is the fifth largest city in Florida with 77 square miles of land, of which only nine percent is actually populated.  Just 20 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico, North Port lies between the historic towns of Venice and Port Charlotte.

PORT CHARLOTTE, located between North Port and Punta Gorda on the northern bank of the Peace River is the site of 165 miles of man-made waterways, estuaries and nature trails attracting people from all over the world.

PUNTA GORDA is a coastal community, located where the Peace River flows into the Gulf of Mexico at Charlotte Harbor, that traces its heritage back to 1539 when Ponce de Leon sailed into Charlotte Harbor looking for the Fountain of Youth.  It has been rated by Money Magazine as the "Second Best Place to Live in America".

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