Longboat Key

With its gorgeous white-sand beaches, water sport activities in the Gulf and Sarasota Bay, land adventures, and premier shopping and dining, it is clear to see why this Florida Island is the vacation destination to over 20,000 people a year!

 

Longboat Key is an iconic barrier island, drawing national and international recognition for its well-planned community living, stunning beaches and parks, and a lifestyle that only the selective few enjoy.

 

Located on Florida’s West Coast, the Town of Longboat Key encompasses two counties- Sarasota County to the south and Manatee County to the north. Surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico, Longboat Key residents enjoy Gulf or Bay views, many with direct beach access. Whether you are looking for a beachfront penthouse or a small pied-a-terre to enjoy seasonally, Longboat Key has it all with prices fitting a variety of budgets.

 

Venture out to Gulf of Mexico Drive to meet neighbors for a walk or bicycle ride or grab the family to spend a day on the gorgeous white sand beaches. Take a short drive to St. Armand’s Circle to shop and dine. This is no deserted island! With proximity to Downtown Sarasota over the Ringling Bridge, you can enjoy even more activities like seeing a movie, attending the opera, watching a performance at the Van Wezel, or hitting up a variety of bars and restaurants for a night out! Everything is at your fingertips!

 

Did you know legend says Longboat Key gets its name from the longboats that were left by Spaniards when they discovered the land??

 

For centuries the native Timucuan and Caloosa Indians inhabited the land of what is now Longboat Key. In 1891 a Civil War veteran, named Thomas Mann, settled in the area with 144 acres granted to him. The early 1920’s saw the rise of development on the north end of Longboat Key where some of the historic homes stand today! Even John Ringling purchased hundreds of acres and the former Ritz-Carlton Hotel on New Pass, which was never completed and later torn down in 1962 by Arvida, a development group who was a catalyst of the development peak in the 1960’s.

 

Today the Town of Longboat Key is a vital, sought-after community that combines serene seashore enjoyment with island adventures to be enjoyed!