That wide expanse of crystal, white quartz sand that is Siesta Beach just won the title of the "Nation's Top Beach.". The pure white quartz, pulverized to a fine powder, has an almost magical quality. There is no sand quite like it anywhere in the world. Even under the burning sub-tropical summer sun, it feels cool to the touch.
Steven Leatherman, director of the Florida International University Laboratory for Coastal Research, (and also affectionately known as Dr. Beach), compares all the best beaches in the United States every year and selects the top 10 beaches based upon 50 different criteria. Those criteria include the look and feel of the sand, quality of the water, facilities available among other factors.
San Diego's Coronado Beach was the # 2 runner-up. Number 3 was Kahanamoku Beach in Hawaii, while #4 was Main Beach in East Hampton, NY. Rounding out the top 5 was Cape Hatteras Beach in North Carolina.
Among other factors, Siesta Beach scored very high for its shallow, warm water and gentle currents while losing a few points due to the heavy vista of condominiums at both ends. No matter where you sit or stand, Siesta Beach is spectacular.
Siesta Key has received many honors in the past for it’s soft, powdery white sand beach including recognition as one of “America’s Best Beaches” and the “Third Best Walking Beach in the USA,” by USA Today International Edition and “The Best of the Best Sand,” by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.
Praise for the pristine half-mile long Siesta Beach comes as no surprise to Rich Stover, a well-known Sarasota Real Estate expert and Buyer Representative. "Those who buy a home or condo on Siesta Key get both a casual lifestyle and an unbelivably beautiful beach on which to take liesurely strolls or watch evening sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico." "Yet," he says," they also have very easy access to all the amenities of that make downtown Sarasota Florida one of the Florida Sun Coast's most desirable communities."
