These free Sarasota County spots offer some of Florida’s best sunsets.
Though access to Humphris Park in Venice, a prime sunset-viewing spot at the South Jetty, remains closed for the foreseeable future, there are still plenty of Sarasota County spots where it’s possible to watch the sun sink into the west and perhaps catch a glimpse of the storied “flash of green” when the light is right.
In geographic order from south to north, here are eight of the best free spots — mostly beaches — where it’s possible to sit down and enjoy the sunset.
Blind Pass Beach
Blind Pass Beach, often referred to by locals as “Middle Beach,” is located at 6725 Manasota Key Road, Englewood — just north of the Hermitage Artist Retreat.
The 66-acre park offers free parking, restrooms, a playground, and is also a prime spot for finding fossilized shark teeth.
Brohard Beach/Venice Municipal Fishing Pier
Sure, the fittest sunset aficionados can park at South Brohard Beach Park and walk to Caspersen Beach, too, but for our purposes, let’s keep to easy parking areas.
All three miles of beach in Venice are public, with the Venice Municipal Fishing Pier at 1600 Harbor Drive South the easiest landmark.
Brohard Paw Park, 1850 Harbor Drive South, is a pet-friendly beach and sunset-viewing spot.
Service Club Park, 1190 Harbor Drive South, includes wheelchair access and boardwalk access to the beach.
Venice Beach
Venice Beach, located at 101 The Esplanade, features an iconic beach pavilion designed by architects William Lindh and Cyril Tucker and built in 1964.
There is also wheelchair access to the beach near the pavilion.
In addition to parking near the pavilion, the city also offers parking at Merle Graser Park, located at the corner of Barcelona Avenue and Apalacicola Road.
Chauncey Howard Park, 800 The Esplanade North, offers boardwalk access to the beach.
North Jetty Beach Park/Nokomis Beach
North Jetty Beach Park, 1000 South Casey Key Road, is on the northern side of the 100-foot-wide Venice Inlet and offers a view most similar to that from Humphris Park.
Nokomis Beach Park, located at 100 South Casey Key Road, features a pavilion designed by architect Jack West that is on the National Register of Historic Places.
It offers boardwalk access to Nokomis Beach.
Turtle Beach/Siesta Beach
Turtle Beach, 8918 Midnight Pass Road, and Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road, are both located on Siesta Key.
Siesta offers beach wheelchair access and picnic areas, as well as beach volleyball courts.
Sarasota Bayfront Park and Bird Key Park
One doesn’t have to venture to the Gulf for a prime sunset view.
Bayfront Park, 5 Bayfront Drive, Sarasota, and Bird Key Park, 200 John Ringling Causeway, offer sunset views with leashed pets allowed.
Lido Key beaches
Lido Beach, 400 Benjamin Franklin Drive, and Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach, 2201 Benjamin Franklin Drive, are the closest beaches to the city of Sarasota — with the added bonus of being adjacent to St. Armands Circle.
Nathan Benderson Park/The Celery Fields
No beach? No problem. Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota, features a 400-acre lake that’s superb for reflections of sunset and afterglow.
The Celery Fields, 6799 Palmer Boulevard, offers a similar majestic view, as well as an opportunity to view it all from the top of the 85-foot-tall Observation Hill.
Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County as well as land development and environmental issues for the Herald-Tribune. Follow him on Facebook, and X. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Support local journalism by subscribing.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.heraldtribune.com ’
