This is the new Manasota Public Beach facility.
This was the old Manasota Public Beach facilities building.
When I first visited the Manasota Key back in the late 1990’s, it was such a spartan facility. A steep bluff led down to the beach where a handful of people enjoyed the isolated shoreline.
Recently I heard that Sarasota had just completed a $1.5 million renovation of Manasota Beach, so I drove down to check it out. The beach restroom facility is huge, modern, and brand new. Beach access boardwalks are much improved, and quite a bit of attention was paid to ADA access, except it appears that no beach wheelchair is available. They get you to the sand and then you’re on your own if you want to make it to the water’s edge. Odd.
Boardwalk at Manasota Public Beach.
The Sarasota County web page says they’ve added a fishing pier to the bay side, but I couldn’t find it. They have a dock, yes, but where’s the pier? Anybody know? Did I just miss it?
Do you think they have enough handicap spaces available? They were nearly full!
I think the fossilized shark teeth embedded in the concrete walkways is a nice design element.
Snorkeling in the clear April waters on Manasota Key.
Beachhunter on the job at Manasota Beach.
The beautiful spring weather had everyone out at Manasota Beach.
This is the reason the sand is not pure white on Manasota Key. It’s not “dirty.” It just has lots of polished shell fragments and dark fossils and minerals mixed in with the white quartz crystals. It’s beautiful!
