Manasota Beach

Plan a family picnic surrounded by the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and Lemon Bay waterway

Manasota Beach is a popular spot for family events like late afternoon birthday parties or family reunions on the beach. Beautiful sand dunes surround the 14 acres of beach set out on Manasota Key between the Gulf of Mexico and Lemon Bay. Manasota Beach is on the far north end of Manasota Key and remains a hidden treasure, as most visitors frequent Englewood Beach and Stump Pass Beach at the south end of the small barrier island. Many locals have reserved Manasota Key as their favorite place to hang out on the weekends though, so the beach won’t be desolate by any means.

This beach is most popular for the boat ramp located on the Lemon Bay side that allows access to the waterway, but be forewarned that finding a place to enter the Gulf of Mexico is quite a distance from the entrance into the bay at Manasota Beach. You can head back north to Venice or down south between Stump Pass and Don Pedro State Park, but this trip may take some time. If you don’t feel like heading out on the boat for fishing, there is plenty of space on shore to get away from the crowd and find a nice cove or dock to do some fishing on.

There are year round lifeguards making this a perfect location to bring the entire family to the beach. A 650-foot boardwalk starting at the boat ramp that ends in a nature trail surrounded by mangroves is another popular feature at Manasota Beach. There are also abundance of spots for potential shelling and even sharks’ fossils, especially early in the morning. Other amenities include a nice shower and bathhouse with clean restrooms.

The entire island of Manasota Key offers a beautiful unobstructed view of the Gulf of Mexico, but Manasota Beach sits on the very north end and offers an almost panoramic view of the entire area. Casperson Beach in Venice is only 3-4 miles away and the beautiful untouched splendor of Manasota Beach would lead you right to Casperson Beach if you wanted a seclude 3 or 4 mile walk or jog before you start your day.

To reach Manasota Beach, take US-41 (Tamiami Trail) south to SR 776/Englewood Road then right onto Manasota Beach Road and once you head over the Manasota Bridge you will see signs for Manasota Beach.