Calling Sarasota experts particularly Siesta Keys

[lisag1]

HI All,

We're planning to do a week in Sarasota followed by 2 weeks at the house. But I'm at a loss really on where to visit, afraid I don't know much of Florida outside of Kissimmee!

We have 3 young children, 4 5, & 7 so will need some activities for them and also be within walking distance to restaurants etc. Ideally we'd love to rent a beachfront home/condo/apartment so if anyone has any recommendations that'd be great.

Mike Jones has recommended Siesta Keys which I'm currently looking into and emailing home owners to see what's available.

We're also not sure whether 5 days would be enough or go for 7?? Dunno whether the kids'll have itchy feet waiting for their Disney fix by Day 5 or not? What would you recommend?

Thanks

Lisa

 

[Mike Jones]

(HELLO!)...Lisa - don't forget to dibb at 8pm!

 

[lisag1]

Hiya Mike,

I'm logged in as we speak!!!!

I've also been getting info back for the beachfront condos. Some of them aren't too bad price-wise but they're sooooo small!!!

With there being 6 of us, it seems it's then max capacity with 2 bedrooms occupied and the kids using the bed settee and the're only about 1000sqft. I can't even visualise how big/small that is but it seems tiny in comparison to our house which is 3000sq feet. I realise it's unfair to compare but I'm wondering seriously if they're big enough for 6 of us, especially with 3 lively kids.

Anyhow I'll keep you posted.

Cheers

Lisa

 

[Mike Jones]

Good luck!

 

[Kevin Stringer]

Hi Lisa

Can't be much help with Sarasota I'm afraid, but I have spent some time in Sanibel and Captiva if you fancy going a little further down.

There is a report of my time there at http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.stringer/index.htm

Click on the Nov 2001 Trip Report button.

Kev

 

[WDWfan uk]

We spent four nights in Sarasota and on one of our days there, we drove to Siesta Key and spent the day on the huge beach ...... very nice!

We had just spent 8 nights in WDW and felt like some R and R rather than doing very much sightseeing, and our hotel had a private beach (most of them do in Sarasota) and a good restaurant, but we did stroll round St Armand's Circle which is on the Lido Key where we were staying- loved the shop that sold clothes which actually smelled of chocolate!! Yep, they really used chocolate in the manufacture of these clothes - DH had a hard time getting me out of the shop...... the smell was wonderful!!

If you are feeling more lively than we were, you can go on dolphin watches and there is the Ringling mansion with a museum of The Circus and an art museum, the Mote Marine Aquarium, Sarasota Jungle Gardens and there's also the Myakka River State park where you can see animals in their natural habitat - they do airboat tours and guided tram tours if you don't feel like taking a nature trail.

 

[lisag1]

Thanks Shirley,

Still on the lookout for somewhere to stay but my head is spinning now as I've seen so many

Lisa

 

[DCLuvinit]

Hi Lisa,

I grew up on Siesta Key, so if you have any more questions, feel free to PM me!