Siesta Beach facts for kids
Siesta Beach, sometimes called Siesta Key Beach, is a famous beach located on Siesta Key in Florida, USA. It's known for its amazing sand and wide-open spaces.
What makes Siesta Beach special is its sand. Unlike many other beaches made from crushed coral, Siesta Beach's sand is almost entirely (99%) quartz. Most of this quartz comes from the Appalachian Mountains. Over a very long time, other minerals like feldspar and mica were washed away, leaving behind nearly pure quartz. This special sand is so reflective that it stays cool even on the hottest days, which is great for walking barefoot! Scientists from Harvard University believe the sand on Siesta Beach and nearby Crescent Beach is millions of years old. It traveled down rivers from the Appalachian Mountains and settled on the shores of Siesta Key.
The southern part of Siesta Beach is also known as Crescent Beach. This area stretches to a seawall and a spot called Point of Rocks. Point of Rocks is a cool place with coral and lots of sea creatures living there. Siesta Beach is not just long; it's also super wide, especially near the Siesta Key Beach Pavilion. Because it's so wide, the city has even put down special walking mats to help people get from the parking area to the firmer, wet sand closer to the water.
How Siesta Beach Became Popular
For a long time, before the 1900s, Siesta Key was mostly empty. People called it names like Clam Island or Little Sarasota Island. It wasn't connected to the city of Sarasota, so the only way to get there was by boat. The island was covered in thick plants and had many wild animals, including different kinds of snakes, wildcats, and wild boars.
Things started to change in 1906 when Mr. and Mrs. Roberts opened a hotel called the Roberts’ Inn (or Siesta Inn). This hotel quickly became a popular spot for people wanting to escape the cold winters up north. Mrs. Roberts was a great cook, especially known for her seafood, which also attracted many visitors. Mr. Roberts worked with Mayor Harry Higel to create the Siesta Land Company. This company helped build Siesta Village and renamed the island Siesta Key about a year after the hotel opened.
In 1914, Mayor Higel opened his own hotel, Higelhurst. He used his boat to bring guests to and from Sarasota. Higel also worked hard to get the Army Corps of Engineers to build a bridge connecting the island to Sarasota. Finally, in 1917, a bridge opened on the northern part of the key, making it much easier to visit. Later, in 1927, a second bridge opened at the southern end of the key, at Stickney Point.
Siesta Beach Today
In 1954, Sarasota County bought land on Siesta Key to create a public beach. Slowly, more and more people started to live on Siesta Key, and now about 350,000 tourists visit it every year! Siesta Beach has won many awards. For example, in 2020, it was named the #1 beach in the mainland U.S. and #11 in the world by TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice™ awards. This amazing beach has been ranked #1 three times since 2015!
Sometimes, the beaches can be affected by something called red tide. This is when tiny ocean plants, called Karenia brevis algae, grow very quickly. When this happens, it can cause problems like making fish die and washing them ashore. Workers often remove many tons of dead fish from the beach in the early mornings. The toxins from red tide can also make it hard for people to breathe and can harm sea animals like turtles and manatees. In the past, red tide events have sometimes lasted for over a year.
