Siesta Key FL Vacation 26JUN - 3JUL2010      by Steve & Mary Cain

        page 1 of 2         photos         last revised 5JUL2010         back to S. Cain web page




  Highlights:
Stayed in Sea Club V
Biking on keys
Biking on Legacy trail
Columbia Resturant
best USA beaches



            Hi Ethan movie
    320x240, 7.5MB
    720x480, 15MB (4X download time)

 
Biking on Florida Keys


Our main activity was bicycle riding. We rode bicycles every day mostly on 4 Florida Keys. Except for Lido Key these keys are long skinny islands about a mile off the mainland. We would ride on a main road in each key.

Siesta Key
This was the island where our Sea Club V condo is located. We biked up Ocean boulevard to the north end about 8 miles from the condo. On this ride were several streets going to the beach. We also biked about 3 miles to the south end of Midnight Pass road. At the south end was a private resort.

Casey Key
We carried the bikes on the car to Nokomis FL and followed signs to Casey Key. We parked at a public beach and rode bicycles about 1 mile to the south end. Next we bicycled to the north end about 8 miles from the south end. The ride to the north end was our favorite ride of all. Casey Key road went by many beautiful mansions. It also went within a few yards of the beach.

Lido Key
We carried the bikes on the car to Sarasota Bayfront park. We parked in this park and spent a little time riding in this Sarasota park. We then rode about 2 miles along a main road across the Ringling Bridge onto Lido Key and into the St. Armands town circle. St. Armands is full of resturants and tourist shops.

Longboat Key
Our bike ride to Longboat Key was part of our ride to Lido Key. From the St. Armands town circle we rode north and crossed a drawbidge into Longboat Key. We rode north about 8 miles on Longboat Key. We saw mostly golf courses. We turned around at a Publix grocery store. This was our least favorite ride of the Florida Key rides.



 
Legacy Bike Trail



We rode on an interesting bike trail known as The Legacy Trail. An old railroad had been paved over for about 12 miles. There were no curves in the trail except an occassional road crossing.
Legacy Trail map
Legacy Trail northern parking area N 27d 14.269 W082d 28.542


   

P7251 27JUN2010 Siesta Beach on Siesta Key Island near Sarasota FL. This beach is rated as the #2 beach in the US. The sand is 99% pure quartz making it extremely white.

 

P7252 26JUN2010 Cain and Burns families having dinner at Captain Curt's Crab and Oyster Bar in Sarasota FL.

 

P7253 27JUN2010 Steve and Mary on northern end of Siesta Key Island, Sarasota FL.

 

P7256 26JUN2010 Beach on Siesta Key Island. Steve and Mary Cain and their daughter's family vacationed here for a week.

 

P7255 27JUN2010 Mary Cain riding her bicycle along Ocean blvd on Siesta Key island near Sarasota FL.

 

P7254 27JUN2010 Two men taking their dogs on a bicycle ride on Ocean blvd on Siesta Key Island near Sarasota FL.

 

P7257 28JUN2010 Steve and Mary Cain on The Legacy bike trail just south of Sarasota FL. The trail is an old train track about 12 miles long and has no curves. They rode 17 miles in a little over an hour.

 

P7258 28JUN2010 Mary Cain and her granddaughter Courtney Cain on the beach at Siesta Key island near Sarasota FL. Courtney will be 17 in a week.

 

P7259 28JUN2010 Justin Burns with his eye on the ball at Calini Resort swimming pool. Unfortunately he is not watching where he is stepping.

 

P7261 29JUN2010 "Banyan" tree along Midnight Pass road on Siesta Key island FL. This tree is also known as a "strangler fig". Mary Cain is standing in front of the tree.

 

P7262 30JUN2010 Casey Key road along Florida Coast next to the Gulf of Mexico. Steve and Mary rode bicycles on this 7 mile long coastal road. Siesta Key island can be seen in the distance.

 

P7263 1JUL2010 A very long legged bird and Mary Cain on pier in Sarasota Bay.

      Go To Vacation Page 2
Revision record       top of page 1
5JUL2010 Added sunset photo.
3JUL2010 Added section 2. Changed title from Sarasota vacation to Siesta Key vacation.
2JUL2010 Added write-ups about bicycling.
1JUL2010 Added photo.
28JUN2010 Added photos.
27JUN2010 Added photos.
26JUN2010 Created web page 1st section.