Vote now for best beach in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice area. Polls close 2 p.m. Thursday 3/9
The beautiful white sand beaches of Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties routinely rank among the greatest in the world — but which one is your favorite? That's the big question we're putting out there for our inaugural Best Beach Challenge that will result in a champion being crowned April 3.
The top 16 beaches have been seeded and placed on the bracket for round-by-round, head-to-head matchups. Voting on the first round of matchups begins Monday, March 6, with the polls closing 2 p.m. Thursday, March 9. The voting will restart weekly each Monday through Thursday concluding with The Finals taking place March 27-30.
Choose the beach you've loved visiting since childhood, one you've recently discovered or just pick the name you like best, just like you do when filling out your March Madness basketball brackets. No judgment here. Let's have some fun!
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Sweet 16 voting guide
Voting begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday, March 6, and ends at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 9.
Elite voting will begin on Monday, March 13, featuring winners from the previous round.
Best Beach championships dates
Sweet 16: March 6-9
Elite 8: March 13-16.
Final Four: March 20-23.
THE FINALS: March 27-30.
Winner announced Monday, April 3.
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Siesta Beach vs. Stump Pass Beach State Park
Recently named the No. 2 beach in the U.S. (and No. 11 in the world) by Tripadvisor, our top seed Siesta Beach on the north end of Siesta Key in Sarasota County is most famous for its soft sand made almost exclusively of pure quartz, which remains cool on the feet even when baked in the Florida sun. Siesta Beach, which is right by bustling Siesta Key Village, faces off against Stump Pass Beach State Park, a Florida State Park in the southwest corner of Charlotte County. "There is a mile of beach where seashells and shark teeth wash up, and anglers fish the surf for prize catches," reads the state's website.
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Using the app? Click here to cast your vote.
South Lido Beach vs. Coquina Beach
South Lido Beach (aka Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach) offers lots of lovely beach backed by wooded areas only a few miles from the restaurants and shops of St. Armands Circle and downtown Sarasota. Meanwhile, Coquina Beach on the south end of Anna Maria Island also offers beachgoers plenty of shade thanks to its picnic areas and paved walkway covered by Australian pines; plus the Coquina Beach Cafe for snacks and adult beverages with the many enticing restaurants and bars of Bridge Street nearby.
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Using the app? Click here to cast your vote.
Brohard Park vs. Bean Point
Brohard Park in Venice is home to landmarks like Venice Fishing Pier, Sharky’s on the Pier, Fins at Sharky's and Paw Park, with the latter making this the only beach where you can legally swim with your pup in Sarasota County. Bean Point is the most secluded beach on Anna Maria Island, found on the north end with minimal amenities but a short stroll from historic waterfront restaurant The Rod and Reel Pier.
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Using the app? Click here to cast your vote.
Manatee Public Beach vs. Blind Pass Beach
Manatee Beach in the Anna Maria Island city of Holmes Beach features wide open spaces of fluffy white sand and good times at the nationally acclaimed Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe; plus right across the road you have West Coast Surf Shop opened in 1964 and Skinny’s Place, a classic burger and beer joint established in 1952. Blind Pass Beach on Manasota Key is a narrow strip of gorgeous sand perhaps best known for its mangrove trails.
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Using the app? Click here to cast your vote.
Turtle Beach vs. Manasota Key Beach
While not nearly as famous as nearby Siesta Beach, Turtle Beach on the south end of Siesta Key also has superb sand along with one of the few campgrounds in Florida that offers direct beach access and perfect sunset viewing. Manasota Beach Park is on the Sarasota County side of the key with its serene stretch of white sand open to the public from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and amenities such as a canoe/kayak launch, restrooms and picnicking areas.
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Using the app? Click here to cast your vote.
Nokomis Beach vs. Englewood Beach
The oldest public beach in Sarasota County, Nokomis Beach on Casey Key features the Nokomis Beach Plaza designed by Jack West in 1955 and places you right by two of south Sarasota County's best waterfront restaurants and bars: Pop's Sunset Grill and Pelican Alley. Englewood Beach at Chadwick Park in Charlotte County was built in 2001 and places beachgoers on white sand with numerous amenities including a 900-foot boardwalk as well as numerous nearby restaurants and bars.
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Using the app? Click here to cast your vote.
Venice Beach vs. Caspersen Beach
Featuring its signature “sail” style pavilion, an interactive sea turtle sculpture and mobility mat, Venice Beach is found at the end of West Venice Avenue about a mile from the center of historic downtown Venice and its large concentration of Italian restaurants, plus various other dining and drinking spots including a Daiquiri Deck ideal for post-sunbathing libations. Located about three miles south is Caspersen Beach, a top spot to find prehistoric sharks’ teeth (Venice is known as “The Shark Tooth Capital of the World”) as well as a popular place for shelling with not a condo or hotel to be seen.
Using the app? Click here to cast your vote.
Lido Beach vs. Boca Grande Pass
Named one of the country’s best restored beaches in 2021, Lido Beach is a white sands jewel featuring the Lido Beach Pavilion and Lido Island Grill and easy access to three of the region's best beach bars open to the public: Lido Beach Resort's poolside tiki bar, the Sandcastle Resort's poolside tiki bar, and the Lido Key Tiki Bar located directly behind The Ritz-Carlton's otherwise private Beach Club. A Florida State Park, Boca Grande Pass found just off the southern tip of Gasparilla Island State Park and connecting the Charlotte Harbor to the Gulf of Mexico is "world-famous for sportfishing, particularly tarpon."
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Using the app? Click here to cast your vote.
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Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida-Georgia Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Vote now for the best beach in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Englewood
