1. Myakka River State Park
Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/myakka-river-state-park
Address: 13208 State Rd 72, Sarasota, FL 34241
Rose: The trees are gorgeous and the walking path is very clear and popular
Thorn: The canopy walkway is not as cool as it sounds
2. Siesta Key Beach
Address: 948 Beach Rd, Sarasota, FL 34242
Rose: The whitest sand you will ever see! The best leisurely morning walk in the Sarasota area.
Thorn: Only one way on to the Key so there can be heavy traffic.
3. Joan M Durante Community Park
Website: https://www.longboatkey.org/town-government/departments/parks-and-recreation/joan-m-durante-park
Address: 5550 Gulf of Mexico Dr, Longboat Key, FL 34228
Rose: Parking lot and multiple places to enjoy a picnic lunch
Thorn: Not a long enough path for the adventurous hikers
4. John Ringling Causeway
Website: https://www.letsplaysarasota.com/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/82/4753
Address: 200 John Ringling Causeway, Sarasota, FL 34236
Rose: A park on both ends of the walkway to take a break and enjoy the water view
Thorn: Cars pass next to the walk way so it is not a quiet route
5. Turtle Beach
Website: https://www.visitsarasota.com/beaches/turtle-beach
Address: 8918 Midnight Pass Road Sarasota, FL 34242
Rose: Watch turtle nesting at the right time of year
Thorn: The sand is a harder terrain than Siesta Key, so it is hard to walk a far distance on the beach
6. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Website: https://selby.org/
Address: 1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Rose: Read educational information as you walk throughout the beautiful park. Learn about the ecosystem and organisms in the Florida area.
Thorn: Admission fee
Love Florida! ❤️
same!
I’ll admit I usually just think of Florida as a beach destination, but these hikes look awfully tempting!
Wow, Florida does have great hiking spots. I like all of them: beach, botanical gardens, park – the diversity is nice.
Florida seems like such an underrated destination with beaches and hiking!
My cousins just moved close to Sarasota; I had no idea there were so many great places to hike!
Love a bit of a hike! Great list of diverse terrains – particularly the botanical gardens. Hope to explore some of these myself one day.
It’s very cool to know that Florida has all of these scenic hiking spots! I’ve been a number of times but never really tried the outdoorsy thing, so I’ll definitely have to keep these places in mind for a future visit.
Turtle nesting is something I’ve always wanted to see! Adding Sarasota to my Florida bucket list for sure. Thanks for sharing these fun places to hike!
Such beautiful destinations. The botanical garden looks gorgeous.
I really love the path and bridge at Joan M Durante Community Park . Very beautiful!