The weather has been great in central Florida so we have taken advantage of it to check out the beaches in the area. On Tuesday we fired up the Harley and headed south to Ft. Myers Beach. Pam’s parents had a condo in Ft. Myers a few years ago and we spent some time there, so we wanted to visit the area again. It’s a long ride from where we are but the sky was clear and the air warm so a long ride was inviting. The beach at Ft. Myers was just as we remember, except the bar where we use to park our beach chairs near has been torn down. We had lunch at The Cottage Bar, overlooking the beach.
Ft. Myers Pier from the Cottage Bar porch
By the time we returned to the motorhome in Cortez it was dark and a bit cold (ok, mid-50s may not seem cold up north, but it is chilly on a motorcycle).
Wednesday was a very nice day with temperatures in the mid-70s, so we headed about 20 miles south to Siesta Key Beach, just west of Sarasota. Siesta Key Beach is ranked in the top ten of beaches in the world, mainly due to the pure white sand. While most beaches have a gravel feel and are made of crushed shells, the sand at Siesta is 90% quartz and is the consistency of refined sugar.
Siesta Key Beach
Boy, this retirement thing sure is hard work! As you can see from the above pictures, the rush toward the holidays and the pressures that go with it are starting to take their toll on us. We’ll be glad when the pace slows down after the new year!
Oh, the Places They Go! 
I love Siesta Key!!!!!!! I was born in Sarasota. Glad to see that beach isn’t romaniticezed in my head, it really is wonderful.
Do you recommend Siesta Key beach? We are coming down to Sarasota (GO O’S!) in March. I had read that it was a beach not to be missed, but the wisdom of you (advanced) years would be helpful.
Merry Christmas!
If you like the beach, Siesta should be on your “don’t miss” list. But watch the wisecracks about age. You know I’m a very sensitive person!