Longboat Key Real Estate: Luxury Condos & Waterfront Homes

Wendy Lynn

8 years ago

The private barrier island of Longboat Key, Florida, is a boater’s paradise. A satellite stretch of sand featuring spectacular backdrops of the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Sarasota Bay on the other, Longboat Key is divided between the counties of Sarasota and Manatee. It stretches between St. Armand and Lido Key to the South-East, Anna Maria Island to the North-West, and Sarasota and its bay to the East.

The island has amenities in store for bikers, fishers, shelling hobbyists, water sports enthusiasts, sun bathers and more, boasting of luxury condominiums and single-family homes. The properties cater to all personalities. There are pristine beaches overlooking the Gulf, a harbor in the bay, lagoons and canals with private docks, a golf course, restaurants galore and just about any facility for the enjoyment and convenience of it more than 8,000 permanent residents and nearly 15,000 seasonal ones and tourists. The Bay Isles gated community, the Country Club Shores -hallmark single-family neighborhood- and the Water Club condo development are the island’s crown jewels. Self-sufficient as it is, with its Flowers Town Plaza and markets, the town of Longboat Key also provides residents with access to even more shopping and dining establishments on St. Armand’s Circle.

Historically, Longboat Key was once a farmed stretch of land, but after the 1921 hurricane, the water and salt level changed the prospects of the residents. John Ringling purchased extensive land lots with a view to make Longboat Key a haven for vacationing and homesteading. The island was later used for target practice by the Air Force. Today, it has become a premium resort, with approximately 1,000 tourist accommodations, 7,000 condominiums and 1,500 single family homes.

From waterfront estates to maintenance-free villas, residents and visitors can find ample accommodation. The Longboat Key Public Tennis Center, the Bayfront Park Recreation Center, Joan M Durante Park, Quick Point Nature Preserve, and Bicentennial Park are open to the public, dusk-to-dawn. Fishing is allowed in most parks and pets are allowed, provided they have licenses. The beach is used by endangered wildlife, with shorebirds and sea turtles courting and building their nests on the island, a birdwatcher’s haven. It is not unusual to see wedding ceremonies, parades, fairs, races, concerts, art festivals, bicycle runs, and birthday parties in public facilities, parks and even on the beach, which imbue the entire island with a festive yet laid-back spirit throughout the year.