Longboat Key, FL

Longboat Key is a barrier-island town on Florida's Gulf Coast, shared by Sarasota and Manatee counties. Its identity is coastal and residential, with beaches, bays, and resort communities stretching along the island. Local place names such as Whitney Beach and Island Beach point to the way the town developed around shoreline access. Longboat Key feels quieter and more residential than some nearby beach destinations, but it still sits close to Sarasota's arts, dining, boating, and Gulf-front recreation.