Siesta Beach, Public beach in Siesta Key, Florida, US.

Siesta Beach is a public beach on Siesta Key, Florida, with pale sand and gentle waves. A red wooden lifeguard stand with a white pitched roof and a US flag stands near the water. Two thatched-roof umbrellas with dark lounge chairs sit on the sand, which is flat and mostly clear of debris.

Until the 20th century Siesta Key was nearly vacant, reached only by boat and known as Clam Island or Sarasota Key. In 1906 Mr. and Mrs. Roberts opened the Roberts' Inn; with Mayor Harry Higel they formed the Siesta Land Company, creating Siesta Village and renaming the island. Higel's 1917 bridge linked the key to Sarasota, a second bridge opened at Stickney Point in 1927, and Sarasota County bought land for a public beach in 1954.

The name Siesta Key replaced older labels such as Clam Island and Sarasota Key after the Roberts' Inn opened in 1906 and the Siesta Land Company formed Siesta Village. Around 350,000 tourists now visit the key each year, and the beach's wide pavilion section is where crowds gather; walking mats laid across the sand lead to firmer wet ground at the water's edge.

The beach is easy to reach with free parking and trolley service connecting it to downtown areas, making a day trip straightforward. Shaded spots and refreshment stands are located throughout, allowing visitors to stay comfortable for extended periods.

Geologists from Harvard University estimate the quartz grains here are millions of years old, eroded from Appalachian rock, carried down rivers and deposited on Siesta Key. The feldspar and mica were worn away along the way, leaving sand that is 99% quartz and stays cool underfoot even on the hottest days.