A Key with a difference
Longboat Key, near Sarasota on the Gulf Coast of Florida, is really quite different from other keys in Florida and certainly a complete break from our usual haunt of Key West. Quiet, sophisticated and slightly manicured. We stayed at what must be one of the smallest, and most rustic, Hiltons there is, right on the beach www.longboatkeyhilton.com And what a beach! – though the sand is not quite as white as nearby, and much more touristy, Siesta Key.
Thankfully, Longboat has a complete absence of fast-food outlets but some wonderful restaurants. Try the unusual Euphemia Haye restaurant (the cauliflower mash is fantastic). They have an upstairs piano bar where you can listen to jazz whilst sipping a G&T or eating your favourite dessert www.euphemiahaye.com. Or outdoor dining at the MarVista restaurant, talking with the chatty waitresses www.marvista-restaurant.com
Nothing much happens in Longboat Key. In “Cops Corner” in the Longboat Observer the main story was “Public intoxication: Someone called to report an extremely drunk man attempting to walk southbound on Gulf of Mexico Drive. Police located the man, who was walking more in a southwest direction. He was given a ride home”. – Now there’s an idea for getting back from the next Livery dinner!
