Photo courtesy of Siesta Key Watersports.

This weekend, take a trip out to Siesta Key to experience what the Sarasota area may best be known for - the water. Stretching out from the Intercoastal Waterway to the Gulf of Mexico, these waters are not only home to a large and diverse array of wildlife, but also are the perfect place to cool off as temperatures continue to rise in the coming weeks.

Siesta Key Watersports offers an array of different options to get you out onto the water and experience the true beauty of the area, whether it be on boat, jet ski, or 400 feet in the air attached to a parasail.

“Our Jet Ski tours are two hours long and take you north through the Intercoastal Waterway, to the sandbar out by Lido Key, and through Big Sarasota Pass which leads out into the Gulf of Mexico in between Siesta Key and Lido Key. Afterwards we can head back into the Sarasota Bay through New Pass and see the beautiful downtown area from the water,” says Bill Costello, manager of Siesta Key Watersports.

While the outfit offers guided tours, first timers are more than welcome to just rent jet skis and strike out on their own. “Everyday we have people who’ve never been on a jet ski come into our office for a rental or a tour. We’ll equip you with a map and directions to see all of the same spots that’d you see on the tour,” attests Costello.

In addition to jet skis, customers can also experience these waters through the outfit’s boat tours, rentals, and parasailing experiences.

“You don’t have to have any experience at all to parasail. You can fly by yourself or with two others - you leave from the back of the boat dry and ascend to about 400 feet above the water nice and gradually. While you’re out there, we can slow the boat down so you can dip your feet in the water while attached to the parasail or submerge yourself to waist level if you’d like,” says Costello.

Siesta Key Watersports, 1536 Stickney Point Rd., Sarasota, 941-921-3030.

Photo courtesy of Siesta Key Watersports.

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