Siesta Key vs Lido Key: Which Is the Better Drive in an Exotic Car

Both islands are a short drive from downtown Sarasota and both suit an exotic car, but they feel different. Here is how to choose.

Siesta Key

More beach, more people and a livelier village. Ben Franklin Drive and the stretch near Siesta Key Beach are slow, which suits a convertible and a photo. It is the more social option and the one most renters picture when they think of the Gulf Coast.

Lido Key

Smaller and quieter. You reach it over the Ringling Bridge from downtown, with St. Armands Circle on the way. It suits a relaxed drive, a lunch and a walk, and it is easier to combine with a dinner downtown.

Traffic and parking

Siesta Key tends to be busier on beach days and weekends. Lido and St. Armands are more compact, so you can park once and walk. On either island, early morning or late afternoon is easier than midday.

Which car for which

For Siesta Key, a convertible such as the Corvette C8, the Audi R8 Spyder or the Huracán EVO Spyder fits the mood. For Lido and St. Armands, the Rolls-Royce Dawn suits the polished feel.

Do both

A half-day can cover both: Lido and St. Armands in the morning, Siesta Key in the afternoon. We can deliver to either.