Quick Point Nature Preserve

Located in the southeast end of the town of Longboat Key, Quick Point Nature Preserve has a small beach with white sand and nearby dense vegetation including mangrove trees, Australian pine trees, cabbage palm trees, red bay plants, sea grapes, seagrass, and myrtle oak plants. The preserve plays an important role in helping to restore some of the natural habitats that earlier used to be located along the Sarasota Bay shoreline. Apart from natural lagoons, the preserve also has a unique artificial lagoon. 

Quick Point Nature Preserve does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly. Dogs are not allowed in Quick Point Nature Preserve, and the beach is open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. 

Quick Point Nature Preserve offers many fun activities including fishing, hiking, canoeing, and bird watching. Depending on the time of the year visitors can spot many shoreline birds including herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, ospreys, gulls, and terns. This beach is perfect for nature lovers and those seeking a quiet beach experience. 

Getting to Quick Point Nature Preserve is easy – the preserve is present near 100 Gulf of Mexico Drive, which is easily accessible from Florida State Route 789. The free parking lot for the preserve is present at a nearby park called Overlook Park (which is present at 201 Florida State Route 789). Once you park your car here, you can walk to the Quick Point Nature Preserve’s beach via a hiking trail – this trail passes under a bridge named New Pass Bridge and then eventually leads you to the beach at Quick Point Nature Preserve.

There are many attractions near Quick Point Nature Preserve. Florida Maritime Museum offers interesting local maritime historical exhibitions and hosts many events.  This museum also has a gallery displaying maritime-related memorabilia including photos, model boats, tools, and instruments. Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium offers interesting swimming, kayaking, seashore safari, snorkeling, and boat-tours experiences – visitors can explore the coral reef and a lagoon, which offer an interesting insight into the local biodiversity. In addition, this marine park is home to many kinds of local marine wildlife including sharks, rays, otters, manatees, sea turtles, and Florida watersheds and it also offers interactive animal-feeding and animal petting sessions. If you are looking for another attraction near Quick Point Nature Preserve, Bird Key Park is a family park that offers many fun activities including hiking, biking, fishing, picnicking, kayaking, and canoeing. In addition, the park has several amenities including picnic tables, two pavilions, and a walking trail.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Quick Point Nature Preserve. Lazy Lobster- Longboat Key is a nautical-themed waterfront bistro that serves incredible seafood, steaks, lobsters, salads, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, pasta, ravioli, and desserts and it also offers gluten-free and vegetarian food. Tsunami Sushi & Hibachi Grill is a Japanese restaurant that serves amazing soup, salads, tempura, teriyaki, sashimi, sushi, sushi rolls, seafood, steaks, and desserts - and also offers vegan food. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Quick Point Nature Preserve, the modestly priced Blue Dolphin Cafe serves delicious breakfast dishes including waffles, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, eggs, and wraps. The restaurant also serves excellent lunch and dinner dishes including Wraps, hotdogs, burgers, salads, sandwiches, steaks, and seafood.

If you are looking for a hotel near Quick Point Nature Preserve, there are many great nearby options. If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 5-Star Waterline Villas & Marina, Autograph Collection is 28 minutes away by car and this waterfront hotel offers many amenities including a fitness center, an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a business center, and several restaurants. As another upscale option, the 4-Star Art Ovation Hotel, Autograph Collection offers several amenities including a rooftop pool, a fitness center, and several restaurants. A more affordable hotel is 3-Star Holiday Inn Sarasota-Lido Beach-@ the Beach, an IHG Hotel that offers many amenities including a heated pool, a fitness center, a business center, and a rooftop seafood restaurant. If you looking for another good and affordable hotel near Quick Point Nature Preserve, the modestly priced 2-Star Wicker Inn Beach Resort is a bayfront hotel that offers several amenities including a gazebo, a grilling area, and a heated pool.