Longboat Key is a barrier island community located on Florida’s west coast. The Town lies within two counties. The northern portion of Longboat Key is in Manatee County and the southern portion is in Sarasota County. The island is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico on the west and Sarasota Bay on the east.
The area is popular among retirees and is also a popular resort and second home community. Longboat Key has a population of approximately 8,000 permanent residents and grows to approximately 20,000 during peak tourist season.
Gulf of Mexico Drive, also referred to as State Road 789, is the only main thoroughfare and runs north-south through the island. The Town is accessed by bascule (draw) bridges, from the south by New Pass Bridge connecting Longboat Key and Lido Key and Longboat Pass Bridge on the north connecting Longboat Key to Anna Maria Island. Both bridges connect to secondary roads to the mainland in each county which lead to major regional facilities, including Interstate 75, US 41, and US 301. These regional facilities provide access to Bradenton and Tampa to the north and Sarasota, Fort Myers, and Naples to the south.
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