About Siesta Key Things To Do
Siesta Key Things To Do is a local guide to Siesta Key and the nearby Sarasota coast: Lido Key, St. Armands Circle, Longboat Key and downtown Sarasota. We cover the beaches, sunsets, boat trips, restaurants, tiki bars and everything happening this week, written for visitors who want to spend less time searching and more time on the coast.
Meet Captain Stephen Coulter
Siesta Key Things To Do is written by Captain Stephen Coulter, a USCG-licensed captain (Master 50 Ton) and part of the team behind Barefoot Tiki Tours. After more than thirty years in corporate finance and sales, Stephen traded the office for Sarasota Bay. He is a diehard ParrotHead, and he started Barefoot Tiki to share his love of the water and island music with visitors.
Barefoot Tiki runs a USCG-certified tiki boat for up to 16 passengers, with sandbar, dolphin and sunset cruises and private charters from 1101 10th Street in downtown Sarasota. Being on the bay most days means we see how the water, the crowds, the wildlife and the sunsets change through the year. Visitors ask us plenty of questions about the area, from beaches and parking to what is on this week, and this site is where we answer them properly.
How we put our guides together
- Weekly events, updated every Tuesday. Our This Week calendar is rebuilt each Tuesday from venue, city and organizer listings, with a source link on each event so you can confirm details.
- Checked facts. We link to official sources such as Sarasota County Parks, Visit Sarasota, Mote Marine Laboratory and NOAA, and we update guides when things change.
- Local, not generic. Every guide covers Siesta Key and the Sarasota area only.
Our editorial standards
- No invented details. We do not make up prices, dates, hours or statistics. If we cannot confirm something, we say so, and events we could not double-check are marked “check event site.”
- Honest about our own business. Any page that recommends Barefoot Tiki carries a short disclosure note, and our boat guides compare other options too.
- Kept current. Seasonal guides are revisited each year, and the This Week calendar is replaced every Tuesday so past events do not linger.
- Corrections welcome. If a restaurant has closed, a time has changed or we got something wrong, tell us and we will fix it.
Our connection to Barefoot Tiki
We want to be upfront: Barefoot Tiki Tours is connected to this site, and our boat guides link to its cruises where they fit. We also recommend other ways to get on the water, from kayak tours to public beaches, because the right choice depends on your trip.
Start exploring
Spotted something out of date, or have an event we should list? Email us at siestakeythingstodo@gmail.com.
Last updated: October 6, 2026