The Longboat Key Club

The Resort

Secluded on a barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico, The Resort at Longboat Key Club is a sparkling AAA Four-Diamond destination. Old Florida boardwalks meander through 410 acres of lush lawns and pristine beachfront. It’s a true tropical escape where winters average a pleasant 72 degrees.

The Resort offers innumerable opportunities for enjoyment, relaxation and adventure, including:

226 distinctive guest rooms and suites with private balconies and Four-Diamond amenities
Pristine white sand beach with private cabanas and personalized beachside service
9,000 sq. ft. destination spa and salon
20 Har-Tru tennis courts
45 holes of award-winning golf
Tennis and golf pro shops, with professional instruction available
State-of-the-art fitness center and Mind & Motion Studio
Wellness workshops and family-friendly activities from beach yoga to kayaking
291-slip deep-water marina for vessels up to 150 feet
Five exceptional restaurants and lounges

A commitment to preserving the natural resources of Florida's Gulf Coast has made Longboat Key Club the proud recipient of the state's official "Green Lodging" certification, recognizing us as one of Florida's most environmentally-conscientious vacation destinations. Additionally, our marina, Longboat Key Club Moorings, has been recognized as a "Clean Marina" by the state of Florida for its environmentally-friendly practices and management systems.

The Barrier Islands & Sarasota

On the Gulf Coast of the Sunshine State there are an endless number of hidden gem barrier islands, from Honeymoon Island down to Bonita Springs. They’re charming, secluded, and remain relatively untouched. Longboat Key, halfway between Tampa Bay and Cape Coral, between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

Across the bay is Sarasota (originally “Zarazota”), once the winter home of the Ringling Brothers Circus, which today hosts an abundance of cultural institutes, notably the Ringling Museum of Art. Theatrical venues include Florida Studio Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, The Players Theatre and several more.

Sarasota is the home of the Sarasota Orchestra, a symphonic chorus, Key Chorale, and professional vocal ensemble and Choral Artists of Sarasota. The Jazz Club of Sarasota is one of the largest and most active jazz clubs in the United States and has promoted jazz events in Sarasota for 39 years.

Sarasota and the Cultural Coast are also home to fine art, film-making, and decorative arts. Fine art, fine art galleries, artist collectives, film-making, and many decorative arts are practiced in Sarasota and Cultural Coast.

Editorial Credit: Irina Mos | Shutterstock.com

Home of John Ringling & Other Celebs

You will notice that the name Ringling is everywhere you look here. John Ringling is the founding father who put Sarasota on the map, with his flamboyant mansion, his wife Mable, his art collection and most of all his circus. He created the idea of Sarasota as a place of beauty, wealth and sophistication, and his spirit can still be found all over town.

John Nicholas Ringling was an American entrepreneur who is the best known of the seven Ringling brothers, five of whom merged the Barnum & Bailey Circus with their own Ringling Bros World's Greatest Shows to create a virtual monopoly of traveling circuses and helped shape the modern circus.

Actors Kirstie Alley, Dave Bautista, Tom Cruise, Paul Rubens, Carla Gugino, Stephan Root and Keenan Thompson; sports figures Tom Brady, Hulk Hogan, John Gruden and Dick Vitale; musicians Chick Corea, Joe Perry from Aerosmith, Dickie Betts, founder of the Allman Brothers Band and Donald “Duckie” Dunn from The Blues Brothers; writers Stephan King, John D. MacDonald and Lois Duncan; as well as many other artists, retired politicians, celebrities and notables.

St. Armands Circle Shopping

Take the John Ringling Causeway across the bay and straight to the center of St. Armands Key, an island shopping center removed from the bustle of the mainland by two bridges. You’ll be in St. Armands Circle, known simply as “The Circle.” There you can explore 150 upscale shops, boutiques, galleries and restaurants.

St. Armands Circle is also home to the Circus Ring of Fame. Over 150 large bronze plaques encircle the park with the names and histories of performing artists and influential executives recognized for achievement in circus arts and culture.

Ah, Dining!

There are more exquisite restaurants here than you could ever experience, but here are three of my favorites:

Crab & Fin

A landmark restaurant on St. Armands Circle, Crab & Fin is consistently recognized for their delicious, fresh food and friendly service. In addition to their extensive selection of exotic seafood, they offer their own homemade pasta, breads and pastries. And each meal is prepared from scratch!

Dry Dock Waterfront Grill

Inside or al fresco, your view while dining here will be one of the most spectacular in all of the Gulf Coast, and includes colorful boats, exotic fish, dazzling birds, manatees and postcard-worthy sunsets. Cocktails are prepared by an expert mixologist, and, because fresh is best, their seafood is locally sourced.

The Cottage

This famous restaurant, rated #2 on the island, advertises themselves as “Foodies serving foodies with a passion for craft in the heart of Siesta Key Village.” They focus on inventive, seasonal cuisine from around the world, utilizing local farms, sustainable meats and seafood, and progressive cooking techniques.

Columbia Restaurant ST. Armand’s Circle

Columbia Restaurant, established by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr. in 1905, is Florida's oldest restaurant. It is also the world's largest Spanish restaurant. It all began in Ybor City, Tampa, as a small corner café serving Cuban food and authentic Cuban sandwiches to the local cigar workers.

As the Prohibition movement gained steam, Casimiro Sr. faced a bitter dilemma - either he would lose his saloon, or the Columbia would find a new purpose. Fortunately, he didn’t have to look far. Manuel Garcia, who owned La Fonda next door, agreed to join him in 1919 and maintain the name "Columbia." The Columbia doubled in size overnight. Casimiro Hernandez Jr. also joined the business in 1919. After Casimiro Sr. passed away in 1929, Casimiro Jr. took over ownership and operation of the restaurant.

Casamiro Jr. dreamed of taking the Columbia beyond its humble beginnings and creating a dining room with music and dancing, which at the time was unheard of in this part of the country. Despite the height of the Depression, he built Tampa's first air-conditioned dining room with an elevated dance floor in 1935. The room was called the Don Quixote Room.

Throughout the late 1950s and into the 1960s, the family persevered in keeping the restaurant open during the decline of Ybor City. The city was disappearing. The row of houses that once housed cigar workers had decayed into slums. Urban renewal cut the heart from the Latin Quarter. More families moved away. Businesses shut down. To attract people back to Ybor City, Caesar Gonzmart realized they had to do something.

Having a flair for the arts, Caesar built the Siboney Room in 1956 after taking over supervision of the restaurant. During that time, a large showroom hosted some of the top Latin artists. Now who would have thought that a restaurant could provide world-class entertainment?

Columbia survived those lean years and has come back stronger than ever. Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City continues to offer live entertainment by Spanish flamenco dancers every night except Sunday.

The Columbia also expanded to other locations in Florida under Cesar Gonzmart's reign. Columbia Restaurant opened in Sarasota in 1959 on St. Armands Circle. Today, it is the city's oldest restaurant.

Following Cesar Gonzmart's death in 1992, his sons, 4th generation brothers Casey and Richard Gonzmart, assumed leadership of the Columbia Restaurants. Even today, 115 years after it first opened, the Columbia is still owned by the same family.

On the dinner menu are aromatic dishes from Spain and Cuba, such as tender pork, chicken and rice, and fresh fish and shellfish. In the course of the dinner, entrees are brought out while they are still steaming and accompanied by pitchers of fresh, fruity sangria.

I encourage you to dine at this renowned restaurant for its distinctive style and strong traditions.

Paul GravetteAugust 23, 2021