Florida's Laidback Town On The Gulf Coast Is Surrounded By Stunning Beaches And World-Class Parks

While you're traversing the infamous Tamiami Trail, which stretches from Tampa to Miami, there are countless little Florida towns and coastal communities to see along the way. Although most interstate travel is now more quickly accomplished via I-75 and part of what's known as Alligator Alley, the south Florida highway that traverses the most important ecosystem in the world, the slower pace of the original north-south transit on Tamiami, aka Highway 41, is a fun roadway adventure featuring plenty of worthy stops and a glimpse of Old Florida. One of the small-town stops on the trail is Osprey, a laid-back, Gulf Coast city in Sarasota County situated about halfway between more well-known destinations like Sarasota and Venice, where you can find prehistoric shark teeth on the beach.

While Osprey is poised as a jumping off point to local hot spots, it's also a great destination in its own right, with beautiful parks, waterfront restaurants, great sunsets, and ideal proximity to incredible beaches. To get to Osprey from North Florida, make your way to the Tamiami Trail (Highway 41) and head south. From South Florida, head north on Tamiami. If you're flying into the area, Osprey is only 15 miles from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and about 75 miles from Tampa International Airport. Come prepared with the ultimate packing list for a successful beach trip, as you'll certainly want to hit the local beaches while in Osprey. Also consider bringing quick-dry hiking attire, birdwatching gear, and some outfits for casual waterside happy hours at the many tiki bars in the area.

A notable landmark and must-visit place in Osprey is one of the famous Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, located on the grounds of the Historic Spanish Point Campus. Built by citrus farmer and pioneer John Greene Webb in the mid-late 1800s on the shores of Little Sarasota Bay, Spanish Point is now a heritage site where you can visit a preserved circa-1901 house and the recreated Webb Citrus Packing House. You can opt for a tour of Little Sarasota Bay on a replica boat from the era, check out the Selby butterfly house, and stroll through 30 acres of bayfront gardens, preserving numerous native species.

Osprey is also home to a number of parks. Oscar Scherer State Park is a 1,400-acre sprawl of flora, fauna, fishing docks, freshwater lakes and creeks, plus over a dozen trails and camping sites. It's most notable for its habitat of the vulnerable Florida scrub-jay, and is also home to gopher tortoises, bald eagles, indigo snakes, and more. The park rents canoes and kayaks so you can hit the water with ease, and offers weekly guided paddles. It also boasts two trailheads connecting the town to the Legacy Trail, a 30-mile path for bikers and walkers that winds from Venice to Sarasota.

Florida has some of the best birdwatching destinations in the U.S., and even the little Osprey is no exception. Bay Preserve is a community park and nature preserve located next to Spanish Point. Mangrove islands mark the landscape, creating habitats for several wildlife species and a mecca for birdwatchers. Blackburn Point is a small park that has been known as a good place to spot manatees — Florida's official state marine mammal.

There's nothing better than sipping a tiki cocktail by the water, listening to music, or maybe just the birds. That's a quintessential Florida scene, and you can have several versions of that in tranquil Osprey. Spanish Point Restaurant & Tiki Bar is a popular local spot for drinks at sunset, often with live music. Drive across the bridge to Osprey's small barrier island, Casey Key, for the catch of the day at the Casey Key Fish House & Tiki Bar. The tiki bar featured prominently on "Siesta Key," an MTV show that filmed for several years in the Sarasota area, and is a casual, open-air establishment. There are boat slips so you can pull right up from the water and enjoy a cold beer or a mai tai.

Have breakfast at Max's Table before you hit the beach. The closest beaches are Siesta Key, known as the best beach in America, or Nokomis Public Beach, located a few miles south of Osprey before you reach Venice. Nokomis is a little coastal town with a very nifty waterfront bar worth stopping at. Pull up in your boat or stroll in after a day on the shore to Nokomis Sunset Hut and eat Caribbean food and fresh local catches while listening to live music. Nokomis is also home to Evergreen Cafe, a casual, all-day restaurant featuring organic, fresh juices and smoothies, sandwiches, soups, and dishes ranging from steak to kelp noodles. For seafood and cocktails, Deep Lagoon is a fish house and oyster bar with an excellent waterfront view facing west for sunsets.