The island of Manasota Key is actually a continuation of Venice Beach to the north, but the only way to get from one to the other without leaving the island is by foot.
Although two communities lie on way-off-the-beaten-path Manasota Key, the quieter, more exclusive community to the north is more commonly known as Manasota Key, while the resortier one to the south is called Englewood Beach. In north Manasota Key, homes – mostly palatial – greatly outnumber resorts and other commercial enterprises. Archaeological digs have unearthed a rich Amerindian past in Manasota Key. In the present, the entire community is a designated wildlife sanctuary. Its beaches are maintained in a more natural, less developed manner than those in Englewood Beach, a mecca for youthful and cost-conscious vacationers and day-trippers.
Across the bridge from Englewood Beach, the town of Englewood skirts the mainland. It got its start as a vast lemon farm. Today mostly a destination for winter-long golfers and retirees, it's also where beach vacationers go for non-resort services.
The waters that lie between mainland and island – Lemon Bay and Stump Pass – belong to the 7,667-acre Cape Haze Aquatic Preserve, a haven for sportsfolk and nature lovers.
