Siesta Key's Gulf front makes a delightful resting place.

Wriggling my toes into the sun-warmed sand, I smile. My everyday worries slip away as I let my arm drop contentedly to the side of the beach chair. A balmy breeze stirs.

Yes, I've found paradise. I'm one of the fortunate few who've discovered Siesta Key, an 8-mile-long barrier island just south of Sarasota and Longboat Key, perfect for a winter retreat.

Many consider Siesta Key the Sunshine State's most romantic getaway. Others consider it the hidden jewel of Florida's West Coast. To me, it's simply bliss.

The Sands of Time
As a sun worshipper, I'm enthralled with the three distinct beaches. The largest and prettiest, Siesta Beach is known for winning Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute's "World's Finest, Whitest Sand" award based upon its content (99% quartz), texture (crystal shapes), and the amount of shoreline (quite wide). The shallow, robin's-egg blue waters lap the shore, making it ideal for children. Plus, lifeguards patrol year-round. Because of its width, Siesta Beach never feels crowded; you can be happy here all day. It's less than a block from the village (the several public parking lots fill up quickly by midday), so you can walk into town for lunch.

A couple of miles away, Crescent Beach centers around the Stickney Point Bridge to the mainland and ends at Point of Rocks. This is the place to tote your fins and mask for snorkeling around Point of Rocks, which teems with underwater wildlife.

Farther south, Turtle Beach remains the most private. It's also the best place for early-morning beachcombing. There are no lifeguards here. When the parking lots fill at Siesta Beach and Crescent, Turtle has plenty of room.

above, left: The entire island offers excellent bike paths.; above, right: The backwaters adjoining the Intracoastal Waterway provide a delightful place to paddle.

Very Village
Several tiki bars and publike restaurants line the village's boulevard. My favorite, Daiquiri Deck, serves up a basket of pan-seared shark bites that come with a creamy Caribbean sauce and mango salsa. Afterward, pay a visit to Big Olaf Creamery for homemade ice cream piled high on a cone.

When you just have to shop, January's sales indulge those passions more affordably. Visit Monda's to flip through the racks of resort wear and Foxy Lady to fantasize about the high-end boutique clothes and shoes. At Lotions & Potions, you pick the product (sunscreen, bath oil, foot cream, etc.) and then add a designer scent--all for a fraction of department store costs. Over at Rainforest Flowers, Gifts, and Antiques, you'll discover lovely, one-of-a-kind items such as jewelry and decorating accessories. And the best Florida souvenirs fill the shelves at Beach Bazaar.