Of all the beachfront neighborhoods in Southwest Florida, the Sanderling Club in Siesta Key is the one that resembles an exclusive Caribbean resort the most. There are only three gated beachfront communities in Siesta Key, and Sanderling Club happens to be the oldest; it manages to combine Old Florida charm with spectacular real estate plus private access to the beach, a lake, tennis courts, a marina, clubhouse, and a nice playground for the little ones.

Sanderling Club has been around since the mid-1970; it is both a residential community and a yacht club. The architectural diversity ranges from Florida ranches to Modernist mansions and from Mediterranean revival to Key West homes. Virtually all properties here are worth at least a million dollars, but lucky buyers have previously closed on three-bedroom Florida ranches for less than $600K. As can be imagined, the homes sitting right on the beach, on the lake, or along the marina tend to be listed for at least a million, but all of them offer generous space and extras such as private swimming pools.

At Sanderling Club, residents and their guests are assured of complete privacy. The tourists who crowd the beaches of Siesta Key mostly stay on the northern side of the island and are never aware of neighborhoods extending beyond Point of Rocks on the Gulf Side. You don’t even need to venture into northern Siesta Key at all thanks to the Stickney Point Bridge, which takes you directly to the Publix supermarket at the Sarasota Pavilion shopping center, but you can always take a bike ride or walk to the Big Water Fish Market on Midnight Pass Road, where you can also find a couple of seafood restaurants.

There is more than just the beach and the marina to enjoy at Sanderling Club. The banks of the Heron Lagoon, which stretches for more than a mile, are home to lush mangrove patches and quite a few marine birds. If you enjoy fishing, boating, and the ocean, Sanderling Club is a place where you will feel right at home.