Osprey is a thriving community located on “Little Sarasota Bay.” The community is squeezed in between Sarasota to the north and Nokomis/Laurel to the south. Water is everywhere; consequently, a lot of homes have beautiful Bay- or Water views. The name derives from the birds that lived there when the first settlers arrived. Those settlers were so impressed when they saw the large fish-eating bird of prey that they called the new community “Osprey.”
Real Estate for Sale in Osprey
It seems that everything is available in Osprey; there are old cracker-barrel homes from the 30’s or 40’s, regular size single-family homes (old and new). Multi-million dollar mansions, condominiums, homes in gated communities, homes on golf courses, homes with boat dock are also available and Waterfront Condos.
If you are looking for luxury coastal living, the Oaks Club may be the place where you feel home. In the Oaks Club, you’re closer than you can imagine to big-city amenities and sugar sand beaches alike. The community has two distinctive 18-hole golf courses, a very active tennis community, state-of-the-art fitness facilities, and a lot more.
Historic Spanish Point
Osprey is also home to the “Historic Spanish Point.” On this historical complex, you will see prehistoric shell mounds, which are not too impressive, the pioneer homestead museum, an old chapel, a citrus packing house, and an old boatyard. You can walk several nature trails and discover the mature Florida vegetation.
If you are interested in history, Historic Spanish Point may be a starting point because it provides a glimpse back in time. It is interesting how housing needs have changed over the years. Back then, all family members lived together in a 600 square foot cottage (or less) and were happy to have a roof over their heads. Today people find it cruel to squeeze their two cars in a garage that size.
Oscar Scherer Park
If you are more interested in nature, the Oscar Scherer State Park may be the place to go. The State Park is a habitat for the threatened Florida scrub-jay and is located at the southern border of Osprey, just before you leave Osprey and enter the Nokomis area. If you are into camping, they even have a large camping area where you can park your RV in a shady area under huge Oak trees. Amenities include restrooms, a meeting room with Wi-Fi, and a lake where you can swim with gators. The park has beautiful walking trails along the creek and through the grassland.
Blackburn Point Bridge
On the National Register of Historic Places is another item listed, which also belongs to the Osprey area: It is the one-lane swing bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway called “Blackburn Point Bridge.” This bridge was built in 1925 and belongs to a small number of “swing truss bridges” in Florida that have survived the modernization. When you cross the bridge you will be on Casey Key, a barrier Island stretching from Nokomis to Osprey.
Because of the one-lane design, it is a bottleneck at certain times, but that is okay. When boats are going through, you have to wait anyway. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Once you have crossed the bridge, turn your eyes to the left. You will see the Casey Key Fish House and Tikki Bar. We don’t need to tell you what you can do there. It is worth stopping. You will find a restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere, perfect view, and reasonably priced food.
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