Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte County
What does the Tri-County area stand for?
It stands for white sandy beaches, scenic nature parks, and tranquil waterways. If you enjoy boating, golfing, sailing, fishing, snorkeling, sunbathing and the arts and entertainment, you will love it here. But before you saddle the horses to go on a house hunt, you need to understand that the three counties of the Tri-County area are quite different. Therefore, it is always good to get acquainted with the area first.
Are you new to the Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte County area and aren’t sure about which neighborhood might be best for you? You get to know the communities first before you can go on a house hunt. You don’t want to end up with the “right home” in the “wrong” neighborhood.
Check out the information on our website and contact us. We can give you as much background information as possible.
Manatee County
Manatee County, which is located north of Sarasota County, fills the gap between the busy tri-county area and the even more busy greater St Petersburg/Tampa metropolitan area. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is actually the link between the two busy places. Manatee County is a business friendly area, and top rated tourist destination, featuring white sandy beaches, fine dining, and an exciting nightlife. Read more here...
Sarasota County
Sarasota County, which is bordering Manatee County to the north and Charlotte County to the south, is the center of the tri-county area. The City of Sarasota occupies by far the smaller area, while Sarasota County includes cities like Venice, part of Englewood, and North Port as well. The city of Sarasota itself has only a little over 50,000 residents; the county has almost happy 400,000 residents. Read more here..
Charlotte County
Charlotte County links the tri-counties to the Cape Coral/Fort Myers area further south. The Charlotte Harbor estuary, which covers almost 270 sq mi, is the second largest bay in Florida. It is clearly the focal point of the county, and it is also boater's paradise. The community names North Port, which belongs to Sarasota County, and Port Charlotte are a little misleading. There is no active port for seagoing vessels in the area. Read more here...
Coasts, Coasts, Coasts. Where is Florida's Cultural Coast Located?
East Coast, Atlantic Coast, West Coast and Gulf Coast - those are the easy ones. You do not even need a map to figure that out which one is what, but what about all the other coasts that we refer to in Florida? Where is the Space Coast, Gold Coast, Forgotten Coast, or the Cultural Coast? A mystery for many Floridians and Non-Floridians.
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An Overview of Florida's Coastline
The "First Coast" runs from Georgia to Ormond Beach. Because of St Augustine, which was founded in 1565 as the nation's "First City," this stretch of coast along the Atlantic Ocean is called "First Coast." The "Palm Coast," which refers to a city in Flagler County, is a part of this coastline.
Kennedy Space Center is a part of the Florida coastline that runs from Ormond Beach down to Vero Beach. So? There is a space center? Why not call this section "Space Coast"? Done deal.
The "Treasure Coast" begins at Fort Pierce and ends with Boca Raton. The famous Palm Beach is part of the Treasure Coast. Quite a few Spanish galleons did not make it home, and their treasures are still buried in the sand. The Atlantic Ocean does not release those treasures voluntarily, but once in a while can lucky divers dig some gold up.
"Gold Coast," which is the coastline from Palm Beach through Miami, refers to the property investments made by some of the wealthiest people on earth. Some of those mansions seem to consist of solid gold. At least it seems so.
Florida's West Coast
The Gulf of Mexico also has a few unique coasts. The "Forgotten Coast" includes Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Mexico Beach, Gulf County, Apalachicola and St. George Island. Yeah, it seems to be a little far out and remote, however, "forgotten" is a little far stretched, but it is what it is.
The "Emerald Coast" includes the panhandle, Panama City, Perdido Key and Pensacola. The name describes the color of the water during the summer time, and it comes pretty close.
The "Nature Coast," from Pasco County to Cedar Key, is a jewel of its own. Rich in natural habitats and unspoiled. If you are a nature lover, this will be a beach you will love.
The "Sun Coast" includes the coastline along St. Petersburg and Clearwater, and stretches all the way down to Fort Myers. The keys, which are referred to as "Florida's Beach," are also included.
You have probably heard the term "Cultural Coast" as well. It refers to the Manasota/Sarasota County area with Sarasota as the Cultural Capital. Charlotte County belongs, at least partially, to the cultural coast as well. Once you know what is going on in Sarasota, you will probably agree to the name. There is a lot of culture and art "going on" in Sarasota and that is one of the reasons why everybody likes the area so much. The barrier islands of Anna Maria Island, Siesta Key and Lido Key are also part of this coastline. The "Cultural Coast" is overlapping with the "Sun Coast."
"Lee Island Coast" is the coastline of Lee County. At least that is an easy one.
Relocation Information
If you made up your mind and decide to relocate to Sarasota-, Manatee-, or Charlotte County, check out more information here.