Crescent Beach (views!) 🌞 + parking for Crescent Beach public access 🌞 Florida travel blog

Hi there!

 

So you want to go to Crescent Beach when you are on Siesta Key in Southwest Florida!

 

 

Most of Crescent Beach is lined with private property and there is very limited public beach access to Crescent Beach.

 

 

If you are staying at one of these Crescent Beach properties… GREAT!

You have easy access to Crescent Beach!

If you aren’t staying at a Crescent Beach vacation rental… well, getting to Crescent Beach becomes a little bit more about luck. (aka finding a parking spot.)

There is one public parking area for convenient access to Crescent Beach.

But there are very few parking spots.

The Crescent Beach parking is in a small alley and it’s easy to drive right by it without even realizing it.

There is a Siesta Key public beach access sign though, if you are looking for it!

 

 

So, be paying attention once you are close!

 

 

The google maps fail to get to Crescent Beach

So I had seen a number of mentions online of Crescent Beach as a recommended Siesta Key beach to visit.

Okay, so then once you get to Siesta Key, all you need to do is find Crescent Beach on google maps and then navigate there… right?!

WRONG! 😜

I was following google maps and became a little confused by one of the upcoming turns.

It didn’t look like there was a normal street coming up… and there wasn’t.

The street that google maps told me to turn onto was for a private Crescent Beach vacation rental.

There was a clear sign that said there was no public beach access.

 

👆 Google maps directions to Crescent Beach might take you to the private parking for Casa Blanca vacation rentals!

 

The location for Crescent Beach on google maps is not wrong. It is Crescent Beach.

You just need to be careful about driving directions for Crescent Beach if you are looking for public parking.

 

More for your Southwest Florida road trip and beyond

• Best Lido Key beach
• Best Marco Island beaches
• Best Captiva Island beaches
• Best beaches in Southwest Florida
• Best shelling beaches in Florida
• Best Sanibel Island shelling beach
• Honeymoon Island State Park shelling
• Cayo Costa State Park shelling
• Things to do in Southwest Florida
• Siesta Key to Miami
• Siesta Key to Key West
• Tampa to Marco Island

 

More below about going to Crescent Beach!

 

 

🌞

 

 

 

So then…

How to get to Crescent Beach… if you’re not staying there

The 2 roads through Siesta Key with public beach access are Midnight Pass Road and Beach Road.

The Crescent Beach public access is along Midnight Pass Road.

First, there is the Siesta Key trolley which has trolley stops along Midnight Pass Road.

So you can take the trolley to get reasonably close to the Crescent Beach public access.

Otherwise, if you are driving, as it goes for many of the small little Siesta Key beach access spots along a main road through Siesta Key, there may be limited parking.

And that is how it is for the Crescent Beach parking.

There is no official parking lot called the Crescent Beach parking lot.

But what can be considered the main Crescent Beach parking for the general public is Siesta Key beach access #12.

On google maps, this is listed as “Public Beach Access 12.”

 

Explore the map.

 

Crescent Beach public parking is located between Sea Shell Condos and Siesta Breakers Condos.

So be on the lookout for the signs of these Siesta Key condos so you don’t miss the turn for the Crescent Beach parking!

 

👆👆 Siesta Breakers condos is located directly to the right of the Crescent Beach parking.

 

👆 Sea Shell condos is located directly to the left of the Crescent Beach parking.

 

If you are driving to Siesta Key from the southern side, you’ll be driving on Stickney Point Road across the bridge to get to Siesta Key.

Right after you cross the bridge, there will be an intersection and you’ll be at Stickney Point Road and Midnight Pass Road. There are traffic lights here.

You’ll turn left at the intersection and then immediately you’ll want to start paying attention!

If you don’t, you could very well drive right past it.

If you are already on Siesta Key and driving from the north, you’ll already be driving on Midnight Pass Road, and you’ll want to start paying attention as you approach the traffic lights and Stickney Point Road!

 

 

 

Crescent Beach parking for small cars

 

The road through the parking lot is just one narrow section with room for one car to be driving down the Crescent Beach parking lot road.

 

 

There is a designated “turnaround” spot at the end of the parking lot.

 

👆 No parking allowed in this area at the end of the parking lot. This is the area you can pull into, and then back up to turn around to get out of the parking lot the same way you came.

 

 

Walking to Crescent Beach from the parking lot

Then, after you’ve parked, you can walk to Crescent Beach!

You’ll see the path to Crescent Beach at the end of the parking lot.

 

 

And then once you arrive at the beach, you’ll see private beach at Crescent Beach on both sides of you.

 

 

So then of course this means you’ll want to set up in an area that isn’t private.

There will likely be private beach signs informing you of this.

Aside from that, you are allowed on the private beach along the shoreline only if you keep moving.

 

 

This means you can make it a beach walk along Crescent Beach.

As you are facing the ocean (Gulf of Mexico…) if you look off to the right, that is the direction of the main Siesta Key beach off in the distance.

 

 

 

Crescent Beach snorkeling spot

 

You get to the famous Siesta Key snorkeling spot from Crescent Beach.

If you walk all the way down to the end to your left, then you will end up at the entry spot for the Point of Rocks snorkeling spot.

 

 

 

Crescent Beach shore birds

You might see some shore birds at Crescent Beach.

 

👆 Crescent Beach shore birds: Spot the little shore bird!

 

 

 

Crescent Beach shelling on Siesta Key

For shelling in Florida, you might try shelling on Siesta Key at Crescent Beach!

 

👆 Siesta Key shells! You can try shelling in Florida at Crescent Beach. These Siesta Key shells were seen while walking towards Point of Rocks from the Crescent Beach public beach access.

 

 

 

So…

Is it worth it to go to Crescent Beach?

Well, if you’re coming from landlocked middle America, maybe you won’t be bothered so much by a little bit of inconvenience to go to Crescent Beach. (That thing about how you may or may not be able to find parking.)

You may just be happy to see any Siesta Key beach!

That said, as far as Siesta Key beaches go, it sure did seem easier to go to the Siesta Beach parking or Turtle Beach parking!

And, instead of a tiny strip of beach at Crescent Beach with “private” signs on either side of you, you have more flexibility for where to set up on the beach at the other beaches too.

If you’re staying along Crescent Beach, of course nothing can beat being steps away from the beach. There is nothing more convenient than that!

But if you’re not staying along Crescent Beach, then the main Siesta Beach and Turtle Beach will just feel more open!

 

 

What to pack for Crescent Beach

• cheapo waterproof phone case for taking pics when you’re in the water
• water shoes
• rash guard swimming shirt
• reef-safe sunscreen
• plus more for your Siesta Key Florida beach vacation

 

HAPPY BEACH TIME AT CRESCENT BEACH!