If MTV’s ‘Siesta Key’ makes you want to check out the scene, here are places to start

The new MTV reality series “Siesta Key,” which premieres Monday, is going to bring attention to the upscale Sarasota community. Whether that’s a good thing or not is a matter of debate and speculation.

It’s reasonable to think that the show has a reasonable chance of success, given that it follows the proven formula of such shows as “Laguna Beach,” “The Hills” and “Jersey Shore” (though everyone involved with “Siesta Key” bristles at the comparison to its New Jersey counterpart.)

So there’s bound to be heightened awareness and curiosity about Siesta Key both from locals and tourists. So here’s a quick look at some of the places that make Siesta Key special for visitors. Several of them will actually be featured on the show.

1. Shell Beach. Visitors tend to flock to Siesta Beach, which is gorgeous, but a lot of the locals tend to prefer Shell Beach, a somewhat secret beach off of North Shell Road.

2. Siesta Beach. It’s known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Maybe too well known. It gets crowded and parking is limited. But people put up with the crowds and they park far away and walk to the beach because it’s still beautiful. Beach connoisseurs especially praise its distinctive quartz sand.

3. Point of Rocks. An unusual (for Florida) and beautiful outcropping of rocks south of the Stickney Point Bridge into the water that has become a spot for sightseers. It’s hard to get to but worth the effort if you want to know Siesta Key. The house that serves as a centerpiece for the “Siesta Key” series is nearby. Look around for it. It sticks out like a very expensive sore thumb.

4. Siesta Key Oyster Bar. This Siesta Key Village hotspot (5238 Ocean Blvd.) with indoor and outdoor bars and seating has been a popular filming location for the “Siesta Key” show. (Filming for the first season has wrapped, so you’re not likely to see film crews there any time soon, though the cast members might stop in.) A manager, by the way, offered a clue about what we might see in the show. One of scenes filmed there was of one the show’s couples breaking up.

5. Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar. Another very Florida watering hole and eatery right down the street from SKOB at 5250 Ocean Blvd. Lots of locals, including cast members from “Siesta Key” hang out here. Popular with tourists too.

6. Gilligan’s Island Bar. Like a lot of the Siesta Key bars, it has a neighborhood bar feel during the day and it’s more of a club at night. Men and women both love Ladies Night on Thursdays (women drink free) and there’s live music from early afternoon straight through to early morning Sunday.

7. Lelu’s Coffee Lounge. There’s more to Siesta Key than just drinking and hitting the beach. Lelu’s which is right next to Gilligan’s offers great breakfast in tropical surroundings. A favorite place for locals and visitors to wake up before a day of partying, or to recover from the previous night of partying.

8 . The Beach Club. The emphasis is solidly on the nightlife here. The website shows frenetic dancing, light shows and confetti, plus an advertisement for a “Sexy Schoolgirl Party” in August.

9. Siesta Key Drum Circle. Every Sunday, starting about an hour before sunset, dozens of locals and visitors gather on Siesta Beach for a joyous celebration of rhythm,. It started as an impromptu happening and it’s grown into an essential element of Siesta Key culture. You’re welcome to bring a drum or anything else that you can use as a percussion instrument, or just sit a take it all in.

10. Crescent Club. An atypical Siesta Key bar, away from the strip (at 6519 Midnight Pass Road) and more popular with locals than with tourists. Known for a delightfully dark old-Florida Feel and cheap stiff drinks.

Bonus pick: If you’re already obsessed with “Siesta Key,” you can experience the premiere on the big screen along with the entire cast. Starting at 8:30 on Sunday, the cast members will be at Cobb CineBistro, Westfield Siesta Key, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. There’s a red carpet event and then the cast will stick around for the live screening of the premiere at 10 p.m. It’s $32.84, with proceeds going to charities for autistic kids, and tickets are going fast. You can get them at siestakeypremiere.com if there are any left.

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 4:03 PM with the headline "If MTV’s ‘Siesta Key’ makes you want to check out the scene, here are places to start."