The free performances are open to the public and are held Sundays at 2:00 pm.

The team began in 1957, and now has about 50 members ages 6 to 75. The community supports this event with business and local residents helping with equipment from jump ramps to wardrobe. The Sarasota Marine Patrol handles safety issues.

When the team began it was more of an amateur event and now has grown to high skill talent performing four-tier pyramids.

Athletes enter and often win championship titles at the state, southern regional and national levels.

Mark your calendars for Sundays and take advantage of this fun filled family entertainment. You won’t be disappointed!

While you are in the area, check out Gulf Beach Resort Motel on Lido Key. Gulf Beach offers great rates and a family friendly environment. We are located directly on the beach of Gulf of Mexico and ten minutes from City Island.

Visit us on the web,
Gulfbeachsarasota.com

The stadium has a seating capacity of 7,500 and includes additions of a picnic area, new seats, concessions and much more.

Gulf Beach Sarasota offers direct beach access for race fans, and after the races you are just a short walk from Sarasota nightlife on St Armands Circle.

Book today for the best selection of rooms during this annual Sarasota racing event.

In so many ways, Gulf Beach will always be our beloved home away from home.”

Ah, 1953! It was a great year. Gen. Eisenhower was inaugurated as President, with Nixon as V.P. Postage stamps were 3 cents. No computers and e-mail. Some things, though, remain the same. The sign at G.B’s front hasn’t changed much since the hotel/motel was built in 1953, except for being “lit up.” The place is officially designated as “Historic” because it was one of the very few remaining properties built simply as a small beachfront hotel. Though of the past, G.B. is modern, with all the electronics, etc.

930 Ben Franklin Drive, Sarasota. A short walk down the street and you’re in government protected wildlife parkland reserved for native flora and fauna. Back to 930. There, the beautiful beach with its fine, white sand lights up at sunup. Sundown is glorious, directly across the water. The Lord made this place for you and me. God, may it last forever!

GULF BEACH CONDO HOTEL
MATHEW J. BOWYER CREATIVE WRITING
MEMBER: AUTHORS GUILD & AMERICAN PHILATELIC SOCIETY

While serving on the board of directors for many years, I have observed the large “family” of owners strive to improve the historic motel and work diligently to hold the place together while all around us, resorts were being razed. During 2003, it was a struggle to gain Historic Designation while confronted with developers who wanted to tear it down. Gulf Beach Resort was the first motel built on Lido Key in 1949-50, and is the last one standing today.

The association’s determination to keeping a modest-priced condo-hotel right on the water of elite Lido Key offers the average-income clientele a beach place for vacations — and making fabulous memories of sunsets, surf, and fun.

My family and I love being at GBR, and many of our friends enjoy meeting us there for beach parties — for 29 years and counting. I will continue to upgrade my unit and enjoy looking down the beach from the common balcony. And it never ceases to make me happy when somebody tells me they had a good time while renting my unit.

Ronell (Ronni) Jones

Our free wireless internet connection allows you to check your email or surf the web from anywhere on our property from your room to the beach!

Almost 29 years ago we decided since we had never been to Florida we would give it a try. Not knowing where to go a friend suggested Sarasota. We wanted to be at the beach so I started to investigate what motels were at the beach in Sarasota. I was told that if we wanted a place on the water we would have to go out to one of the Keys. I didn’t even know what a Key was so, with more investigation, I found Lido Key, Siesta Key, and Longboat Key and started making calls. Unfortunately this was for Easter week and of course there was no availability anywhere except for one unit on Lido at Gulf Beach Resort Motel.

This made us a little nervous. If this is the only place available what kind of place would this be? We decided to make the reservation, but also made a reservation in Sarasota just in case. Arriving at the Sarasota Airport (at that time it was more of a carport) we rented a car and found our way to Gulf Beach Motel.

As we drove in we were not really impressed. It looked a little run down, but when we saw the beautiful beach we were sold! Our unit was clean and comfortable and the screened in lanai was a definite plus.

Since I was a sun worshiper, most of my time was spent on the beach. In the eighty’s Time Shares were the big thing, and sales people would canvas the beaches looking for potential buyers offering them a free dinner at a local restaurant if they would listen to their sales presentation.
I have to say we did have a few free dinners that week, and were actually thinking of investing in a Time Share on Lido Key until a gentleman staying in another unit at Gulf Beach told us something we had no idea of.

He explained that the units at Gulf Beach were all individually owned and operated as a condominium. This gentleman asked us why we would think of buying a Time Share for two weeks when we could buy a Gulf Beach unit to have it for our use throughout the year or otherwise rent it. That’s when it all started!

There was one unit for sale. The price was right, so we jumped on it. This was 2 days before we were scheduled to leave for home. Somehow we managed to get everything settled before we left, and made arrangements to return two months later to redecorate and enjoy our newly owned “little piece of paradise.”

That was, as I said, 29 years ago. Since then we have witnessed many wonderful changes both in the overall appearance of the property and the staff. We have an exceptional Manager, Assistant Manager, Desk Clerks, Maintenance men, Housekeepers, and Board who work diligently to make Gulf Beach the best it can be. Improvements are always on going and our hospitality has been complimented over and over again by our guests.

This is not another impersonal high rise that seems to be going up all over. We are a family of owners and staff who take a personal interest in all our guests to make them feel a part of our family and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of it.

We welcome you to join us and experience the true nature of Gulf Beach Resort Motel. You won’t be disappointed.

Fine Shopping and Dining – Walk to St. Armands Circle
John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Fishing, Hiking, Swimming
Golf, Tennis, Mini-Golf
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Fiesta Fun Park
Main Street shopping and dining
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
Golden Apple Dinner Theater
Mote Marine Aquarium
Myakka River State Park Wildlife & Nature Tours
Shop Prime Outlets – Ellenton
Red Barn Flea Market
Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo
Cypress Gardens Adventure Park – Winter Haven
The Florida Aquarium – Tampa
Busch Gardens Africa – Tampa
SeaWorld Adventure Park – Orlando
Universal Orlando Resort
Walt Disney World – Orlando

Surrounding Areas:
Downtown Sarasota
Siesta Key
Longboat Key
Bradenton Beach
Anna Maria Island