If you are looking for beach conditions and reports of oil spill impacts on Siesta Key, Lido Key, Manasota Key, Nokomis Beach, Venice Beach and the Venice North Jetty area, then subscribe to MOTE Marine Laboratory’s beach conditions report. You can subscribe by going here: http://www.mote.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=beach%20conditions%20reports&category=Main

They also have an interactive map with beach conditions and oil spill impact  for the other beaches in Southwest FL and the Panhandle at www.coolgate.mote.org/beachconditions/

If you do make it to Sarasota, stop at MOTE Marine Laboratory (www.mote.org) and visit their aquarium and the research center with the dolphins and sea turtles.  We’ve always enjoyed it.