As a longtime Tampa resident, Longboat Key is my go-to Gulf Coast beach destination when I want to feel totally transported. When you drive onto the northern end of this sand-spun island across the Longboat Pass Bridge — with the glittering expanse of the Gulf of Mexico and bobbing boats all around — it feels so much like being in the Florida Keys. And because so much of Longboat Key is residential, the beaches here rarely feel crowded. Wherever you stay, just stroll a bit north or south, and you’ll likely find yourself alone with the shorebirds on the sand.