There are 33 mapped boat ramps between Anna Maria Island and Pine Island, and most of them are free. The two workhorses are Centennial Park in downtown Sarasota (Gulf access via New Pass, ~70 trailer spots) and Ken Thompson Park on City Island (6 lanes, closest launch to New Pass). Below: a decision table, every ramp on one map, and a full directory with addresses, lane counts, fees, and the pass each one reaches.
Which boat ramp should I use in Sarasota?
Pick the ramp by where you want to fish, not by where you’re staying. A 20-minute drive south often saves a 45-minute boat run.
| If you’re fishing… | Launch here | Run to the fish |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay mouth, Bean Point | Kingfish (Holmes Beach) | 10–15 min |
| Longboat Pass, north Sarasota Bay | Coquina Bayside (Bradenton Beach) | 5 min |
| Manatee River, lower Tampa Bay | Warner’s Bayou (Bradenton) | 10 min |
| New Pass, mid Sarasota Bay | Ken Thompson or Centennial | 5–20 min |
| Big Pass, Siesta flats | Centennial Park | 25 min |
| Little Sarasota Bay, Midnight Pass | Turtle Beach (Siesta Key) | 10 min |
| Casey Key, Blackburn Bay | Blackburn Point Park (Osprey) | 10 min |
| Venice Inlet, nearshore reefs | Nokomis Beach or Higel Park | 5–10 min |
| Myakka River backcountry, winter snook | Snook Haven (Venice) | on the river |
| Lemon Bay, Stump Pass | Indian Mound or Ainger Creek (Englewood) | 15–20 min |
| Boca Grande Pass, Gasparilla Sound | Placida Park | 15–20 min |
| Charlotte Harbor, Myakka & Peace rivers | El Jobean, Laishley, Ponce de Leon | 10–30 min |
Map: every ramp, Anna Maria to Pine Island
Numbered pins match the directory below. Tap a pin for the address, lanes, fee, and turn-by-turn directions. Longboat Key has no public ramp of its own — use Coquina Bayside from the north or Ken Thompson via New Pass from the south.
The directory: addresses, lanes & fees
Manatee County 8
Kingfish Boat Ramp
752 Manatee Ave W, Holmes Beach, FL 34217
~50 trailer spots, courtesy docks, kayak launch, fish-cleaning tables. Fastest shot at the Tampa Bay tarpon grounds.
Captain Scott Moore Boat Ramp (Coquina North)
2000 Gulf Dr S, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217
25–30 trailer spots, courtesy docks, cleaning station. Five minutes to Longboat Pass. (County renamed it from Coquina North.)
Coquina Bayside South
2650 Gulf Dr S, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217
Courtesy docks, restrooms, picnic area.
Warner's Bayou
5800 Riverview Blvd, Bradenton, FL 34209
Floating docks, ~40 trailer spots plus overflow, cleaning table, ice machine. No overnight parking; near the Manatee River mouth.
Palma Sola Causeway
9000 block Manatee Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34209
~17 trailer spots, non-floating dock. Best hand-launch into Palma Sola Bay.
Fort Hamer Park
1605 Fort Hamer Rd, Parrish, FL 34219
Upper Manatee River — brackish snook plus largemouth bass water.
Emerson Point / Snead Island
5801 17th St W, Palmetto, FL 34221
Unpaved ramp inside Emerson Point Preserve — the Manatee River mouth into lower Tampa Bay.
Jiggs Landing
6106 63rd St E, Bradenton, FL 34203
Braden River at Ward Lake — a gated sunrise-to-sunset preserve; winter snook run this far up.
Sarasota City 2
Centennial Park
1059 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236
~70 trailer spots, courtesy docks, kayak hand-launch, restrooms; Gulf access via New Pass. Reduced to 2 lanes June 2026 during Bay Park work.
Ken Thompson Park
1700 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236
Courtesy docks, kayak hand-launch, two small fishing docks. Closest ramp to New Pass — the fast option most mornings.
South County 9
Turtle Beach
8862 Midnight Pass Rd, Sarasota, FL 34242
~25 trailer spots, courtesy docks, kayak hand-launch. Ten minutes by water to the reopened Midnight Pass.
Nokomis Beach
901 Casey Key Rd, Nokomis, FL 34275
25–30 trailer spots, courtesy docks. Direct shot to Venice Inlet.
Higel Marine Park
1330 Tarpon Center Dr, Venice, FL 34285
Kayak hand-launch, restrooms. Closest ramp to Venice Inlet on Roberts Bay.
Marina Park (Venice)
E Venice Ave at the ICW, Venice, FL 34285
On the ICW near downtown Venice. Verify details with the City.
Indian Mound Park
210 Winson Ave, Englewood, FL 34223
Free, 36 spaces including trailers, on Lemon Bay. ~20-minute run to Stump Pass — best value on the coast.
Blackburn Point Park
800 Blackburn Point Rd, Osprey, FL 34229
By the Blackburn Point swing bridge — motor and kayak launch onto the ICW and Little Sarasota Bay.
Bay Street Park
300 Bay St, Osprey, FL 34229
Small neighborhood ramp onto Little Sarasota Bay.
Snook Haven
5000 E Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34292
Ramp and canoe launch on the upper Myakka River at the riverfront restaurant; brackish winter snook and backcountry.
Ainger Creek Park
2011 Placida Rd, Englewood, FL 34224
Ainger Creek into Lemon Bay — a short run to Stump Pass.
Charlotte & Boca Grande 10
Placida Park
Boca Grande Causeway at Gasparilla Rd, Placida, FL 33946
~75 trailer spots, courtesy docks. The tarpon-season launch for Boca Grande Pass — trailers line up before dawn in May–June.
El Jobean
4224 El Jobean Rd, Port Charlotte, FL 33953
17 paved trailer spots, courtesy docks. Myakka River access via a short canal.
Laishley Park Municipal Marina
120 Laishley Ct, Punta Gorda, FL 33950
46 paved trailer spots and courtesy docks on the Peace River — the downtown Punta Gorda launch into Charlotte Harbor.
Ponce de Leon Park
3400 Ponce de Leon Pkwy, Punta Gorda, FL 33950
10 trailer spots, kayak hand-launch. Opens straight onto Charlotte Harbor.
Harbour Heights Park
27420 Voyageur Dr, Punta Gorda, FL 33983
Upriver Peace River access.
Gilchrist Park
1000 W Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda, FL 33950
Downtown Punta Gorda waterfront — straight onto Charlotte Harbor at the Peace River mouth.
Port Charlotte Beach Complex
4500 Harbor Blvd, Port Charlotte, FL 33952
Beach park with a pool and pier; direct Charlotte Harbor access.
South Gulf Cove Park
10150 Amicola St, Port Charlotte, FL 33981
Canal-community ramp to the Myakka River and Charlotte Harbor via the Gulf Cove lock.
Marina Park (North Port)
7030 Chancellor Blvd, North Port, FL 34287
Myakkahatchee Creek down to the Myakka River and Charlotte Harbor. (Different from Venice's Marina Park.)
Eldred's Marina
6301 Boca Grande Causeway, Placida, FL 33946
The private backup launch on the causeway, with bait — the Boca Grande Pass alternative when Placida Park fills at dawn.
Pine Island (extended) 4
Pineland Marina
13921 Waterfront Dr, Bokeelia, FL 33922
Best access to mid Pine Island Sound.
D&D Matlacha Bait & Tackle
3922 Pine Island Rd NW, Matlacha, FL 33993
Ramp plus bait on site at Matlacha.
Matlacha Community Park
4577 Pine Island Rd NW, Matlacha, FL 33993
Lee County public ramp on Matlacha Pass — ~30 trailer spots.
Burnt Store Boat Ramp
230 Burnt Store Rd S, Cape Coral, FL 33955
Mainland ramp into the southeast corner of Charlotte Harbor.
Two 2026 notes on Centennial Park: the City reduced it to 2 lanes in June 2026 during The Bay Park redevelopment (City of Sarasota ramp notices), and new floating day docks opened on the south side of the basin in February 2026. Expect weekend congestion until the lane work ends. Official finders: Manatee County’s ramp finder, the Sarasota County boating & paddling directory, and the FWC Charlotte Harbor boating guide.
One correction that still circulates online: Stump Pass Beach State Park (900 Gulf Blvd, Englewood) has no boat ramp — it’s shore, surf, and kayak access only. The Englewood trailer launch is Indian Mound Park.
Which ramps are free?
- All Manatee County ramps (Kingfish, Coquina North and South, Warner’s Bayou, Palma Sola, Fort Hamer) — no launch fee per the county.
- Indian Mound Park, Englewood — free, 4 lanes, the best value on the coast.
- Nokomis Beach and Higel Marine Park — no launch fee.
- Pay to launch or park: Turtle Beach (historically $5), Ken Thompson (city fee), Placida (pay parking), El Jobean (kiosk), and the private Pine Island launches.
Fees change — check the county pages above for each ramp before you go.
What should I know before launching for the passes?
- Venice Inlet is the only fully jettied, stable inlet in Sarasota County. When in doubt, run it.
- Longboat Pass is marked and dredged — the most reliable of the three northern passes.
- New Pass shoals constantly, worst in winter; deepest water tends to run south past Lido.
- Big Sarasota Pass has an unmarked, shifting outer bar. Local knowledge only.
- Midnight Pass reopened by the 2024 hurricanes and holds 11–17 ft per late-2025 county surveys, but it’s a young, unmarked inlet — treat it like Big Pass.
- Boca Grande Pass is deep (to ~80 ft) but current is severe; special tarpon gear rules apply — check FWC’s tarpon rules before fishing it.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary advises unfamiliar boaters to use Venice Inlet or Longboat Pass over New Pass or Big Pass — their Sarasota waterways guidance is worth reading before your first crossing.
FAQ
What is the biggest boat ramp in Sarasota? Centennial Park (1059 N Tamiami Trl) — normally 3 double lanes and ~70 trailer spots, temporarily 2 lanes during 2026 park construction. Ken Thompson Park has the most lanes (6).
Is there a boat ramp on Siesta Key? Yes — Turtle Beach, 8862 Midnight Pass Rd. One single and one double lane, ~25 trailer spots, and the closest launch to Midnight Pass and Little Sarasota Bay.
Where do I launch for Boca Grande tarpon season? Placida Park (Boca Grande Causeway at Gasparilla Rd). Three lanes and ~75 trailer spots, 15–20 minutes to the pass. Arrive before dawn in May and June.
Do any ramps have overnight parking? Warner’s Bayou explicitly prohibits it, and most county ramps close overnight or restrict it. Call the county (Sarasota 941-861-5000) before an overnight trip.
Can I hand-launch a kayak at these ramps? Kingfish, Centennial, Ken Thompson, Turtle Beach, Higel, Ponce de Leon, and Palma Sola all have hand-launch areas — full details in our kayak launch guide.
Related
No boat? Start with our guides to fishing piers and bridges and surf and shore fishing. Paddlers should see the kayak fishing launches directory. Grab bait on the way with the bait & tackle shops directory, then read the live bait primer and the snook and redfish pages. The Sarasota and Venice area pages map each home water.
