Longboat Key named No. 9 island in U.S.

Longboat Key has landed on Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best list in the Best Islands of the Continental U.S. category of the travel media company’s annual World’s Best Awards.

The barrier island was picked as the No. 9 island in the continental U.S. for its pristine, uncrowded beaches, world class resorts and diverse wildlife.

A feature on the island on Travel + Leisure describes Longboat Key as a Gulf Coast gem and recommends readers catch a sunset cruise or kayak tour, have a pickleball match in at Bayfront Park or catch a bite at one of the popular restaurants on the island.

“As a longtime Tampa resident, Longboat Key is my go-to Gulf Coast beach destination when I want to feel totally transported,” wrote the author Terry Ward. “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.”

Longboat Key was one of four Florida islands on the top 15 continental U.S. island ranking. The only Florida island ahead of Longboat in the rankings was Amelia Island on the northeast coast. Claiming the top spot nationwide was Golden Isles, Georgia.

A travel guide to Longboat Key published by Travel + Leisure with plenty of dining, lodging and activity recommendations can be found here.

Travel + Leisure has a reach of about 16 million readers per month, according to its website. The outlet began publishing in 1971 under the name Travel & Camera.