Good news: After 29 days of round-the-clock work by local governments, more area beaches are reopening. Here's the latest.

Sarasota County Beaches

In Sarasota County, City of Sarasota leadership announced that Lido Beach will reopen to the public Saturday, Nov. 2, following significant impacts from hurricanes Helene and Milton. Regular pre-storm amenities will be available for beachgoers, including the Lido Beach Pavilion parking lot, beach access walkways, public restrooms and Lido Island Grill concession stand. Lifeguards also will be on duty.

Repairs made by City of Sarasota Public Works, Parks and Recreation crews and contractors include removing buckled concrete sidewalks and replacing them with new concrete slabs; clearing washed-out beach access points of storm debris and restoring them for safe foot travel; backfilling an exposed cavity beneath a seawall; and deep cleaning the restroom and concession areas. Some areas near the beach may be closed to the public due to safety concerns; beachgoers are urged to adhere to all signage and stay behind caution tape and barricades, including areas in the parking lot. 

City leadership added that "remarkable amounts of sand" have been relocated to the east side of the parking lot and cordoned off. Reservations for the EcoRover, a beach accessibility chair for individuals with disabilities, are expected to resume Tuesday, Nov. 5,. The EcoRover is available from 9a.m. to 4 p.m. at no cost for up to four hours. For inquiries and reservations, email [email protected] or call (941) 263-6299 at least 24 hours in advance.

North Lido Beach and South Lido Beach at Ted Sperling Park remain temporarily closed.

Manatee County

In Manatee County, Anna Maria Beach and Manatee Public Beach have reopened. Earlier this week, Manatee County officials detailed improvement efforts, including pro-active sand-sifting operations, designed to help beach communities and residents recover more quickly. 

Cortez Beach and Coquina Beach are currently closed, although Manatee County officials say they hope to reopen part of Coquina Beach next week.

For more information on beach reopenings and storm recovery, visit scgov.net/storm or mymanatee.org/storm.