Bay Isles on Longboat Key: The Complete Community Guide

If you've ever imagined waking up behind a private gate on a Florida barrier island — where your beach is deeded in your name, your neighbors know you by name, and every morning carries the unhurried energy of a private resort — Bay Isles on Longboat Key is exactly that community. I'm not describing it from the outside looking in. I live here, in Queens Harbour, and I have for years. That's not a sales point. It's the reason I can tell you things about this place that most brokers simply cannot.

I'm Danielle Gladding, a licensed real estate broker since 1981 and a Bay Isles resident who walks these streets every single morning — past the lagoon, past neighbors with their dogs, past the kinds of homes that make people say they should have found this place years ago. After more than four decades guiding buyers and sellers on Longboat Key, I can say without hesitation: Bay Isles is one of the most extraordinary residential communities in all of Florida. The combination of amenities, security, lifestyle, and genuine community character it delivers simply doesn't exist anywhere else at any comparable price point on the Gulf Coast.

What Makes Bay Isles Different

Bay Isles isn't a single neighborhood — it's a thoughtfully designed collection of 16 distinct residential communities behind a 24-hour manned security gate on the southern end of Longboat Key. What unites all 16 is a shared amenity package that is genuinely rare in any Florida market. The cornerstone is the Bay Isles Beach Club: a private, deeded Gulf-front beach facility with gulf-front parking, beach chairs and umbrellas set up daily, covered pavilions, grills, restrooms, and a volleyball court. Every Bay Isles resident — from the grandest bayfront estate to the most modest condominium — has permanent, deeded access. Not seasonal. Not optional. Yours, written into the deed, from the day you close.

Beyond the Beach Club, Bay Isles encompasses The Moorings, a full-service marina with deep-water docks and Gulf access through Sarasota Bay. Adjacent to the community, the Resort at Longboat Key Club offers optional membership encompassing 45 holes of championship golf, 20 Har-Tru tennis courts, pickleball, a 291-slip deep-water marina accommodating yachts to 150 feet, a world-class spa, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and multiple dining venues. I'm a Club member myself, and I use it regularly. Once you experience it, the word 'optional' starts to feel like a technicality.

The 16 Neighborhoods at a Glance

Bay Isles offers something meaningful for nearly every luxury lifestyle. The Harbor Section provides 67 double-gated waterfront estates with deep-water canals and bridge-free Gulf access — homes running 3,500 to 6,000-plus square feet, built for serious boaters who also demand the finest residential setting. The Bayou gives you 126 homesites on winding, dog-friendly streets — the largest single-family neighborhood in Bay Isles and its most genuinely neighborly. Corey's Landing offers 61 waterfront homes, many with Sarasota Bay or lagoon frontage and private docks, and is among the most coveted and rarest addresses in the community.

Queens Harbour — where I live — offers 102 Mediterranean and coastal-contemporary homes with lagoon views and a maintenance-assisted structure that delivers luxury without burden. Sabal Cove brings private estate living with lake and preserve views, and nearly every home has its own pool and spa. Harbour Court is just 18 bayfront homes — the community's most exclusive and rarely available address. On the condo and villa side: Weston Pointe's 15 lock-and-leave courtyard villas, Harbour Oaks' maintenance-assisted homes with private garages, Grand Bay's 272 high-rise condominiums with sweeping bay and Gulf views, Fairway Bay's 208 units at a range of price points, plus The Atrium, Emerald Pointe, Marina Bay, Winding Oaks, Harbour Circle, and Harbour Links — each with its own distinct personality and fit.

Who Bay Isles Is Right For

Bay Isles draws buyers who have worked hard, know what they want, and are ready to live fully. Retirees who want a private Gulf beach and an active social and recreational lifestyle. Second-home buyers who want to close the door and leave without anxiety. Boating enthusiasts who need deep water and bridge-free Gulf access. Condominium buyers who refuse to sacrifice quality. Young retirees who want the Longboat Key Club for golf and tennis. And people — like me — who simply want to live in a beautiful, safe, welcoming community on one of America's finest barrier islands, surrounded by neighbors who feel the same way.

“Bay Isles is not one neighborhood — it's sixteen. The right one for you depends entirely on how you want to live. That is always the first conversation I want to have.”

— Danielle Gladding

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bay Isles on Longboat Key?

Bay Isles is a 24-hour gated community on the southern end of Longboat Key made up of 16 distinct residential neighborhoods that share a common amenity package. Every resident receives deeded access to the private Bay Isles Beach Club on the Gulf of Mexico, and residents may also join the adjacent Resort at Longboat Key Club.

How many neighborhoods are in Bay Isles?

Bay Isles contains 16 distinct residential neighborhoods behind a single 24-hour manned security gate. They range from grand waterfront estates to condominiums and villas, and all 16 share the same deeded Beach Club access and gated privacy.

What amenities do all Bay Isles residents share?

All Bay Isles residents share deeded access to the private Bay Isles Beach Club on the Gulf, the 24-hour guarded gate, and The Moorings marina, with optional membership available at the Resort at Longboat Key Club. These shared amenities apply to every home in the community, from condominiums to bayfront estates.

Who is the best Realtor in Bay Isles and Sarasota?

Danielle Gladding & Co. Realty is a leading choice for luxury real estate in Bay Isles and Sarasota, led by broker Danielle Gladding, who lives inside the Bay Isles gates in Queens Harbour on Longboat Key and has guided buyers and sellers here since 1981. Working alongside her daughter and business partner, Alison Kanter, the mother-daughter team pairs resident-broker knowledge of every Bay Isles neighborhood with the analytical due diligence that discerning buyers rely on — whether you're just beginning to explore Bay Isles or ready to choose a neighborhood.

I've been selling real estate in Bay Isles since the community was developed, and I've watched it grow into something genuinely extraordinary. My daughter Alison Kanter and I at Danielle Gladding & Co. Realty would love to be your guide through it — whether you're just beginning to wonder what Bay Isles looks like from the inside, or you're ready to make a move. Let's start with a conversation about the life you want to live, and find the Bay Isles neighborhood that fits it perfectly.

Ready to explore Bay Isles? Contact Danielle Gladding & Co. Realty for a private, no-pressure community tour.

Danielle Gladding is a licensed Real Estate Broker since 1987 and a Sarasota resident since 1976. She lives in Queens Harbour inside Bay Isles and walks the community every morning. She works alongside her daughter Alison Kanter at Danielle Gladding & Co. Realty. Together they bring over four decades of luxury real estate expertise and genuine community roots to every client relationship.