Photo: Shane Leonard
Sarasota news events:
Sarasota news events:
Stephen King views Sarasota:
not as a typical pristine vacation spot, but as a place with “texture”—a term he uses to describe the city’s complex, somewhat “funky” character that differentiates it from more manicured Florida locales.
not as a typical pristine vacation spot, but as a place with “texture”—a term he uses to describe the city’s complex, somewhat “funky” character that differentiates it from more manicured Florida locales.
As of 2025, King remains a part-time resident, spending winters at his secluded $8.9 million estate on the northern tip of Casey Key. His connection to the area began in the late 1990s when he rented the tallest private home on Longboat Key while recovering from a near-fatal accident; it was here that his “love affair” with the Florida coast truly blossomed.
What King Thinks of Sarasota
- A “Textured” Alternative: King chose Sarasota over places like Naples because he found it more appealing and less artificial. He appreciates the “quirky, small town feel” of the region.
- The “Most Beautiful” List: In his novel Duma Key, King’s protagonist describes the Sarasota coast as the fourth most beautiful place on Earth (noting that the top three are places “nobody can spell”).
- Respect for Privacy: King views himself as “just a guy” and appreciates that locals generally treat him like a regular person rather than a museum exhibit. He is known to visit the Sarasota News & Books cafe incognito in a Red Sox cap.
- Local Inspiration: The region directly inspired his 2008 novel Duma Key, which he fictionalized as an island between Casey and Manasota keys.
- Political and Environmental Critic: Despite his love for the area, King is a vocal critic of state policies and environmental issues, frequently using social media to condemn red tide outbreaks and fish kills along the Sarasota and Manatee coastlines.
King’s Sarasota Landmarks
-
Casey Key Estate
: His primary winter residence, a contemporary concrete-and-glass structure with a copper roof situated on three secluded acres.
- The
Longboat Key “Recover House”
: The stilted home where he lived after his 1999 accident, featuring views of nothing but water and mangroves—a setting that heavily influenced the atmosphere of his Florida-based fiction.
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: A local spot where King has been seen dining at the bar and chatting with residents about his appreciation for the area’s cultural assets, like the
