The best beach in the United States has the most frustrating parking lot in the country, according to a national survey conducted on behalf of a personal injury law firm.
The survey, conducted by Bob Digital
Marketing on behalf of Munley Law, queried 3,001 drivers about frustrating vacation parking lots and ranked 139 destinations across all 50 states.
The main parking lot at Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road, ranked as the most frustrating in the country.
In contrast, Siesta Beach itself, known for its white quartz sand, is consistently praised in a variety of national rankings.
Siesta Beach was ranked the No. 1 beach in the country by U.S. News & World Report in its 2026 Best Beaches rankings, released April 6, while Anna Maria Island ranked No. 3.
Previously, Siesta Beach was ranked No. 13 in Southern Living’s South’s Best 2026 Beach Getaways and Sarasota ranked No. 1 in Southern Living’s Best Cities in the South ranking for 2026.
In 2025, Tripadvisor also ranked Siesta Beach as the country’s top beach.
What did the survey reveal about Siesta Beach parking?
The published survey provides no underlying data showing how Siesta Beach received its ranking, including how many respondents had visited the beach, how the 139 destinations were selected or how responses were converted into the national rankings.
“Limited access roads and no real backup lots mean the traffic jam often starts miles before anyone even sees a parking space,” the website read.
Siesta Beach topped the national ranking. The top 10 were:
- Siesta Beach in Sarasota County
- Island Beach State Park in New Jersey
- Hither Hills State Park in New York
- Isle of Palms County Park in South Carolina
- Robert Moses State Park in New York
- Makena State Park in Hawaii
- West Beach at Indiana Dunes National Park in Indiana
- Isla Blanca Park in Texas
- Santa Monica Pier and Beach in California
- Sand Key Park in Clearwater
Upham Beach, a section of St. Pete Beach, ranked 27th on the list.
Parking at Sand Key Park and Upham Beach is paid, while parking at Siesta Beach is free.
How was the survey conducted?
Respondents were asked to consider beaches, lakes, parks and other seasonal attractions and factors including overcrowding, drivers circling for spaces, blocked entrances, space-stealing, angry honking, door dings, reckless maneuvering and near-misses.
Those responses were used to produce the national ranking.
Bob Digital Marketing, also known as The Bob Agency, is a Scranton, Pennsylvania-based company that specializes in legal marketing and search engine optimization.
Munley Law is a Scranton-based personal injury law firm.
What else did the survey reveal?
Beaches dominated the list of frustrating parking destinations, though Logan Pass at Glacier National Park ranked No. 13.
The survey also acknowledged that much of the frustration could be attributed to the seasonal ebb and flow at vacation spots.
The survey also found that 39% of respondents did not believe parking lots at beaches, lakes and tourist destinations were sufficiently safe for pedestrians.
Jack Cartwright, an associate at Munley Law, urged motorists to “slow down, remain alert to pedestrians and accept that no parking space is worth an argument, a collision or an injury.”
Earle Kimel primarily covers local governments in Sarasota County as well as land development and environmental issues for the Herald-Tribune. Follow him on Facebook, and X. He can be reached by email at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Survey ranks Siesta Beach parking lot the most frustrating in the U.S.
