KEY ENCOUNTERS

Turtle Beach Campground

PHOTO BY NANCY GUTH

Camp on the beach? Why not? Pitch a tent or park your Airstream at Turtle Beach Campground on Siesta Key — 14 canopied acres with 39 campsites overlooking 2,600 feet of Turtle Beach. Established in 1921, it’s one of the few campgrounds in Florida with direct beach access. For Shari and Tom Dailey, it’s their personal paradise, and they always book their spot a year in advance. Tom, a 33-year Navy veteran, loves spending time with other vets off the grid when they meet for their annual Veteran’s Day gathering here. “There’s nothing like watching the sun set on the beach,” Shari says. “The sounds of waves and seagulls are so calming.” Originally from Massachusetts, the couple now lives in Bradenton. “We met on a blind date in 1979,” says Shari. “We were engaged in 1981, split up, and now here we are together again!”