Additional sights along SR 789 include Ken Thompson Park (featuring Mote Aquarium on City Island), and the scenery of Gulf of Mexico Drive as it travels the length of Longboat Key.

The road runs to the north of Sarasota Bay before passing through an area of high-rise residential buildings.

The road passes homes before crossing a channel and narrowing into two-lane undivided John Ringling Parkway as it heads through areas of trees.

Here, SR 789 becomes Gulf of Mexico Drive and passes between homes to the northeast and the Longboat Key Golf Club to the southwest.

The road continues to the northwest, running between more residences to the northeast and resorts fronting the Gulf of Mexico to the southwest.

Farther northwest, the state road heads through resort development on a narrow barrier island with the Gulf of Mexico to the southwest and Sarasota Bay to the northeast.

[2][3] SR 789 crosses into Manatee County and continues through more resort residential and commercial development in Longboat Key.

At this point, the state road heads onto Anna Maria Island and becomes Gulf Drive South, passing through areas of trees.

The road comes to an intersection with the western terminus of SR 684 and becomes Gulf Drive North, heading through more resort areas.

[8] By the time the bridge was completed, the route from St. Armands Circle to the north end of Anna Maria Island was redesignated as a discontinuous segment of SR 789.

[7] The southern segment is known as Albee Road, which runs from US 41 (Tamiami Trail) in Laurel east to Casey Key.