Most people expect an ice cream truck to come rolling down the street, not cruising across the Gulf.

But around Sarasota, beachgoers can sometimes hear that familiar ice cream jingle drifting in from the water instead of the road.

Tropicool, a family-run floating ice cream boat, began serving the area in 2025 and now visits waters around Siesta Key, Lido Key and nearby beaches.

The boat is built to resemble a classic white ice cream truck, which makes the sight of it bobbing offshore just strange enough to earn a double take.

It is essentially what happens when an ice cream truck refuses to accept that roads are mandatory.

Beachgoers can wade into the shallows to meet the boat and choose from frozen treats, cold drinks and snacks without packing up their chairs and towels.

The idea reportedly started with a very ordinary family problem: somebody wanted ice cream, and nobody wanted to leave the beach.

The solution was wonderfully Sarasota—bring the ice cream to the beach by boat.

The business has attracted attention well beyond the area, but the local charm is simple.

One minute you are staring at the Gulf, and the next you are wondering why an ice cream truck appears to be floating toward you.

For a newsletter trying to celebrate the lighter side of Sarasota, this one practically writes itself.