On Florida’s west coast, cities like Tampa and Fort Myers often get all the love. And while those are fantastic getaways in their own right, there’s a lot to be said about other cities, too — such as Sarasota.
Known as “Florida’s Cultural Coast,” Sarasota is awash in history and home to several significant institutions specializing in everything from performance art to botany. Outdoorsmen will also get their fill with Sarasota’s collection of beaches, trails, rivers, and more!
Here are some of Sarasota’s top attractions, plus a tour of a nearby city, in case you’d like to take a day trip.
Known as “Florida’s Cultural Coast,” Sarasota is awash in history and home to several significant institutions specializing in everything from performance art to botany. Outdoorsmen will also get their fill with Sarasota’s collection of beaches, trails, rivers, and more!
Here are some of Sarasota’s top attractions, plus a tour of a nearby city, in case you’d like to take a day trip.
The Ringling
One of Sarasota’s many nicknames is “The Circus City,” and that’s because of its connection to the Ringling Bros.
John Ringling, one of the five brothers who started the circus in the 1880s, and his wife, Mable, hired a famous New York architect to create a grand Mediterranean Revival-style mansion in Sarasota. They later opened it as an art museum, and in 1948, it became America’s first museum dedicated to the circus.
The museums aren’t the only thing that draws crowds to The Ringling. Those interested in architecture will enjoy the Cá d’Zan, which is the opulent mansion itself, and nature enthusiasts will appreciate the Bayfront Gardens, a 66-acre spread of plants, trees, trails, and sculptures.
And of course, there is no circus without performance! The Ringling is home to the Historic Asolo Theater, which was built in Italy in 1798 before being disassembled and reassembled at The Ringling in 1949. The theater screens several films and has a rotating schedule of live performances, from music to dance to circus acts.
Click here to learn more about The Ringling.
John Ringling, one of the five brothers who started the circus in the 1880s, and his wife, Mable, hired a famous New York architect to create a grand Mediterranean Revival-style mansion in Sarasota. They later opened it as an art museum, and in 1948, it became America’s first museum dedicated to the circus.
The museums aren’t the only thing that draws crowds to The Ringling. Those interested in architecture will enjoy the Cá d’Zan, which is the opulent mansion itself, and nature enthusiasts will appreciate the Bayfront Gardens, a 66-acre spread of plants, trees, trails, and sculptures.
And of course, there is no circus without performance! The Ringling is home to the Historic Asolo Theater, which was built in Italy in 1798 before being disassembled and reassembled at The Ringling in 1949. The theater screens several films and has a rotating schedule of live performances, from music to dance to circus acts.
Click here to learn more about The Ringling.
St. Armands Circle
St. Armands Circle is often called the “Jewel of Sarasota” for its special approach to shopping and relaxation.
St. Armands Circle is quite the unique shopping experience — and like a lot of things in Sarasota, it exists thanks to John Ringling.
Ringling bought St. Armands Key in 1917, designing it as a series of shops and residences centered around a circular park. The area was neglected for decades due to the Great Depression, but it started to pick up again in the ‘50s.
These days, more than 150 shops surround St. Armands Circle Park, ranging from clothing and jewelry spots to restaurants and spas. Most are locally-owned, meaning you’re contributing directly to Sarasota’s residents!
Once you’ve shopped ‘till you drop, grab an ice cream cone and head out to St. Armands Circle Park. Explorers will find multiple sculptures — including a bust of John Ringling — and the Circus Ring of Fame, which honors circus icons.
Click here to learn more about St. Armands Circle.
Ringling bought St. Armands Key in 1917, designing it as a series of shops and residences centered around a circular park. The area was neglected for decades due to the Great Depression, but it started to pick up again in the ‘50s.
These days, more than 150 shops surround St. Armands Circle Park, ranging from clothing and jewelry spots to restaurants and spas. Most are locally-owned, meaning you’re contributing directly to Sarasota’s residents!
Once you’ve shopped ‘till you drop, grab an ice cream cone and head out to St. Armands Circle Park. Explorers will find multiple sculptures — including a bust of John Ringling — and the Circus Ring of Fame, which honors circus icons.
Click here to learn more about St. Armands Circle.
Sarasota Art Museum
The Sarasota Art Museum is in what used to be Sarasota High School, a Gothic-style building constructed in the ‘20s.
On “Florida’s Cultural Coast,” the Sarasota Art Museum is a must-visit.
Associated with the Ringling College of Art and Design, this contemporary art museum is unique in that it has no permanent collection. Instead, all of its exhibitions are rotating, meaning you’ll find something new each time.
The museum also hosts several events, from talks with artists to dance and ceramics classes to brunches and other meals. One of the most popular mainstays is Jazz Thursdays, where the Jazz Club of Sarasota performs every second Thursday as visitors enjoy the museum’s extended hours.
Even the museum’s restaurant and shops are different from most. The bistro operates on a farm-to-table concept, sourcing fresh ingredients from regional farmers, while the shop sells fun gifts like jewelry and home decor alongside your typical art books.
Click here to learn more about the Sarasota Art Museum.
Associated with the Ringling College of Art and Design, this contemporary art museum is unique in that it has no permanent collection. Instead, all of its exhibitions are rotating, meaning you’ll find something new each time.
The museum also hosts several events, from talks with artists to dance and ceramics classes to brunches and other meals. One of the most popular mainstays is Jazz Thursdays, where the Jazz Club of Sarasota performs every second Thursday as visitors enjoy the museum’s extended hours.
Even the museum’s restaurant and shops are different from most. The bistro operates on a farm-to-table concept, sourcing fresh ingredients from regional farmers, while the shop sells fun gifts like jewelry and home decor alongside your typical art books.
Click here to learn more about the Sarasota Art Museum.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Purple orchids surround a Buddha statue at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, a nod to the three orchid botanists who established the site as a research organization.
Few places consistently top lists the way Marie Selby Botanical Gardens does. It’s won accolades from Time, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Vogue, and Travel + Leisure in the past two years alone!
The gardens consist of two campuses — a 15-acre space in Downtown Sarasota and a 30-acre campus at Historic Spanish Point. Each year, the campuses attract hundreds of thousands of visitors for their unique tropical plant collections and regional history displays.
The downtown campus alone has more than 20,000 plants spread out across outdoor gardens and eight greenhouses. Meanwhile, the Historic Spanish Point campus is home to one of the state’s largest butterfly gardens and an outdoor preservation area, where you can explore natural Florida environments like mangrove swamps and coastal beaches.
The gardens host a rotating slate of exhibits, such as curated plant displays or art and photography galleries. And both museums also hold several events, like brunches, festivals, and live music.
Click here to learn more about the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
The gardens consist of two campuses — a 15-acre space in Downtown Sarasota and a 30-acre campus at Historic Spanish Point. Each year, the campuses attract hundreds of thousands of visitors for their unique tropical plant collections and regional history displays.
The downtown campus alone has more than 20,000 plants spread out across outdoor gardens and eight greenhouses. Meanwhile, the Historic Spanish Point campus is home to one of the state’s largest butterfly gardens and an outdoor preservation area, where you can explore natural Florida environments like mangrove swamps and coastal beaches.
The gardens host a rotating slate of exhibits, such as curated plant displays or art and photography galleries. And both museums also hold several events, like brunches, festivals, and live music.
Click here to learn more about the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
The Legacy Trail
The Legacy Trail is paved, making it a good option for bikers or roller skaters. (Image: The Grid, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Want to take a stroll out in the sun? The Legacy Trail is on your side.
Built on a railroad corridor dating back to the early 20th century, The Legacy Trail spans about 18.5 miles from Sarasota to Venice. It’s beloved by walkers, runners, bikers, and rollerbladers alike for its paved surface and great view of Florida’s natural wildlife.
The Legacy Trail technically ends at the Historic Venice Train Depot, but it connects to the 4-mile Venetian Waterway Park that borders the intercoastal, for those craving more exercise or a great ocean view.
Nearby bike rentals are available — but if you have low mobility, don’t worry. The Friends of the Legacy Trail offer a free 45-minute ride on a surrey, a four-person bike covered with a canopy. Volunteers will pedal while you enjoy the ride!
Click here to learn more about The Legacy Trail.
Built on a railroad corridor dating back to the early 20th century, The Legacy Trail spans about 18.5 miles from Sarasota to Venice. It’s beloved by walkers, runners, bikers, and rollerbladers alike for its paved surface and great view of Florida’s natural wildlife.
The Legacy Trail technically ends at the Historic Venice Train Depot, but it connects to the 4-mile Venetian Waterway Park that borders the intercoastal, for those craving more exercise or a great ocean view.
Nearby bike rentals are available — but if you have low mobility, don’t worry. The Friends of the Legacy Trail offer a free 45-minute ride on a surrey, a four-person bike covered with a canopy. Volunteers will pedal while you enjoy the ride!
Click here to learn more about The Legacy Trail.
Myakka River State Park
Florida is known for its gorgeous landscapes, from prairies and hammocks to wetlands and pinelands — and you’ll find a little bit of everything at Myakka River State Park.
The park, which covers about 37,000 acres, is aptly named after the Myakka River, which winds through the various terrains. It was Florida’s first state-designated Wild and Scenic River, a title that protects its natural beauty by banning dams and other significant human developments.
Anglers favor the river for its bass, breams, snook, and crappie, while others prefer to rent a kayak or take a boat tour. Meanwhile, hikers and bikers enjoy the park’s miles of trails, some of which are paved and others of which are natural underfoot.
Birdwatchers will also find themselves at home at Myakka River State Park. The Myakka Canopy Walkway, for instance, lets visitors stroll 25 feet above the ground, often cutting through the tree’s uppermost branches. A nearby 74-foot tall observation tower gives you a view of the trees from the top down. At that height, you can even see the various landscapes intertwining!
Click here to learn more about Myakka River State Park.
The park, which covers about 37,000 acres, is aptly named after the Myakka River, which winds through the various terrains. It was Florida’s first state-designated Wild and Scenic River, a title that protects its natural beauty by banning dams and other significant human developments.
Anglers favor the river for its bass, breams, snook, and crappie, while others prefer to rent a kayak or take a boat tour. Meanwhile, hikers and bikers enjoy the park’s miles of trails, some of which are paved and others of which are natural underfoot.
Birdwatchers will also find themselves at home at Myakka River State Park. The Myakka Canopy Walkway, for instance, lets visitors stroll 25 feet above the ground, often cutting through the tree’s uppermost branches. A nearby 74-foot tall observation tower gives you a view of the trees from the top down. At that height, you can even see the various landscapes intertwining!
Click here to learn more about Myakka River State Park.
Why not a day trip? Check out Punta Gorda
With a population of 20,000, Punta Gorda is beloved for its fishing opportunities and laid-back lifestyle.
Sarasota is outstanding on its own, but it’s also close to other places worth visiting, such as Punta Gorda.
Just an hour south of Sarasota, Punta Gorda is located right where the Peace River meets Charlotte Harbor, making it a top spot for anglers seeking snook, redfish, tarpon, and grouper. You can rent a boat on your own or take a variety of charter services, which boast experienced captains who know the best fishing spots.
But not all the adventure is out in the water. A visitor favorite is Fishermen’s Village, an eclectic collection of shops and restaurants that hug a marina boardwalk, giving you a fantastic view of the Peace River. Also popular is the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens, a 30-acre space that marries curated botanical gardens with modern sculptures.
Click here to learn more about Punta Gorda.