14 local beaches you must experience
Sarasota Lifestyle’s Mike Payne shares top picks
Experience the “best of” the Sarasota area
All ages will love this “to-do” list
Sarasota’s best water fun hotspots
Best casual dining around Sarasota
You’ll bookmark this growing events calendar
Secret to good beach vibes in frozen tundra
8 local bucket list tiki “bars”
BEST one-tank Florida road trips
You MUST experience these festivals
Discover Sarasota’s off-the-beaten path
SARASOTA
You simply won’t believe Siesta Beach’s cool-to-the-touch white quartz sand, a favorite among pro beach volleyballers and master sand sculptors
SARASOTA
Point of Rocks is where adventurers go for snorkeling & fishing, looks like it should be off the coast of California
SARASOTA
Shhh! At the “quiet” end of Siesta Key, Turtle Beach feels like you discovered your own private beach
SARASOTA
Did you know Lido Beach has become Sarasota’s internationally-acclaimed beach, steps to St Armands Circle?
SARASOTA
Don’t like crowded beaches? Here’s what locals enjoy at South Lido Beach at the far end of Lido Key
LONGBOAT KEY
You cannot visit Sarasota or AMI without exploring this iconic LBK hotspot called “Beer Can Island”
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
How to experience this “old style” beach, partly shaded by Australian pines and steps away from Historic Bridge Street
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
How AMI’s Holmes Beach area differs from the other 2 distinctly areas of Anna Island
NOKOMIS
Tucked between Sarasota & Venice, you won’t regret exploring Casey Key’s Nokomis Beach
VENICE
RELAX! You don’t have to know the history of the Jetties to experience this Venice favorite hotspot
VENICE
Grab your Florida snow shovels for the BEST shark’s tooth hunting along the Gulf Coast
WARNING: How to resist the urge to plant a beach chair on Siesta & wake up in time to catch your plane.
Little-known Lido Key might just become your new favorite area once you discover the adventure that awaits you
Packing 3 Island hotspots into one area, AMI’s Old Florida coastal beach vibes and Gulfside dining will WOW you
Experience REAL alligators at Myakka when you step back in time among towering oaks, dripping in Spanish moss
FYI: Here’s how to experience The Ringling with kids & adults who get bored quickly at museums
Psst! Cross over the Venetian Waterway onto Venice Island and easily enjoy one full day.
Sarasota’s #1 park might just keep you grounded or launch you out into the Gulf, for your day of fun.
Get ready to experience art like you’ve not enjoyed it before with an arts & craft show every weekend during winter
Each December spirited boat owners deck their boats out for Christmas, like you’ve not seen before
The BEST beach volleyball hits Siesta Beach in this “Dig the Beach” tournament series. Watch or play, the choice is yours
Here’s how to get your groove on with the iconic Siesta Key Drum Circle…or with one of many other drum circles
Find out why your friends keep shouting the praises of Sarasota’s weekly farmers market. It’s more than veggies & fruit.
College women sand volleyballers “dig” Siesta Key Beach in more ways than volleyball during tourney sanctioned play each Spring
Free outdoor summer concert series combines fun-seeking people with good music and good food trucks
A touch of Fall in Florida is reason to celebrate at Hunsader Farms
Manicured grounds, pink flamingos, and talking birds should be enough good reasons to experience Sarasota’s Jungle Gardens
WARNING: Kayaking the mangrove tunnels off South Lido will cause uncontrollable laughter
Sarasota’s whimsical wonderland grabs kids’ or grandkids’ attention, good for adults too
Get up close and personal with Mote’s marine animals and fish, the independent marine research institution with two touch tanks and a 135,000-gallon shark habitat
From cycling Legacy Trail to playing at Payne Park’s circus-themed playground & skate park, Sarasota’s parks keep life interesting
Visitors of all ages flock to the iconic Ringling, combining world-class art, Bayside winter home, circus museum, and unique Banyan trees
Sarasota’s popular trick water skiing team has been wowing audiences since 1957, performing free shows at its City Island home
Catch the popularity of SUP throughout Sarasota, from Benderson Park, Sarasota Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico
Grab the whole family, challenge your balance & zip line among treetops at the TreeUmph Adventure Course, located northeast of Sarasota off SR70
Packing 3 Island hotspots into one area, AMI’s Old Florida coastal beach vibes and Gulfside dining will WOW you
Steps from Downtown Sarasota, experience Sarasota’s #1-rated family park, combining boats, Banyan trees, and beautiful Bay sunsets
Tucked away off Sarasota’s Main Street is a step back in time at Burns Court & nearby Laurel Park
Eager to experience Old Florida…like a local? Look no further than the fully-functioning Cortez fishing village.
Follow the boys of summer from the Baltimore Orioles to their spring training home in Sarasota.
Enjoy the revitalized Downtown Sarasota, steps from the Bayfront, Burns Court, and Palm Avenue’s art galleries and top dining choices
Pay homage to America’s heroes at the manicured 295-acre National Cemetery and outdoor museum & Patriot Plaza Amphitheater
Experience Bradenton’s Riverwalk, overlooking the Manatee River & drawing locals & visitors to free winter concerts & movies, playground, skate park, & sunsets
Check out Siesta Key’s small laid-back Siesta Village, complete with shops, rustic Mom & Pop restaurants, & good beach vibes
Step into a European painting when visiting “The Circle” on Lido Key & its amazing restaurants & shops for the best window shopping in Sarasota
The “UTC” is the newest and biggest retail and dining experience in Southwest Florida, located near I-75 & Lakewood Ranch
Psst! Cross over the Venetian Waterway onto Venice Island and escape into the last remaining “full-service” & slow-paced beach coastal town
Are you ready to step back into the 50s at Gasparilla Island & Boca Grande with quaint shops, converted railroad station, lighthouses & the best tarpon fishing
Best value is Tampa’s Bush Gardens, combining a zoo & world-class thrill rides into one amazing experience throughout the year
For the younger crowd that seeks a faster-pace, look no further than Clearwater Beach and Shephard’s for the coolest nightclub on the beach
Disney Resorts
Disney’s “hub” is the newly-renamed and reimagined Disney Springs, an eclectic mix of unique boutiques, one-of-a-kind eateries and jaw-dropping entertainment
Disney World’s Mickey Mouse transforms Magic Kingdom into Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, an unbelievable experience for your entire family
Pay homage to America’s heroes at the manicured 295-acre National Cemetery and outdoor museum & Patriot Plaza Amphitheater
WOW! How different can Florida’s East Coast beaches be, compared to the Gulf Coast’s
You really can suffer frostbite in Florida while experiencing remarkable ice sculptures at the Gaylord-Palms Hotel Resort in Orlando at Christmas
Here’s why Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo was voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the US by Parents Magazine
Attention, Harry Potter fans: travel between both lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley at Universal Studios and Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
86°
6.15 m/s/66 %Mon
88°
Tue
89°
Wed
91°
Thu
91°
Fri
91°