Sarasota totally surpassed our expectations. Known for its white sand beaches, I was surprised by all of the other fun things to do in Sarasota, a city of 56,000 people.
On this five-day trip, we decided to skip the beaches and check out the area’s other attractions and boy were we impressed.
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From museums, boutiques to botanical gardens and foodie hot spots, there’s literally something for everyone. I am so thankful Visit Sarasota County hosted us on this trip.
Where we stayed
Embassy Suites by Hilton Sarasota
Embassy Suites by Hilton Sarasota hosted us. I enjoyed waking up to our 12th floor view of the ocean and downtown condo skyscrapers. Our suite was the perfect size, with a living room, microwave, fridge, bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom had a walk-in shower. Included with the room was a free daily cocktail during Happy Hour and breakfast.
The hotel also has a restaurant called Bridges, which offers indoor and outdoor dining near the pool. I tried their bread pudding and it was delicious. The pool is on the eighth floor and also has great views of the ocean. The best time to go to the pool is during breakfast until noon when it’s not crowded. The mandatory valet parking at the hotel is $30 a night. What I loved is you can call valet from your room and they’ll have the car ready for you by the time you get downstairs to the lobby. They also help bring down your stuff, which was super helpful for me since I was carrying our son.
The Embassy Suites is located in downtown Sarasota, within walking distance to several restaurants and theatres. I also enjoyed their bike rental as it made it super easy to see the boutiques and restaurants nearby and check out the murals.
Places we visited
Visit Sarasota County provided us a VIP pass, which allowed us check out all of these places for free, so that we could share our experience with you.
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
This is a must-see! Called The Ringling for short, it’s 66 acres that encompasses the State Art Museum of Florida, the Circus Museum, the Ca’ d’ Zan mansion and Bayfront Gardens. The opulence was astounding. Located ten minutes north of downtown Sarasota, the Ringling complex is the perfect place to bring the kids and teach them about art and the circus. I really enjoyed walking through the Ca’d’ Zan, just admiring all of the ornate furniture. It’s also a fabulous backdrop for photos or even better, a great place to have your wedding. Paying the $10 extra to see the Ca’ d’ Zan mansion was so worth it. The Circus and State Art Museum looked fabulous too. The museum’s collection features 28,000 works, a collection started by Circus entrepreneur and art collector John Ringling himself. Unfortunately, the day we went it was raining hard and kind of crowded so we didn’t spend too much time inside those museums. I can’t wait to return and spend more time there. Admission is $25 per adult and $5 per child. Children five and under are free.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Located on 15 acres, this waterfront downtown Sarasota botanical garden is majestic. I thought the Children’s Rainforest, which is outfitted with a treehouse and canopy, would be awesome for our son Kyler to explore when he gets older.
The downtown campus is the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the display and study of epiphytic orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads and ferns, and other tropical plants, according to its website.
We enjoyed the peaceful walk around the property. It’s a great place to take some family photos. And there’s also art exhibitions on site. I was glad we got to see the “We Dream a World,” exhibition, which focuses on African American landscape painters called the Highwaymen who painted for a living during the 1950s. Mostly self-taught, they were denied access to art galleries and museums due to living in the segregated South. The exhibit runs through Sept. 26.
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
This is a cool place to bring the kids. From animal shows to the reptile room to taking pictures with parrots, it offers some unique experiences.
I really enjoyed feeding the flamingoes. I thought the flamingo would bite my hand off but I barely felt it nibbling the food.
It’s located near The Ringling and just north of downtown Sarasota. Open daily from 10-4 pm, tickets are $19.99 per adult if booked online, and $12.99 per kid if booked online. Children 3 and under are free.
Sarasota Classic Car Museum
If you love cars, you’ll want to stop here. According to its website, it’s the second oldest continuously operating antique car museum in the nation with 75 automobiles on display. They’ve got quite the collection of Ferraris and Porsches. There’s antique, exotic, European, and one-of-a-kind classics on display and the museum has rotating exhibits. What I found interesting was that many of the car company owners had worked for a different car company and broke off and started their own. Located near The Ringling and just north of Sarasota’s downtown, the museum is open daily from 9 am – 6pm and offers self-guided tours. Admission is $14.85 for adults and $9.25 for kids. Children 5 and under are free.
Newtown
This is the historic African American neighborhood in Sarasota. Community organizers put up signs throughout the neighborhood fairly recently showcasing landmarks throughout the community. The organization Newtown Alive offers private tours, where they share the history and struggles of Sarasota’s black community over the years, including how they pushed to desegregate Sarasota beaches in the 1950s. We did a self guided tour of the neighborhood, checking out the historic churches where members of the NAACP met, the homes of many of the leaders in the community and ended our tour by grabbing something to eat at the black-owned Stroke’s Seafood. We can’t wait to return and take the Newtown Alive private tour.
St. Armand’s Circle
St. Armand’s Circle is the main roundabout on St. Armand’s Key. It’s home to dozens of shops, restaurants and spas. But what makes it even more special is its Circus Ring of Fame, recognizing people who’ve made a significant contribution to the art and culture of the circus and its Statue Walk, which includes a collection of 33 statues. The Walk was envisioned by John Ringling.
Where we ate
Bijou Cafe hosted us for dinner. Located right in the Theatre and Arts District a few blocks from our hotel, the fine dining establishment offers European inspired cuisine. I went out on a limb and tried their roasted duck which came with a yuca flavored chorizo. It tasted amazing and was full of flavor. I’d highly recommend visiting this restaurant. Dishes range between $16-$40. Reservations are recommended. The restaurant is open from 5-9 pm Tuesday – Saturday.
Patricks 1481
We stopped by this downtown Sarasota restaurant for lunch. Known for its comfort food and libations, I really enjoyed its healthy options such as the zoodle pomodoro. The dish is made with zucchini noodles, tomatoes, vegetables and chicken. The restaurant also has a wide selection of burgers, salads and appetizers. Meals range from $14-$25 a piece.
Station 400
Station 400 is a cozy breakfast and lunch spot with amazing belgian waffles and a wide variety of mimosas. I ordered Belgian waffles with strawberries and they were so good I didn’t even need the syrup. I ordered cheesy grits for Kyler and he finished the bowl and kept motioning for more. Everything on the menu was reasonably priced. Its outdoor eating area provided ample shade and a breeze. We had the entire side of the building to ourselves. We will be back.
Old Salty Dog Venice
We had lunch here on their back patio. Their fried grouper was pretty tasty, accompanied by fries and salad. It was enough food to feed two people. We visited the location in Venice but there’s other locations on Siesta Key and City Island. The restaurant’s menu has a lot of variety from Conch Fritters to Coconut Shrimp to their fried Salty Dog hot dogs. Most of the meals are reasonably priced, many of them coming in under $25 each.
Selva
Selva Grill hosted us for dinner and I’m so glad they did. I had Selva’s famous Skirt Steak, which was served over sweet plantains with a beet relish. It literally melted in my mouth and was just the right portion of food. I sat in the restaurant’s outdoor dining area and would visit this restaurant again in a heartbeat. Located on Sarasota’s Main Street in the downtown area, it was just a few blocks from our hotel. The Latin Fusion restaurant is open daily for dinner. Many of its dishes are Peruvian. Their meals are pretty pricey ranging from $30-$40 each but they’re worth it. They offer lots of seafood, steaks, ceviches and lamb.
Stroke’s Seafood
We stopped by this black-owned carry out seafood restaurant in the heart of Newtown, Sarasota’s historically black neighborhood. Dipped in a buttery sauce, its steamed snow crab dinner accompanied by potatoes, sausage and corn was quite delicious. I’d highly recommend it along with a Sunkist Berry Lemonade, which was a new drink option for me. If you’re looking for an inexpensive meal that will fill you up, head here.
Le Colonne Restaurant
You can’t leave Sarasota without dining on St. Armand’s Key. The outdoor dining at Le Colonne Restaurant was accompanied by a saxophonist who also sang in what I believe was Italian. Hearing the smooth jazz while eating and watching the sunset was so peaceful. I tried their Salmone Piccata, which was a salmon fillet sauteed with lemon, capers, and white wine sauce. It was mouth-watering. I’d highly recommend this dish as it was one of the few on the menu that was dairy-free. (For all of my readers who are lactose-intolerant like me.) All entrees here range from $20-$30. The restaurant is open daily from 11 am – 10 pm.
Getting here
We drove as it’s located on I-75, just an hour and a half south of our home. You can also fly into several airports including the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Other options include the Tampa International Airport and the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, both an hour north of Sarasota. Sarasota is also an hour and twenty minutes north of the Fort Myers International Airport.
In my opinion, the best time to come is between February-early June, especially if you’re trying to check out the beaches. The summer is great but you have to navigate rainy season and the heat which makes it more difficult to do the outdoor activities. Also, red tide may occur between June through the fall. If there’s red tide, you’ll want to avoid the beach as it’s an algal bloom that produces toxins that kill fish. The toxins may also make the surrounding air difficult to breathe.
