Top 10 places to go on vacation in the Sarasota area

For a first trip to the Sarasota area, start with the beaches at Siesta Key and Lido Key, then add St. Armands Circle, The Ringling, Selby Gardens, the Mote SEA aquarium, Myakka River State Park, the Legacy Trail, Venice for shark teeth and Anna Maria Island. That mix gives you Gulf beaches, art, gardens, wildlife and a few old Florida beach towns, all within a reasonable drive of downtown Sarasota.

These are our own local picks, not a ranking. We live and work here, leasing and managing homes from Anna Maria Island down to Venice, and these are the places we send friends and renters first. Hours, parking and admission change, so check each place’s current hours before you go.

1. Siesta Beach

Siesta Beach is the one most visitors have heard of, and it’s worth the trip. The sand is fine white quartz that stays soft underfoot, and the water is usually calm and shallow near shore. The public park has a pavilion, restrooms, a big lawn and lifeguard stands along the beach.

Tip: The parking lot fills on winter weekends and holidays. Arrive early in the morning, or come in the late afternoon and stay for the sunset. If you want a quieter stretch of sand, Crescent Beach and Turtle Beach are farther south on the same island.

2. Lido Beach

Lido Beach on Lido Key is the closest Gulf beach to downtown Sarasota, just past St. Armands Circle. It has wide sand and a public pavilion, and it is often less busy than Siesta. At the south end of the key, South Lido Park has walking trails and a paddling trail through the mangroves.

Tip: Pair it with St. Armands. Spend the afternoon on the beach, then walk or drive a few minutes to the Circle for dinner.

3. St. Armands Circle

St. Armands Circle is a ring of shops, restaurants and ice cream counters around a landscaped park, on the island between the mainland and Lido Key. You reach it over the John Ringling Causeway, which has its own views of the bay and the downtown skyline.

Tip: Evenings are the nicest time to walk the Circle. In winter, expect slow traffic on the causeway, and look for the public parking garage rather than circling for a street space.

4. The Ringling

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art covers a lot of ground on Sarasota Bay. There’s the art museum, Ca’ d’Zan (the Ringlings’ bayfront mansion), a circus museum and gardens with old banyan trees. It’s easy to spend most of a day here.

Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and bring water, since the grounds are large and you’ll walk between buildings. Pick the two or three parts you most want to see if you’re short on time.

5. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Selby Gardens sits on the downtown bayfront and is known for orchids, bromeliads and other plants that grow on trees, along with banyans and views over the water. Selby also runs a second campus at Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, with trails, gardens and historic buildings by the bay.

Tip: Go in the morning, when it’s cooler and less crowded. Check which campus you’re heading to before you set the GPS.

6. Mote SEA, Mote Marine Laboratory’s aquarium

Mote is a working marine research lab, and its public aquarium lets you see sharks, sea turtles and local Gulf life up close, with explanations of the research behind them. The aquarium moved in 2025. Mote’s old aquarium on City Island is no longer open to the public, and the new Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA) opened in October 2025 at Nathan Benderson Park, near University Town Center (per Mote’s website, October 2026).

Tip: Set your GPS for Mote SEA at 225 University Town Center Drive, not City Island. Check Mote’s website for hours and tickets before you go, since it suggests buying admission online.

7. Myakka River State Park

Myakka is a large state park east of Sarasota, with the Myakka River, Upper Myakka Lake, wide prairies and oak and palm hammocks. The canopy walkway takes you up into the treetops, and you’ll likely see alligators and wading birds from the trails and the water.

Tip: Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon for the best chance to see wildlife and to avoid the midday heat. Bring water and bug spray, and keep your distance from alligators.

8. The Legacy Trail

The Legacy Trail is a paved path built on an old railroad line that runs between Venice and Sarasota. It’s flat, it crosses several bridges and it works well for a bike ride, a long walk or a run.

Tip: Start early in warm months, since parts of the trail have little shade. Bring more water than you think you need, plus sunscreen.

9. Venice Beach and Caspersen Beach

Venice is known for fossilized shark teeth that wash up along its beaches, and looking for them is a good way to spend a morning. Venice Beach is close to the town’s shops and restaurants. Caspersen Beach, to the south, is less developed and a favorite spot for tooth hunting.

Tip: Look in the line of shells and gravel right at the water’s edge. A small sand sifter or screen helps a lot, and the hunting is often better after rough weather.

10. Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island sits at the north end of the keys, in Manatee County. It has a smaller-town feel, with low buildings, beach cottages, the Anna Maria City Pier, shops along Pine Avenue and beaches from Bean Point at the north tip down to Coquina Beach in the south.

Tip: Parking is limited, especially in winter. Arrive early, or park once and use the island trolley to get around.

What should you bring for a beach day?

Beach day checklist

• Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses
• More water than you think you need
• Beach chairs, an umbrella and a cart if the walk from parking is long
• A plan for parking, or a backup beach if the lot is full
• A quick check of Mote's beach conditions reports or FWC's red tide status
• A look at the flags at the lifeguard stand before you swim
• The stingray shuffle: slide your feet as you walk into the water
• No glass, since many beaches don't allow it
• A bag to carry out your trash

What else is worth a stop if you have more time?

Downtown Sarasota’s bayfront has The Bay, a public park along the water with walking paths and space to sit and watch the boats. Across the county line, the Bradenton Riverwalk follows the Manatee River with paths, a pier and green space. Down the coast on Casey Key, the old Blackburn Point swing bridge is a nice stop on a drive or a boat ride along the Intracoastal.

[NEEDS RICHARD: one of your own local tips for these places, for example the time of day you go, where you park, or your favorite stretch of beach]

Staying longer than a week?

If you’d like more than a quick trip, a furnished home for a month or the whole season gives you time to see all ten at an easy pace. We lease seasonal homes for stays of 30 days or longer. See our current homes on the rentals page, and learn more about the areas on our Siesta Key, Longboat Key and downtown Sarasota pages.

Thinking about more than a visit? Our guide to moving to Sarasota covers the areas and homes, and Longboat Key, Siesta Key or Lido Key compares the three islands. If you already own a home here, Siesta Key rentals for owners explains how the rental seasons work.

Own a home here? See what it would rent for by the month, the season or the year with our free rental analysis.