Hop on a Trolley Ride from Downtown Sarasota Out to Lido Key and its Beaches

Ding, ding—that shiny white trolley you’ve spotted cruising around town is here for you to maximize your local experience and reduce your travel time, as well as traffic congestion —making getting around town and out to the beach all the easier.

You and your companions can forget the hassle of “how do we get there?” or the worry of “where do we park?” via Breeze Transit’s free Bay Runner Trolley service. It allows you to jump on board—with tons of space for your beach gear—so you and your fellow beachgoers can sit back, relax and soak up the local sights and sounds.

From Downtown Sarasota to Lido Key

If you catch the Bay Runner at its starting point (at Main St. and School Ave.), it will take you down the length of downtown Sarasota’s Main Street, where you can hop off at any point, if you feel so moved to check out a restaurant or shop before continuing out to the beach for the day. Don’t worry, you don’t have to trek down to the starting point to jump aboard, thanks to plenty of stops throughout downtown.

Rides are free and the service runs consistently throughout the day (7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.), making it easy to hop back on and continue on the route, which runs from downtown, over the picturesque Ringing Bridge into Bird Key and then out Lido Key.

On Lido Key, the trolley takes you around the famous St. Armands Circle where you’ll find amazing restaurants and other shops to stock up on snacks, refreshments and beach gear. You may want to linger a while, so consider factoring in a little extra time for a jaunt around what locals call “The Circle.”

Spend the Day at Lido Beach

Once you’ve stocked up, or snacked sufficiently, pick up the next trolley to be dropped curbside at the Lido Beach Public Pavilion or ride it farther south to Ted Sperling Park—both just steps from the beautiful white-soft sands for which Sarasota is most famous. Does it get more convenient than that? We don’t think so.

Once you’ve enjoyed your fun in the sun, the Bay Runner will scoop you back up and take you home for some much needed rest and relaxation. You’ve earned it.

Plan Your Trip

Download the Bay Runner App in the App Store or Google Play, so the schedule is always in your pocket with convenient live updates on the trolley's current whereabouts—helping you to plan your trip and identify where and when you’ll find the next stop.

Click here for more information about parking options downtown and on the island to catch the trolley at one of its stops.