Wild Sarasota: A Guide to Enjoying the Great Outdoors

Every season is the perfect season to get outside and enjoy the weather in Sarasota—thanks to Florida's year-round sunshine and temperate climate. 

The balmy breezes that waft in from the Sarasota bayside, the estuaries that sparkle in the sunshine, the untamed wilderness of the wetlands and pinelands. It's true: the great outdoors of Florida's Gulf Coast is like no other place on Earth. From sport fishing and mountain biking to extraordinary journeys deep into the heart of one of Florida's oldest and largest state parks, wild excitement awaits at every turn. Where will your sense of adventure lead you?

Get on the Water

Man-powered Crafts - Kayaking SRQ

Kayaking SRQ offers both tours and rentals at two locations in Sarasota County. First, pick your mode of transportation: kayak or stand-up paddleboard. Then pick your location: mangrove tunnels at Lido Key or hidden beaches at Siesta Key. Either way, you'll probably spot some native birds and maybe even a manatee or dolphin.

Powered Crafts - Siesta Key Watersports

Prefer engines to paddles for your on-the-water recreation? Siesta Key Watersports offers boat and Jet Ski rentals on the Gulf, as well as dolphin tours, sunset cruises, fishing charters and parasailing rides. For jet ski rentals, ages 16 and up (with a parent present) can rent jet skis for hourly rates, up to four hours, to ride in a large, unrestricted riding area.

Charter Services - CB's Saltwater Outfitters

Fishing fanatics flock to Florida's Gulf Coast for the thrill of the catch – and there's no one more savvy to the local waters than Sarasota's charter fishing boat captains. Whether you seek the thrill of big offshore sport on the salty waters of the Gulf, or fishing in the inland mangroves, you'll get hooked on Sarasota's waterways. CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key offer private inshore, spin fishing and fly fishing charters for anglers of all ages and skill levels. Guides on CB's excursions practice catch-and-release, but are happy to fillet fish for the angler if they would prefer to take their catch home to cook, or to Clayton's Siesta Grill located directly behind CB's Siesta Key, where the cook will prepare the catch.

Take a Nature Eco-Tour

There's no better way to experience nature than to immerse oneself with the help of a knowledgeable guide. Sarasota County is home to scores of seasoned experts who are intimately familiar with the waterways, nature trails, and animal inhabitants of the local wild.

Myakka Outdoors

Hop aboard Myakka Outdoor's tours to experience the most Florida modes of transportation. Take a pontoon boat tour through the upper Myakka River and learn about the diverse ecosystem. You're almost certain to see an alligator in the water or along the banks. To explore the Florida Dry Prairie, you'll want to hop aboard the tram, where you can spot native birds like sandhill cranes and burrowing owls. To go off the beaten path and explore the Myakke River State Park wetlands, it's swamp buggy time. This all-terrain vehicle will take you on a tour to remember through the back country. 

Wonderbound Adventures

If guided hikes are for you, Wonderbound Adventures is a great local eco-tour option, leading small-group, naturalist-guided treks across Sarasota’s wild spaces—from shady mangroves to remote pine flatwoods. Their certified guides share decades of local field experience and prioritize safety, accessibility and inclusive fun. Each outing emphasizes hands-on discovery: bird calls, native plant insights, bug spotting and sensory connection with Florida’s ecosystems. Wonderbound follows Leave No Trace ethics, ensuring minimal environmental impact while deepening guests’ appreciation for the region’s biodiversity.

Gulf Coast Ponies

Set out on an equestrian journey with Gulf Coast Ponies, where every ride supports rescued horses in a true feel-good experience. Based in Myakka City, this family-run operation leads guests—regardless of experience—on guided horseback trail rides through scenic spots like Deer Prairie Creek, Walton Ranch Preserve and Big Slough Preserve. Highlights include gentle water crossings and even beach rides in nearby areas, as horses refresh in saltwater (a therapeutic routine that riders adore). Whether you're a first-timer or seasoned rider, Gulf Coast Ponies offers serene, off-the-path adventures blending wildlife, wetlands and coastal flats—all while giving back to the horses themselves.

Sarasota Bay Explorers

Hop back on the water with Sarasota Bay Explorers, an ecotour company that offers sea life encounter cruises, guided kayak tours, nature safaris in covered boats, and private charters that allow patrons to choose their own itinerary based on the group's eco-interests. Sarasota Bay Explorers works in conjunction with Mote Marine Laboratory to offer comprehensive, hands-on, fun and educational marine science boat trips for public and private use. Offering some of the most varied marine tours in the area, Sarasota Bay Explorers gives you the opportunity to experience the tremendous diversity of Sarasota's waterways. From the salty Gulf waters to coastal grasslands, wetlands and tidal mangrove forests, there's a vast aquatic universe to explore.

Glide & Ride the Trails

Legacy Trail

Stretching 18.5 miles and connecting from downtown Sarasota to Venice, the Legacy Trail is a beloved paved corridor slicing through pine flatwoods, wetlands and suburban landscapes. This accessible gem is ideal for casual cyclists, bladers and joggers—thanks to its smooth asphalt surface and frequent rest stops at trailheads like Culverhouse Nature Park, Osprey Junction and the Venice Train Depot. Whether you’re out for a peaceful sunrise ride or a longer cruise to Venice’s waterway parks, the Legacy Trail seamlessly blends natural serenity with local history. 

Myakkahatchee Creek

For riders craving technical terrain, North Port’s mountain biking network—anchored by Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park—offers roughly 9 miles of singletrack and dirt trails carved through shaded oak hammocks. Originally built by local enthusiasts, these twists and turns feature exposed roots, quick switchbacks and small drop-offs—providing a sharp contrast to Sarasota’s flat paved paths. The system caters to intermediate to advanced riders, though the creekside setting makes for a scenic and challenging ride. 

Get Up Close to Florida Flora

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Fans of butterflies and botanicals will also want to pay a visit to the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, a 7-acre botanical garden on the bayside of downtown Sarasota, dedicated primarily to the research of orchids, epiphytes and bromeliads. The Selby Gardens includes some of the world's premier collections of native and tropical plants, trees and mosses. In addition to its stunning botanical collections, Selby features a Children's Rainforest Garden with treetop exploration, an epiphyte canyon, a waterfall that mimics rainforest ecosystems and research stations to help plant the seed of botanical fascination in budding explorers, researchers and naturalists.

Historic Spanish Point

Historic Spanish Point's 30-acre environmental, archaeological and historical museum on Little Sarasota Bay in Osprey brings it all back to the beginning – before paved roads and high-rise hotels. The preserve details prehistoric regional history in its 'Window to the Past' exhibition – the only archaeological exhibition in the United States built inside a Native American shell mound. Sarasota County's pioneer history is preserved in its first packing house, the pioneer cemetery and a pioneer chapel on the historic property grounds. Historic Spanish Point also features one of the largest butterfly gardens on the Gulf Coast, plus a jungle walk and sunken garden.

TreeUmph! Climbing Adventures

Change your perspective and experience the world from a bird's eye view while you monkey your way through the treetops at TreeUmph!, an east Bradenton adventure course, just outside of Sarasota County. TreeUmph!'s 14-acre adventure course is like no other in the region—it's elevated to the tops of Florida's native pine and live oak forests. The course varies in difficulty, with levels for kids and adults that feature rope bridges and ladders, suspended logs, Tarzan swings, climbing walls and more—all culminating in a thrilling 60-foot-high, 650-foot-long zipline ride! Get your adrenaline rush here.

The Sunshine Bottom Line: Get Outdoors!

Practically every day is a day in the sun in Sarasota, so take advantage of it—get outside and explore, experience and discover everything Florida's Gulf Coast has to offer. You've got quite a bit of adventuring to do, so we'll leave you with just one more word of advice:

Don't forget the sunscreen!