Attractions

Get a head start on your New Year in the Sarasota sunshine with activities so fun, you won’t realize they’re (shh) exercise.

Whether you want to mingle with the locals and chit chat the day away or keep to yourself and take a break from banter after the family-filled holidays, there’s a great way to spend a day – or days - alone in Sarasota.

Sometimes we travel alone, be it for work or for fun. Maybe the boss sent you out for a conference, maybe it’s research, maybe you need time to think and get away. For whatever reason, traveling alone is always different than traveling with others because you get to do whatever you want to do.

Did you know Sarasota was nearly home to a “Winter White House?” Every U.S. president since 1976 has made a stop in Sarasota, some more fortunate than others.

Was President Warren G. Harding was a socks-and-sandals man? Did First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt ever don a bikini? (Our understanding is that she preferred a one-piece — but what happens in Sarasota stays in Sarasota.) What we do know is that Sarasota has served as host to a number of U.S. presidents and their kin — both on the campaign trail and in leisure.

Looking for a memorable dining spot to brag about to your friends and family after visiting Sarasota County? Here are some of the best Sarasota restaurants that offer an experience for the eyes and the stomach!

Want to learn how to weave with recycled materials? How about trying your hand at a fun painting technique called ‘acrylic pour’? Or learn how to use chalk paint? Or take classes to play the ukulele?

Maybe you’re looking for hand-crafted soap, felt flowers, essential oils, vintage clothes, a beautifully rendered fish mount, local honey, intuitive readings, or hand-made jewelry?

Are you amazed by animals? Then Sarasota County is a great place to be! We’ve got lots of local attractions where visitors can get up-close and personal with all kinds of critters, from tiny seahorses to fierce-looking lions.

Mote Marine Aquarium

Take a spin in our time machine, and plan an excursion filled with nostalgic charm from breakfast 'til bedtime

Ever have the urge to plot an escape to a different decade?

Maybe there's a tropical shirt in your closet that's screaming for a kitschy, oh-so-Florida tourist backdrop from the 1950s like flamingos or a tiki lounge? Perhaps you're in the mood for a sophisticated splash of Mid-Century Modern, or the Roaring Twenties sounds like the bee's knees.

Here's why you’ll want to visit Sarasota’s newest waterfront space again and again.

Need help finding a 2022 New Year’s resolution? Here’s an easy one: Visit The Bay – and visit often. Sarasota’s beautiful, ever-evolving waterfront attraction is a vibrant expanse of green space that draws locals and visitors alike.

There is a ton to do here, so resolve to visit often.

Here are five fun ways to experience The Bay in 2022.