2021

National Daiquiri Day falls on July 19 every year, and in a sunny beach town like Sarasota: there's no cooler way to celebrate than by sipping on some variation of this versatile, rum-based tropical cocktail with your toes in the sand, or tapping along to live music on the deck of a Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar.

If you want to ensure you see reptilian basking beauties, Sarasota can make that happen, be it in their natural habitat, at a protected enclosure, or in your arms.

“Attention students, the school is going on a limited lockdown due to an alligator traveling on campus.” This is no social media post, showing up alongside pictures of alligators climbing fences, lumbering through parking lots, and popping up on Ring cameras. This was my son’s middle school last year. His campus boasts a pond where science experiments are often conducted and it does, in fact, home a gator.

Siesta Charms

Your angelic white sand

Feels like paradise in my hands

You capture my gaze

Without letting go

In the morning I lay

Under the shelter of your sapphire skies

As your whispering waves

Bring life to my soul

SARASOTA, Fla. (June 21, 2021) – “If you built it, they will come”, and come they did for this year’s 16th annual Savor Sarasota. Chefs across the community developed special multi-course menus that their guests devoured quickly over a two-week period.

After 15 months of collective hibernation, it feels like the school bell has rung for the summer break and the entire student body is bursting through the doors, and the feeling of jubilation that we are FREE! 

For nearly a year and change we have had to alter our dining habits; instead of dining in restaurants, we ordered curbside pickup, delivery and to-go. We also donned chefs’ hats as we honed our personal culinary skills. The good news: with the rising number of vaccinations, the flood gates are opening and people are emerging from their homes.

Get out on the water or stay on dry land and learn about the animals, plant life and ecology.

Many of us have fond memories of school field trips when we got to leave the stuffy classroom and learn hands-on, often outdoors. You can re-create those days during your next Sarasota County vacation (without the permission slip and the grades!). Several area attractions and tour operators offer science-related, active educational experiences.

Enjoying beauty and art requires brainpower and good food. Fortunately, Sarasota’s museums and attractions have got you covered. 

From fancier dishes to casual bites and alfresco eats, Sarasota’s food scene has a table for every mood and occasion. If you’re looking for a side of art and culture with your meal, look no further than these eateries that share space with some of Sarasota’s most notable galleries, gardens and more.

Switch gears and roll into your niche - whether you’re a novice or expert, cruiser or trickster, Sarasota has parks and trails for any biker, skateboarder, skater, or scooter

MADE IN PARADISE

Luxury elopements are one of the newest trends in weddings, even if those elopements are in your own hometown. Asa Thomas, director of sales and marketing at Art Ovation Hotel, and Dominic Harris, a Sarasota Police Department detective, created their own luxury elopement here in Sarasota, with help from wedding planner Maria Brady of Choreographed Events.