March

There are several retail districts and ways to spend a day browsing and buying in Sarasota. 

Grab your bag and a pair of comfortable shoes: It’s time to go shopping. Whether you’re looking for stylish swimwear or hip home decor, you’ll find plenty of stores in Sarasota County with must-have merchandise. When you’ve had your fill of sun, sand and surf or simply prefer to find the local shopping center over the local beach, here are a few ways to spend a day filling your retail therapy cup. 

Looking for something to do tonight?

Those in the know will not always wish to share their secret beach spots so liberally — lest they become common and crowded — but we’ll let you in on a few of Manasota Key’s secrets anyway.

Manasota Key is a beautiful beach and eco destination south of Sarasota and Venice, where you can explore rarely beautiful and tucked away sections of beach and eco-habitat without the hassles of a well-hyped beach; no overcrowding, difficulty parking, and not even any of the occasionally long waits typical of busier beaches’ diners/bars for your po’ boy sandwiches and margaritas.

Sarasota is not only a haven for fresh Gulf of Mexico seafood, with many local restaurants serving the fresh catch right from the sea, but there’s also a special appetizer that is a perfect starter to your meal.

Take a Dip

Smoked fish dip, traditionally accompanied with Saltine crackers, is a tasty prelude to a dinner of local seafood made from the freshest catch.

Enjoy intimate encounters with animals of all types at Jungle Gardens, an animal menagerie and show extravaganza

One of the most popular shopping and dining districts on the Gulf Coast in St. Armands Circle, but the area has much more to experience. Check out five spots on St. Armands, Lido and Longboat key you'll want to stop at for a photo.

Preserving precious moments in photographs is one of the best ways to capture your Sarasota vacation. Need to find some extra special photo opportunities?

Here are a few to help preserve some of Sarasota's ultimate snapshots:

Sarasota County is a place for the muses. There's plenty of places to capture an iconic moment with a brush in a canvas in the area.

To the modern-day Monet, Sarasota is a heavenly muse.

After watching the final sliver of sun disappear below the Gulf, visitors to Sarasota County shouldn't hole up in their hotel rooms to wait for the next warm beach day. Whether you're a dance-floor devotee, a cocktail aficionado, or a live music junkie, Sarasota's nightlife will keep you up well after the sun goes down.

Learn more about how a sweet little Sarasota treat is made and where it can be enjoyed.

People might not be the only thing vacationing in Sarasota County. Thanks in part to our subtropical climate, which produces a beautiful range of colorful and attractive flowers, other little visitors seem to have their ears buzzing. Bees that is, and they leave us with a sweet treat that is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.