March

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.

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

Pop quiz – who's nearly 80 years old, has been to Folsom Prison, and performed on the Ed Sullivan Show in the 1950s? Johnny Cash? Nope. It's Frosty, the 79-year-old unicycle-riding cockatoo at Sarasota's Jungle Gardens. An animal encounter and show extravaganza, Jungle Gardens gives an up close and hands on approach to birds and reptiles, with bonus mammals thrown in for fun.

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.

Must Do Visitor Guides offers a catalog of the best attractions, culinary experiences, lodging options and much more throughout the Sarasota area.

Planning to travel to a destination can involve a lot of work. Between requesting work off, packing, figuring out how you are getting there and finding an accommodation, often determining what to do once you get there can fall far down on the list.

Longboat Key is the quiet neighbor to the hustle and bustle of Lido Key and St. Armand’s Circle. But don’t ignore it - there are plenty of things to be done in this beautiful strip along the Gulf.