January

Step back in time and discover the Victorian-era, a golden age of botany, with Selby’s Secret Garden.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a wonderful oasis on Sarasota Bay. On any typical day, visitors can stroll through several gardens including a tropical conservatory, a fern garden, a banyan grove, a bromeliad garden, butterfly garden, fragrance garden and much more. This time of year, however, Selby Gardens has even more to offer with a special exhibit.

Pinecraft gives visitors a glimpse into a quieter lifestyle where the food is made from scratch, the pastimes involve no Wi-Fi, and everything is done with pride.

There is plenty of family fun to be had in Sarasota County. Enjoy a list of 11 activities featuring wildlife, physical activities and natural entertainment.

As any parent will tell you, on a vacation with children, it's clear who's running the show. Sure, you're the adult "making the decisions," but let's be honest: if the kids aren't happy, nobody's happy. That's why it's important to have a full arsenal of kid-friendly activities at your disposal.

Ranked no. 1 in well-being by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, Sarasota County is a great place to visit, work and live.

Never fear, you're never boat-less on Casey Key

It's the first thing you'll notice when you visit Casey Key. The water is gorgeous. One glance and you'll imagine yourself sailing, paddling, catching big fish, but then you'll remember—you don't have a boat.

Never fear, you're never boat-less on Casey Key. In fact, the hardest part about getting out on the water here is deciding how you want to do it. Want to sit under the sails as you glide along the water? Fly above the boat in a parasail? Or take a unique sunset tour? You can do it all right here on Casey Key.

The Suncoast BBQ Bash is an annual fundraiser on the Suncoast Foundation for Handicapped Children, Inc. (SFHC).  This two-day festival in Venice, Fla. is home to professional pitmasters and award-winning musicians.

How much would you pay to go to a festival with offering world-class barbecue, nationally recognized musicians, a boatload of family-friendly activities and more?

How about nothing?

Check out and see if your favorite pastime team is just a short drive from your Sarasota visit.

Sarasota County might be the spring training home base to the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves, but eight teams call the Gulf Coast Florida region from Fort Myers to Tampa their home:

We all look forward to the annual citrus harvest, including oranges, grapefruits, key limes, lemons and limes, but have you tried some of these lesser-known fruits that have been part of Florida’s citrus history for decades?

Honeybell, mandarin, tangelo, temple, sugarbelle, pink grapefruit, calamondin, lemon, lime … just some of the amazing citrus available in Florida, which has a rich citrus history.  

Sarasota's year-round sunshine and snow-free roads, balmy coastal breezes, and flat terrain are a bicyclist's dream come true. 

Whether you're a competitive cyclist or looking to take a leisurely ride with the sun on your face and the breeze at your back — Sarasota has you covered (in both the sunshine and the breeze department, we assure you).

Read more to learn where to rent wheels, ride the trails, and tune up your own ten-speed in Sarasota County.