December

Whether visiting for the first time ever, or the first time in a while, this guide features new experiences each visitor will enjoy!

Shop and dine at the chic locations hidden in this quaint district along Hillview Street just south of downtown Sarasota

A mere mile south of downtown Sarasota, lies a sprawling neighborhood known as Southside teeming with families in both new and historic homes. This family friendly community has influenced the types of businesses that have settled in its commercial district, Southside Village. As a result, it’s an excellent part of town for the family to visit, offering a comfortable, walkable environment for all ages.

The crown jewel of Wellen Park – Florida's fastest growing master-planned community is CoolToday Park; the new spring training home of the Atlanta Braves. The state-of-the-art facility, which opened in 2019, is available for public rental when not in use by the team. Stadium features include seating for more than 8,000 spectators; a 5,000 sq. ft. press box; 2 umpire locker rooms; full-service suites, and Tomahawk Tiki Bar, an outfield patio and bar open daily year-round for lunch and dinner. Additional complex features include 6 major league practice fields with scoreboards, 50,000 sq. ft.

Covering over 35 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, Sarasota County is comprised of multiple barrier islands. 

Toast has become a trendy foodie favorite, and these local restaurants are among those executing this simple mix the best along Florida's Gulf Coast®

A long history of visual, performing, literary and, of course, circus arts has shaped a tiny fishing village into a cultural destination

Learn about Palmer's extraordinary agricultural innovations, her commitment to horticultural science and livestock-raising methods, and her savvy business acumen as foundational to the development of the Sarasota we know today

When the millionaire matron of Chicago high society, Bertha Palmer, arrived in Sarasota in 1910, she encountered a mosquito-infested, boggy marshland that most assumed was uninhabitable. What the savvy businesswoman saw, however, was a tropical paradise with potential to become lucrative land for farming, ranching and leisure.

Learn how the Greatest Show on Earth helped shape a sleepy fishing village into a cultural destination on Florida's Gulf Coast®

Get your steps in as you check off your list.