April

From the beachside resorts to sidewalk cafes, dozens of hotels and restaurants in the Sarasota destination offer a first-class experience to travelers and their four-legged friends.

We believe that the best vacations are the ones that you can take with your best friend—so pet lovers may be thrilled to learn that wet noses and sandy paws are always welcome in Sarasota. 

Located on the Bay in Downtown Sarasota, Bayfront Park features everything a person could want in Florida. 

There is a place, a place in Sarasota, where you can do everything at once. Pretty much anything a person can think of doing – from the casual, do nothing day to the adventurous night – is in this one place. Not a place where coordinating schedules and driving directions are needed; nay, this delightful place has it all within walking distance. Lazy walking distance, not New York City walking distance. Half a mile from farthest point to farthest point.

You can get to know North Port in so many adventurous and challenging ways, but here are just a few options to get you started.

For those who enjoy exploring a new, up-and-coming Florida community, the city of North Port is located in Sarasota County between Tampa and Fort Myers. The Southwest Florida city is tucked beneath a thick oak and pine canopy and is rich with archaeological history, beautiful natural springs and more than 95 miles of freshwater canals.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, people of all ages, welcome to the home of John Ringling, owner of the ‘greatest show on earth.' From traditional to modern, indoor to out, somber to whimsical, The Ringling – with its Art Museum, Circus Museum, Ca' d'Zan, and Bayfront Gardens – has plenty for anyone to ooh and aah over.

If the waves are big enough to surf, wakeboard can be a fun alternative. Learn more about the sport and where to rent and ride wakeboards in Sarasota County.

Take a dip in the warmer side of the pond: Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast has a tropical climate and some of the best beaches in the world.

Whether visiting for the first time or the tenth, there’s plenty to do in this American coastal destination. Enjoy five sun-soaked suggested activities while vacationing in Sarasota County:

First Stop: Siesta Beach on Siesta Key

If you’ve heard of Sarasota, then its more than likely you’ve heard of Siesta Beach.

We began planning our Sarasota wedding from New York City. We did our research and we considered everything from luxurious, all-inclusive spots to warm, sand-in-your-toes beach weddings. But we imagined a one-of-a-kind place that we could dress up with meaningful touches--bowls of oranges in honor of our citrus hometowns, books as favors--and that recalled the jazzy literary elegance of Fitzgerald. We realized early on that our greatest challenge would be choosing which of the many romantic and historic sites with stunning Gulf and bay views we wanted.

Lawn bowling is a challenging yet enjoyable outdoor sport that continues to grow in popularity. Discover more about this engaging activity and learn how to participate at the Sarasota Lawn Bowling Club.

Often mistaken for bocce ball, lawn bowling is a distinct sport with its own unique characteristics. Played on a flat, rectangular green made of natural grass or artificial turf, the objective is to roll biased balls (“bowls”) toward a smaller target ball known as the “jack.” The bias in the bowls causes them to curve as they roll, adding a strategic element to the game.

Hunting for fossilized shark teeth is a treasured Sarasota County pastime, and the best place to find them is along the coastline of Venice, Florida.

It's a picture-perfect morning on Southwest Florida's Venice beach, as the cloudless royal blue sky meets the far-off horizon. The emerald-green Gulf of Mexico gently laps onto the sandy shoreline, and a few barefooted beachcombers are off in the distance, searching for the discarded teeth of the ocean’s infamous hunters.