February

Venice, Florida, abounds with biking opportunities from the novice to the pro, training wheels to speed bikes, and everything in between

A half-dozen rosy ideas to get you started planning your couple's vacation

Chocolates, flowers, stuffed animals and candied hearts. These and more are all things iconic of puppy love. However, for you and your loved one, your relationship has grown deeper and deserves more dedication than a card with a few words. You want to give a romantic gesture they will remember forever. There is perhaps no act that’s more personal and experiential than running off to a getaway. A trip is a break from the stress and hassle of everyday life to enjoy one another’s company and love.

There is quite the wide variety of attractions in Sarasota on Florida's Gulf Coast, and we've drawn up a shortlist of some our favorites.

Whether it is an afternoon on the mini golf course or an evening on a sunset cruise, there is an entertainment option for every taste, age and pace in Sarasota County.

Get on the green with Lawn Bowling, Croquet, Badminton, Pickle Ball

In addition to our many diverse tennis facilities, Sarasota County is home to a many active boutique sport clubs, including lawn bowling, croquet, badminton and pickle ball. Each club utilizes and maintains its own facilities and plays an integral role in hosting regional, national and international events.

Sarasota's beautiful landscapes and year-round sunshine lend itself perfectly to a form of artwork known as plein art painting (simply "painting in the open air"). 

It's easy to see why Sarasota is home to so many aspiring and acclaimed artists — with inspiration everywhere you turn and landscapes so picture-perfect, they're begging to be paint

Sarasota is known as Florida’s Cultural Coast® because of its abundance of performances, galleries and more packed into a relatively small geographic area. Learn about all the cultural offerings in this beautiful beach community

Discover your artistic side with a trip to one of Sarasota’s many performing arts venues or art galleries.  There is something new to see every week in the arts and culture world of this Gulf Coast destination.

This outdoor swimming and aquatics facility features a 50 meter competition pool and additional warm-up area.

Combine exercise, fun and sightseeing in one. Whether you're a competitive cyclist or just looking for a leisurely bike ride, you'll find what you need in Sarasota.

There are many different ways to experience Sarasota County; the best way, though, is on a bicycle. Whether you're looking for bike rentals in Venice Beach, cycles on Siesta Beach, or rides through Sarasota, here's the scoop on where to get the bikes and where to take them. 

Here you will find the latest information on severe weather, beach conditions and other travel alerts that may impact your visit to Sarasota County. 

Red Tide 

Red tides have been documented along Florida's gulf coast since the 1840s.

• The Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, produces a toxin that may kill marine animals and affect humans.
• A red tide bloom is a higher-than-normal concentration of a microscopic alga (plant-like organisms).