Sarasota is a city on Florida’s Mid-Gulf Coast that was once the winter home of the Ringling Brothers Circus. Known for its nature, history, and cultural attractions, there are also a plethora of outdoor activities in Sarasota. The town motto, “where urban amenities meet small-town living” aptly describes the city which is the arts and cultural capital of Florida.
While the Ringling palatial complex is still a big draw – and rightly so, the majority of things to do in the area are undoubtedly linked to nature. With more than its share of stunning turquoise beaches, Sarasota beckons sun-worshipers to its shores, especially world-renown Siesta Key, commonly listed as one of the best beaches in the world.
Sarasota is a nature lover’s playground. Hiking and kayaking at Myakka River Park are superb, as well as strolling through Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
Even though the city is laidback like many west coast Florida cities, for those looking to add a bit of culture to their outdoor activities in Sarasota, the city offers two symphonies, an opera house, a world-class ballet company, sunset drum circles, local theater shows, many art galleries, and a slew of foodie opportunities.
Sarasota at a Glance
- Elevation: 16′
- Area: 24.08 mi²
- Population: 56,919
Here are our favorite outdoor activities in Sarasota!
10 Historical Walking Tour
Downtown Sarasota is such a vibrant spot to explore! In addition to the many shops, bars, and restaurants, there are also many historic buildings. Grab a map at the Visitor’s Center which numbers all the historic buildings. The self-guided two-mile walking tour highlights the fascinating architecture and history of downtown Sarasota.
9 Bayfront Park
Resting on Sarasota Bay at the edge of downtown, Bayfront Park has a picturesque marina filled with boats and yachts. If you look east, you’ll see the glistening Sarasota downtown skyline on the horizon.
The park is a great place for walking with the waterfront on one side palm trees, shrubs, and wildflowers on the other side. Amenities include fishing, picnicking, a children’s play fountain, and a playground.
8 Historic Spanish Point
Experience “old” Florida at Osprey’s Historic Spanish Point. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the site includes a walking tour overlooking Sarasota Bay and a range of exhibits from an archeological glimpse of prehistoric inhabitants to the homestead of hearty early 1800-era pioneers to the turn of the 20th century boom times.
The 30-acre parcel of waterfront land may be the most archeologically valuable piece of land in Sarasota County, inhabited by humans since 300 A.D. Records exist on the site from approximately 5,000 years of Florida prehistory from the Late Archaic period (5,900–3,200 years ago) to the Manasota and Late Woodland periods (3,200–1,000 years ago.)
Wild mangroves and Pine Flatwoods cover Spanish Point with live oaks, palms, red cedar, gumbo limbo, and southern magnolia trees.
Visitors can tour the packinghouse, chapel, graveyard, restored residences, gardens, fire pits, and pottery vessels for a glimpse into Sarasota’s history.
7 Siesta Key Beach
Siesta Key is one of the best-known beaches in Florida; in 2017, it was ranked as the #1 beach in the US by Dr. Beach and TripAdvisor has rated it as the #2 best beach in the US.
What makes Siesta Key is so fabulous is the juxtaposition of the shimmering, Caribbean-like turquoise water against the powdery, blindingly white sand. Comprised of 99% crushed quartz, the sand is both soft in texture and cool to the touch, even on the hottest summer days.
On the beach is a riot of color, from the multitude of sun umbrellas to the surrounding colorful bungalows and shops. Whether you choose to frolic in the water, stroll on the beach looking for shells, take a kayak into the calm waters, or rent a bike for a ride down the island, Siesta Key will not disappoint. Note that the beach does get crowded, so if you want a parking place, get there early.
After you’ve had your fill of the beach, explore nearby Sarasota’s picturesque downtown with outstanding upscale restaurants and boutique shops, take in the Sunday drum circle, or enjoy the spectacular sunset.
As you can see, there are plenty of things to do so here are the best things to do in Siesta Key!
6 Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Looking for a dramatic Instagram shot surrounded by vibrant flowers? Check out the rainforest garden, bamboo garden, Koi Pond, tropical conservatory, and mangroves at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
The self-proclaimed “living museum” is regarded as one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in Florida.
The gardens are the former home of Marie and William Selby, owners of the Selby Oil Company, which eventually became part of Texaco. After their death, in acquiescence to their wishes, the Selby home became a Botanical Garden open to the public.
Our favorite part of the park was hands-down the gigantic banyan tree with bridges, platforms, and treehouses going through the multitude of branches.
5 Myakka Park
Overlooking a tree-mendous vista, the tower view provides a panoramic window to a world of bromeliads and lichens, birds, and wildlife. The canopy walk was my favorite part, leading directly up to the viewing tower.
Myakka River State Park is one of Florida’s largest, oldest, and most scenic parks. It is named after the Myakka River and covers an expanse of 37,000 acres of vast unspoiled wetlands, Spanish moss-covered trees, prairies, lush pine forests, 39 miles of hiking trails, hammocks, and a treetop canopy suspension bridge with panoramic views of nature and wildlife below. Visitors may spot rare birds such as the “roseate spoonbill” (which you can only see in Florida), wood storks, and black-necked stilts. Oh, and did I mention gators roam freely?
Other park activities include horseback riding, nature trails for hiking, biking, boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and pontoon boat ride.
And don’t miss an airboat ride on the Myakka State River to spot alligators, the real “stars” of Myakka.
4 Beer Can Island
Beer Can Island, at the end of Longboat Key, is home to one of the most picturesque beaches in Florida. If you are looking for that spectacular Instagram moment, it’s here! The sunset panorama here is unmatched on Florida’s Gulf Coast, in my opinion.
The one-mile stretch of beach is unique is because of the dead, gray-weathered Australian Pine driftwood stumps that have fallen onto the white sandy shoreline and tropical turquoise water. The resulting landscape is quite dramatic.
Beer Can Island is a more interesting beach than other beaches on the Gulf Coast. Visitors frequently find lots of conchs, colorful seashells, and sand dollars onshore, and Manatees can often be seen in the clear, shallow water. In between the trees you can find tiny coves – a favorite romantic spot for couples.
It is alleged that Beer Can Island was created in 1939, during the dredging and construction of the Intracoastal Waterway. Over time, shifting sand and beach erosion have connected Beer Can Island with the rest of Longboat Key, transforming it into a peninsula rather than an island.
Parking is free (but limited and only at certain times) along one section of one road leading to the beach. We found a better parking option for Beer Can Island is to park at the Coquina Beach parking lot on Anna Maria Island, and then walk south across the Longboat Key bridge.
3 Caspersen Beach
The longest beach in Sarasota County, Caspersen Beach offers miles of natural, pristine beauty.
Known as the Shark’s Tooth Capital of the Worl,d Caspersen Beach has converging currents that leave behind shells, small rocks, and fossilized prehistoric shark’s teeth that become visible as the waters recede. Teeth from the giant Carcharodon megalodon sharks are triangular and generally range from 1/8 to 3 ½” long, are very hard, and are usually dark gray or black onyx in color.
Wannabe shark hunters can rent basket diggers and floating filter/shifters specially designed for finding shark’s teeth from Shark Frenzy, a small family-owned business in Venice, just a few minutes away. They are so nice – Brittany gave us some tips and a short film to watch to multiply our shark tooth hunting experience. Her passion was infectious – we had a ton of fun doing this activity!
Part of what keeps Caspersen Beach in its beautiful natural state is its dune restoration systems and Blue Wave Certification – a national environmental certification that keeps beaches vibrant, and healthy beach through specified steps.
2 Ringling Estate
National Register of Historic Places, the Ringling Estate is a must-do when visiting the Sarasota area. Sitting on the Intercostal Waterway surrounded by 66 acres of gardens, courtyards, and large banyan trees, the place where the Ringling circus was based is a large public campus where you can easily spend the entire day exploring.
Sarasota was home to one of the most outrageous and largest circuses in the world – the Ringling Bros. John Ringling, the most famous of the five brothers who ran “The Greatest Show on Earth”, moved the circus’ headquarters to Sarasota in 1929.
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is the official state art museum of Florida. Inside the museum are 21 original galleries, including exhibits from a variety of genres, including paintings from the European Old Masters and artifacts from all over the world.
John Ringling also built his dazzling palatial mansion here, the lavish “Ca d’Zan”, which means “House of John” in the Venetian language. The lavish Mediterranean Revival Ca d’Zan stands as a testament to the American Dream of the Roaring Twenties, and is now a museum and gardens open to the public.
There is also an extraordinary 42,000-piece miniature replica of the entire circus in action when it was at its peak in the early 1900s.
1 Mangrove Tunnels
For a unique kayak experience, head to the mangrove tunnels on Lido Key. From a launch site in South Lido Park, kayakers can paddle trail through a labyrinth of narrow waterways of shady mangrove canopies which create an ethereal vibe.
The mangrove ecosystem is both important and picturesque. Exposed roots anchor the trees in shallow water and along shorelines and provide a protected habitat for wildlife.
Be sure to be alert – dodging the low mangrove branches is required in some sections. If you get lucky you may even spot a few dolphins (we did!) and manatees along the way.
Big shout out to Bo, our terrific guide from Kayaking SRQ Tours who was a treasure trove of knowledge about the mangroves, wildlife, and the history of Sarasota. This was our favorite of all the outdoor activities in Sarasota!
Where to Eat
These were our five favorite Sarasota restaurants, in order of preference:
- Owen’s Fish Camp
- Cafe Evergreen
- Yoder’s Amish Restaurant
- Spanish Point Restaurant & Tiki Bar
- O’Leary’s Tiki Bar & Grill
All photos ©Kary Kern unless otherwise indicated.
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Disclosure: We were honored to be the guest of Visit Sarasota during our stay, but as always, the opinions, reviews, and experiences are our own.
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About the Author
Patti Morrow is a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick and southern travel blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor called her one of “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials” and she was named one of the “Top 35 Travel Blogs” in the world.
She is also the star of the upcoming TV series “Destination Takeover” which is scheduled to premiere in the new few months.
Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. She has traveled extensively through six continents looking for fabulous destinations, exotic beaches, and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer tribe.
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