Sarasota County
Things to Do
in Sarasota County
Sarasota County is Florida's Cultural Coast for a reason. From the quartz sands of Siesta Key and the galleries of downtown Sarasota to the historic streets of Venice and the remote shores of Boca Grande, this county offers a depth of experience that goes far beyond a beach vacation. Here is a local's guide to the best things to see, do, and experience.
A Local's Perspective
I have spent more than 30 years living and working across Sarasota County, and I never get tired of telling people about it. What makes this county special is not just the beaches — it is the variety. You can spend a morning kayaking through a mangrove tunnel in Nokomis, an afternoon at the Ringling Museum, and an evening watching a sunset over the Gulf from a waterfront restaurant in Venice. The communities each have their own character, and part of the joy of living here is discovering which one feels like yours.
Whether you are visiting for a weekend or considering making Sarasota County your home, this guide covers my top recommendations for beaches, arts and culture, dining, outdoor activities, festivals, and family-friendly fun.
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Beaches
Sarasota County is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Each one has a different personality, and knowing which to visit when is the mark of a local.
Siesta Key Beach
Consistently ranked among America's best beaches, Siesta Key's quartz sand is almost pure silica — it stays cool even on the hottest summer day and feels powdery soft underfoot. Arrive early on weekends to find parking. The beach pavilion has restrooms, outdoor showers, and a concession stand. Siesta Key Village, a short walk away, offers casual dining, ice cream shops, and live music in the evenings.
Best for: Swimming, sunbathing, volleyball, family outings
Venice Beach
Venice Beach is a certified Blue Wave Beach with a historic fishing pier, a lively pavilion, and excellent swimming conditions. The adjacent Sharky's on the Pier is a local institution for grouper sandwiches and sunset views. Head south to Caspersen Beach for fossilized shark tooth hunting — it is one of the best spots on the Gulf Coast for finding prehistoric teeth in the surf.
Best for: Shark tooth hunting, pier fishing, family beach days
Longboat Key beaches
Longboat Key's beaches are less crowded than Siesta Key and offer a more serene experience. The island is known for its upscale resorts, quiet residential neighborhoods, and excellent shelling along the shoreline. Public beach access points are well-marked along Gulf of Mexico Drive. The north end of the island near Longboat Pass is a popular spot for watching boats navigate the inlet.
Best for: Shelling, quiet relaxation, sunset walks
Nokomis Beach & Casey Key
Nokomis Beach at the south end of Casey Key is a favorite among locals for its laid-back atmosphere and excellent surf conditions. The beach is a popular launch point for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding through the mangroves of Blackburn Bay. Nearby, the historic Nokomis Village offers a few casual spots for breakfast or lunch after a morning on the water.
Best for: Surfing, kayaking, local atmosphere
Englewood Beach
At the south end of Sarasota County, Englewood Beach at Chadwick Park offers a family-friendly beach with picnic tables, a playground, and a fishing pier. The beach is known for excellent shelling and fossilized shark tooth hunting. From here, you can walk south to Stump Pass Beach State Park for a more natural, unspoiled beach experience with great birdwatching.
Best for: Shelling, picnics, nature walks
Boca Grande beaches
Gasparilla Island is home to some of the most pristine and uncrowded beaches in the region. Gasparilla Island State Park spans the southern tip of the island with miles of untouched shoreline, historic lighthouse, and world-class tarpon fishing in the surrounding waters. The island's Old Florida charm, with its golf carts and historic Gasparilla Inn, makes it feel a world apart.
Best for: Seclusion, shelling, fishing, Old Florida atmosphere
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Arts & Culture
Sarasota's cultural scene is the reason people call this Florida's Cultural Coast. Museums, theaters, galleries, and music venues offer year-round programming that rivals cities many times this size.
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
The Ringling is Sarasota's crown jewel — a 66-acre estate that includes the art museum, the Circus Museum, the historic Cà d'Zan mansion, and the Bayfront Gardens. The art museum's collection spans European paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts. The Thursday evening Art After 5 events, with live music and drinks in the courtyard, are a highlight worth planning your week around.
TheRingling.orgMarie Selby Botanical Gardens
Selby Gardens is a 15-acre tropical botanical garden on Sarasota Bay, renowned for its orchid collection and living canopy. The downtown campus includes a historic mansion, a banyan grove, waterfront gardens, and rotating art installations. The newly expanded campus makes you forget you are in a city. It is a peaceful place to spend an afternoon exploring the trails and greenhouses.
Selby.orgVan Wezel Performing Arts Hall
The Van Wezel's distinctive purple-shell design is a Sarasota landmark on the bayfront. The venue hosts touring Broadway shows, concerts, comedy acts, and special events year-round. The intimate hall means every seat feels close to the stage. The bayfront location also makes for a beautiful pre-show sunset walk along the marina.
Sarasota Opera & Asolo Repertory Theatre
The Sarasota Opera House is a historic venue that stages a full season of operatic performances from fall through spring. The Asolo Repertory Theatre at Florida State University's Center for the Arts is one of the largest professional theaters in Florida, producing a diverse range of classic and contemporary plays. Both punch well above the city's size and attract talent from across the country.
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Dining & Farmers Markets
Sarasota County's dining scene has grown significantly in recent years, offering everything from casual waterfront seafood shacks to James Beard-recognized fine dining.
Downtown Sarasota dining
Main Street and the surrounding blocks are packed with restaurants ranging from Italian and French to modern American and Asian fusion. The Rosemary District, just north of downtown, has become a dining destination in its own right. For a casual meal, head to the Old Salty Dog or O'Leary's Tiki Bar & Grill on the bayfront. For something more refined, reservations at Indigenous or Michael's on East are worth planning ahead.
St. Armands Circle
The Circle is a ring of shops and restaurants surrounding a central park on Lido Key. Dining options range from Columbia Restaurant (a Florida institution with Spanish-Cuban cuisine) to casual cafes and upscale seafood spots. It is a pleasant place to spend an evening browsing boutiques and eating al fresco under the banyan trees.
Venice dining scene
Venice's historic downtown on Miami Avenue and Venice Avenue offers a walkable collection of restaurants, cafes, and bakeries. Venice has a particularly strong Italian food scene, and the waterfront restaurants at the Venice Fishing Pier offer some of the best sunset dining in the county. The Venice Farmers Market on Saturdays is one of the best in the region.
Farmers markets
The Sarasota Farmers Market runs every Saturday morning in downtown Sarasota's Lemon Avenue, with local produce, fresh-baked goods, flowers, and artisan products. The Venice Farmers Market on Fridays is equally good. Both are genuine community gathering spots — the kind of place where you run into neighbors and discover new local food producers. Season runs October through May for most markets.
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Outdoor Activities
With more than 250 sunny days a year, Sarasota County is an outdoor enthusiast's dream.
Myakka River State Park
One of Florida's oldest and largest state parks, Myakka River State Park covers 37,000 acres of wetlands, prairies, and woodlands. Take an airboat tour of the lake to see alligators and wading birds, hike the canopy walkway 25 feet above the forest floor, or cycle the 7-mile paved park drive. The park is a highlight for anyone who wants to experience Florida's wild side.
Legacy Trail
The Legacy Trail is a 20-mile paved multi-use trail that runs from Sarasota south to Venice, following the former CSX railroad corridor. It is a fantastic resource for cycling, walking, running, and rollerblading. The trail passes through shaded canopies, nature preserves, and several small towns, with rest stops and trailheads along the route.
Kayaking & paddleboarding
The mangrove tunnels of Blackburn Bay near Nokomis, the calm waters of Sarasota Bay, and the shoreline of Casey Key are all excellent for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Guided eco-tours are available through several operators and offer a chance to see manatees, dolphins, and a variety of wading birds up close. Sunset paddleboard tours are a particularly memorable way to experience the coast.
Oscar Scherer State Park
Located between Sarasota and Venice in Osprey, this 1,400-acre park offers hiking and biking trails, a freshwater lake for swimming and fishing, and excellent birdwatching. It is one of the best places in the region to see the endangered Florida scrub-jay. The campground here is a favorite among locals looking for a quick weekend escape.
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Festivals & Events
There is always something happening in Sarasota County. Here are the events I circle on my calendar each year.
Sarasota Film Festival
Each spring, the festival brings independent films, documentaries, and filmmaker Q&A sessions to venues across downtown Sarasota. It draws talent that punches above the city's size.
Siesta Key Crystal Classic
An international sand-sculpting competition on Siesta Key Beach. Master sculptors from around the world create intricate works of art from the island's famous quartz sand.
Venice Sharks Tooth Festival
A spring celebration of Venice's reputation as the shark tooth capital of the world. Fossil exhibits, guided beach walks, arts and crafts, live music, and food vendors.
Sarasota Chalk Festival
Street artists from around the globe transform the pavement of downtown Sarasota into a temporary outdoor gallery. A visually stunning event that grows more impressive every year.
Sarasota Medieval Fair
Held each fall at the Ringling Museum grounds, this is one of the largest and most authentic medieval fairs in the southeastern United States. Jousting, artisan crafts, and period food.
Sarasota County Fair
A traditional county fair with rides, games, agricultural exhibits, live entertainment, and all the fair food you could want. Held each spring at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds.
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Family-Friendly Activities
Great options for families with children visiting or living in Sarasota County.
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
Mote Marine on City Island is a working marine research facility with a public aquarium that features sharks, sea turtles, manatees, and hundreds of species of marine life. The touch tanks and shark exhibits are a hit with kids, and the research mission gives the whole experience real educational depth.
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
A family-friendly attraction just north of downtown Sarasota with lush tropical gardens, flamingos, exotic birds, reptile shows, and a petting zoo. Interactive experiences like feeding the flamingos and holding a parrot make it especially engaging for young children.
Historic Spanish Point
Now part of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens' Osprey campus, this 30-acre site preserves prehistoric shell middens, a pioneer homestead, and a burial mound. The nature trails and butterfly garden make it an educational and scenic outing for all ages.
Sarasota Ski-A-Rees
Free water ski shows put on by a local volunteer club on Sarasota Bay. The shows run on Saturday evenings during the summer months and feature choreographed routines, pyramids, and jump acts. It is a classic Sarasota tradition that has been running for decades.
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Nightlife
From live music and craft cocktails to rooftop bars and wine rooms, Sarasota's nightlife scene offers plenty of options for a good evening out.
Downtown Sarasota after dark
Main Street and Palm Avenue in downtown Sarasota come alive in the evenings with a mix of wine bars, craft cocktail lounges, and live music venues. The Westin Sarasota's rooftop bar offers stunning views of the bay. For live music, check the schedule at The Blue Note or Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center.
Siesta Key Village
The Village is a lively hub of bars, restaurants, and shops just steps from the beach. Live music spills out of venues most evenings, and the atmosphere is casual and fun. It is a popular spot for both visitors and locals looking for a relaxed night out.
Venice Theatre performances
The Venice Theatre is one of the largest community theaters in the United States, producing a year-round season of plays, musicals, and special events. An evening performance here followed by dinner on Miami Avenue makes for a perfect date night.
Sunset cruises & bayfront evenings
Several operators offer sunset sailing and powerboat cruises departing from the Sarasota Bayfront Marina. It is one of the best ways to experience the Gulf Coast sunset with a drink in hand. The Bayfront Park and Marina Jack area are also popular evening gathering spots for a casual sunset stroll.
Thinking about making Sarasota County your home?
I have been helping people find their place in Sarasota County for more than 30 years. Whether you are looking for a beachfront condo on Siesta Key, a historic bungalow in Venice, or a waterfront estate on Longboat Key, I know the neighborhoods, the market, and the lifestyle differences that matter. Let me show you what living here is really like.