Things To See And Do In North Trail:
- Check out the Sarasota Classic Car Museum to see vehicles ranging from 1800s classics to modern day motors.
- Pack your beach bag and head to Indian Beach Park.
- Try some of the local food at Antojitos Cuban Cuisine, Leaf and Lentil, or Huanchaco Grill Peruvian Cuisine.
- Have a drink with friends at the Shamrock Pub or the Bistro.
- Get out on the ocean for kayaking, swimming, or fishing.
Where To Stay In Sarasota Florida: The Best Hotels & Areas
Filled with beautiful beaches and cultural attractions, Sarasota is one of the top sun destinations in the United States. But with the popularity of this amazing Florida Gulf Coast city, choosing where to stay in Sarasota isnt always easy.
Located on Sarasota Bay, Sarasota is jam-packed with unique neighborhoods and islands. Different vibes all play out across the city. For travelers, the best areas to stay in Sarasota include Downtown, Rosemary District, Lido Key, Longboat Key, and Siesta Key. All these districts put the citys top cultural sites and beach vibes within arms reach.
Not sure where to begin your Sarasota accommodations search? Top off the perfect Florida Gulf Coast itinerary with this complete guide to the best places to stay in Sarasota, Florida.
Looking for more ideas for your trip? Check out our other hotel & accommodations guides and our Florida Travel Guide for recommendations on when to visit, where to go & what to do!
Celebrating Loy Krathong Festival In Thailand
The Main Bar Sandwich Shopon Main Street in downtown Sarasota is a long-time local favorite for lunch. Originally opened in 1958 by former circus performers, the restaurant still features the old circus photos they placed on the walls. A line forms here every day when offices and the courthouse take a break for lunch, so come early. The sandwiches here are loaded with toppings and will leave you wanting to come back for another one. The Main Bar is open for lunch, MondaySaturday. Low to mid-range prices.
A great place to eat either breakfast or lunch while visiting Sarasota is Millie’s. Millie’s’ reputation for a good, home-style meal is well-deserved. Their menu boasts a tempting array of omelets, pancakes, sandwiches, and salads, along with a host of other things. Everything my family and I have tried there has been excellent. My mother likes grits, and finding good grits while eating out is sometimes difficult. Millie’s grits did not disappoint my mother, however. This restaurant’s pancakes, eggs, and home fries are all cooked to perfection. The portions at Millie’s are more than generous, so if you decide to go there, go when you are extra-hungry! Millie’s is open seven days a week. Low to mid-range prices.
The Columbia Restaurant on St. Armands Circle.
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Peaceful Condo In Crescent Beach Midnight Cove
Though a little more inland than our other two options, Midnight Cove has a calm and quiet atmosphere that makes it the perfect choice for families. The beach is still within walking distance, and youre only a short drive from Siesta Key Watersports. The condo is arranged to let in plenty of natural light, and the dreamy balcony is surrounded by greenery.
Eating In Sarasota & Bradenton
Healthy options are plentiful in Sarasota with great lunch spots like Beauty of Sprouts and Mozzarella Fella serving up some incredible flavor combinations that wont pack on the pounds.
Indigenous is a must-try restaurant for a totally unique dinner experience. We also recommend stopping at and Selva Grill for dinner while you are in the area.
For those who arent as concerned about their diets, there are some really great options over in Bradenton. Full Belly Stuffed Burgers has some of the best burgers you will find anywhere, including one with maple bacon and peanut butter. Wow. Delicious.
Another great spot in Bradenton is Cafe Havana, which serves fantastic Cuban food.
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Sarasota Condos For Rent In Longboat Key
For a truly elegant vacation destination on the beach, opt for a beachside condo rental in Longboat Key, the northernmost of Sarasotas barrier islands. With manicured golf courses, lush landscaping, and discreetly luxurious condo buildings, youll understand why many of the worlds top corporate CEOs have stayed here. Renting a condo on Longboat Key will put you right on 12 miles of peaceful shoreline, though you may have to share that with hundreds of adorable nesting and hatching sea turtles, depending on when you visit. Amenities here can range from heated beachside pools and putting ranges to shuffleboard courts and daily maid service.
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Indian Beach Best Neighbourhood In Sarasota For Families
- COOLEST Thing to Do in Indian Beach Take the kids to explore the Childrens Garden.
- BEST Place to Visit in Indian Beach Sarasota Jungle Gardens for animals and animal shows in a tropical setting.
The Indian Beach area is a leafy, local area close to the beach. Its full of things to explore but is quieter than other parts of town, making it a great choice when youre deciding where to stay in Sarasota with kids.
With lots of attractions close by as well as a wide variety of accommodation choices, this area will keep even the most restless member of your family busy and active. Its also really close to the beach, so you can enjoy those famous sunset views!
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Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
These gardens are truly magnificent with different atmospheres and bordered by the sea. Marie Selby is a magnificent botanical garden with a large choice of plants, a restful place, a beautiful view of Sarasota Bay, and a small cafe to eat. Anyone who loves beautiful plants and a beautiful botanical garden should definitely come here. Everything is very neat and suitable for wonderful photo opportunities.
Located on Lido Key, close to Lido Beach, it is a very beautiful and picturesque commercial area, with amazing restaurants, ice cream parlors, and businesses. It is not far from the center that is accessed by a very picturesque bridge and in this place, there are in a very wide roundabout a large number of bars, restaurants and shopping places. It is worth visiting as there is a variety of food of all kinds, from expensive to very cheap, it is also without a doubt a place to watch the sunset.
Sunny Studio In Siesta Beach Sunset Beach
This modern studio is located right on the beach! Theres a private balcony space where you can enjoy stunning views of the coast. Inside, youll find a spacious kitchen and living area, with a calm and open bedroom to help you relax in the evenings. Beach bikes are available for hire, though these are shared with other studios in the block.
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Explore John Ringlings Floridian Roots
Whats the most iconic circus on earth? The top spot most definitely goes to Britney Spears sixth album, but the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is a pretty close contender. Though this once-mighty empire officially shut down in 2017 after almost 150 years of operation, its legacy lives on today at the Ringling Circus Museum. While costumes, props, and marketing material can be found in abundance throughout the museum, the most impressive display is hands-down the Howard Bros. Circus Model, an incredibly intricate scale replica of the Ringling traveling circus spanning more than 44,000 individual pieces.
Perched outside the Circus Museum, one of Floridas most coveted venues for art enthusiasts exists in the form of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Established in 1927, the cherished institution serves as the official state art museum of Florida, with over 10,000 different paintings, sculptures, and works of art all housed within its walls. And a couple of steps to the west, visitors can take a guided tour of the Ca’ d’Zan, an opulent Mediterranean Revival-style palace that once served as the winter home for John and Mable Ringling.
Where To Stay In Sarasota Florida
PLACES TO STAY
Budget:
- Sunrise Inn: It is a 2 star hotel and only 15 minutes from the airport and this is what makes it more chosen. It has free wi-fi facilities, free parking and laundry services. They allow pets and there is also a nice pool.
- Siesta Inn and Suites: It is a 2 star hotel and has free Wi-Fi facilities, free parking and laundry services. They allow pets and there is also a nice pool.
- Motel 6 Bradenton: It is a 1 star hotel and has free Wi-Fi facilities, free parking and laundry services. They allow pets and there is also a nice pool. Apart from this they have a spa as well as a nice gymnasium.
Mid- range:
- Best Western Plus Bradenton Hotel: It is a 3 star hotel and they have free breakfast facilities. Apart from this the usual free Wi-Fi facilities, pool, gardens, gym, spa, good rooms, clean interior, friendly staff are all plus points here.
- Holiday Inn Express: It is a 2 star beach hotel with a lovely setting inside a park and just a walk away from the beach. It has shops and restaurants just nearby and the facilities in here are very good.
- La Quinta Inn and Suites Sarasota: It is a 4 star hotel with all modern amenities and just a step away from the downtown area.
Luxury:
PLACES TO EAT
Enjoy as much of Italian cuisine as you want in this city. Tomatoes are the highlights of the city signature style of food. Enjoy the tangy tales to your hearts content.
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Playing In Sarasota & Bradenton
The must-see attraction if you are hanging out in Sarasota would have to be The Ringling Museum of Art. In addition to being a first-class art museum, there is also an enormous mansion that was once home to the Ringling family, the historic Asolo Theater, and the Ringling familys beautiful Bayfront Gardens.
Another popular thing to do is to spend a day strolling through downtown Sarasota. Here you will find a wide range of boutique shops with more interesting products than you can imagine.
While Sarasota has the fabulous art museum, up in Bradenton there is a whole community of artists who are still producing their best work! The Village of the Arts in downtown Bradenton contains more than 30 different studios and galleries to explore.
Bradenton also boasts a fantastic Riverwalk that is filled with exciting entertainment, shopping, and dinning all in one place.
If you are a baseball fan, you get the opportunity to double-dip every spring with the Baltimore Orioles calling Sarasota their Spring Training home and the Pittsburgh Pirates setting up shop in Bradenton for the spring.
With the combination of cultural attractions, great places to stay, and fantastic restaurants available in both Sarasota and Bradenton, you really cant go wrong with either destination. But since they are so close, why not spend some time in both places?
MOVING TO THE SARASOTA AREA IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?
Immerse Yourself In A World Of Orchids
For any budding botanists out there , Sarasotas offer the perfect jumping-off point into plant life. The journey begins with a trip to the 15-acre downtown campus, a verdant oasis thats mastered the delicate art of orchid-keeping with thousands of blossoms on display across the property. After buzzing with their beauty, head outside for a leisurely stroll along the Mangrove Walkway, a coastal path that showcases one of the states most fascinating ecosystems.
Havent quite had your outdoorsy fill? No worriesthe Historic Spanish Point campus offers double the acreage with some added historic flair to boot. This sprawling preserve invites guests to discover a wealth of antique artifacts ranging from the Guptill Housean old-school manor built in 1901to the Archaic Midden, an ancient archeological site that was inhabited by the indigenous Calusa people of southwestern Florida more than 3000 years ago.
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North Trail Where To Stay In Sarasota For Your First Visit
- COOLEST Thing to Do in North Trail Check out the farmers market on Friday and Saturday at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park.
- BEST Place to Visit in North Trail Centennial Park for picnics, a fishing pier, and a boat ramp in case you want to get out on the water.
North Trail is a strangely shaped neighbourhood. Its long and thin, running down along Highway 41, and contains lots of hotels, eateries, and low-key cocktail bars. Despite its size, this is one of the most popular areas in Sarasota among travellers.
This is where you stay when you want to be close to the beach and to enjoy as much of the ocean as possible. There are also lots of great attractions in the area making it one of the coolest places to stay in Sarasota if you want to see all of the citys favourite sites. Its proximity to the Highway also makes it ideal for Florida roadtrippers.
Crescent Beach Best Area In Siesta Key For Families
Roger Epps
Just south of Siesta Beach, Crescent Beach is a much calmer neighbourhood and a pretty safe travel destination. The white sand beaches and stunning panoramas are unspoiled by the tourist crowds here, making it an excellent destination to kick back and relax. It also provides a unique insight into local life if you check out the shops and restaurants in the area.
And for families? Well, Crescent Beach is not only a peaceful destination, but it also has a direct link to the mainland. This makes it a great choice if you want to take trips to other parts of the state while using Siesta Key as a base. The area is also known for its waterfront condos, a popular accommodation choice for families.
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Review Of Panera Bread
Good for:Dining options:Description:
This place is flippin awful horrible customer service & nasty ppl working here. 3 people standing around & 1 working. Stay away from this crappy place
1 – 5 of 128 reviews
I purchased a salad at this Panera location and while waiting for my food, I observed two employees take something out of the trash, then call over their manager to talk about it — all 3 employees handled the item that came out of the trash then went right back into the food prep area and back to work. Very unsanitary and irresponsible. Also, my salad had mostly brown, slimy greens in it, and I had to throw away most of it. Waste of money, I will never go back to this location.
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I saw this new item on the menu and I enjoy the bowls at Panera so I ordered it.It fell short in this reviewer’s opinion. The presentation is underwhelming compared to the Baja Chicken or Mediterranean. They seem to be bigger than this new one. Maybe it’s the assortment of ingredients that makes them look that way. This has three: chicken, broccoli and rice with a sweet Teriyaki sauce. I must say it tasted good, but part of me thought I’d go hungry after eating it.I may try it again to see if it was a fluke this time.
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Best Area To Stay In Sarasota
We have 1 weeks timeshare exchange to Calini Beach Club in Siesta Key and have a search on for another week in the same place. If we dont get the other exchange we are considering staying a week in Sarasota.
Wed like to be in walking distance to Main Street where Ive read theres lots of places to visit and things to do. Ive seen a few places on Laurel Street and Burns Court areas and would be grateful for advice on these and other areas that would suit us. Thanks.
How much do you want to spend per night?
You could stay at the Ritz Carlton, the Hotel Indigo the Hotel Ranola and some private rentals. These are in walking distance to Main Street. Selby Gardens is also in walking distance. www.selby.org
What type of lodging are you looking for?
What types of things do you enjoy doing?
~SRQgirl
We dont want to spend more than $1000 inc tax for the week. Ive seen some beautiful properties less than this at the likes of Village de Pins but it seems a good bit farther from the centre. Southside Village is somewhere that looks interesting. Is that walkable?
We definitely want to visit Selby Gardens but suppose there will be a car park there if too far to walk. Wed like to have lunch in the city which would include wine hence the reason not to use the car. Id also like to go to any markets and other local events that are on while there.
Edited: 6 years ago
You will need a car to get to most places. Selby gardens has a parking lot as does Ringling Museum etc.
Thanks SRQgirl,
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Whats The First Thing I Should Do When Looking For A House
The first thing you should do before searching for rental homes is decide on an ideal budget. Consider how much of your income goes towards bills and what you have left over at the end of each month. Also, remember that when first moving in, you will need to account for at least a deposit and first months rent.