While it’s been long known as a vacation destination thanks to its pristine beaches and abundant golfing, Sarasota’s permanent residents have discovered a wide range of arts and cultural opportunities. Museums, performing arts centers with world class ballet, theater, opera and classical music, and outdoor festivals are just some of the attractions you can enjoy in Sarasota.
Locations & Attractions
Here’s just some of what you can expect here in Sarasota Bay:
Sights
- The Sarasota Ballet, featured in The New York Times, and the Gulf Coast of Florida’s first professional ballet company
- The Asolo Repertory Theatre, Florida’s oldest theater company
- John and Mable Ringling’s Museum of Art, with the most significant collection of Baroque art in the South
- Public art galleries and installations all throughout the Sarasota area
Sounds
- The Sarasota Opera House, with its famed Verdi Cycle productions, as well as Carmen and Madame Butterfly
- The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, set along the beautiful bayfront and hosting the Sarasota Orchestra, as well as a variety of music, dance, theater and comedy since 1970
- The Sarasota and La Musica chamber music festivals, featuring a handful of the world’s top musicians
Destinations
- St Armands Circle, with 140 unique shops, galleries and restaurants
- Mote Marine Aquarium, offering touch pool experiences and high-tech interactive exhibits
- One of Sarasota’s many beautiful golf courses, including The Meadows Country Club and Tatum Ridge Golf Links
- Marie Selby’s Botanical Gardens, located directly across the bay from Plymouth Harbor
Restaurants
- Lila, an environmentally friendly and vegan-inspired restaurant
- Veronica Fish & Oyster, one of the top seafood restaurants in the Sarasota area
- Sage, a downtown standout with worldly cuisine and inspired cocktails.
- Indigenous, owned and operated by Steve Phelps, one of the area’s top chefs for more than a decade