I’ve lived in Florida for more than 40 years and, except for the panhandle, have traveled up and down and throughout the state many times for various reasons and occasions. As much as I love to travel to Europe, France being my favorite destination of all, I do so much enjoy some of the Sunshine states cities, towns and coastal regions very much and I would never say no to my husband if he says to me one day, let’s get in the car and drive to such and such a place…he knows my favorites and shares the same feeling about a few of them….One that we both enjoy visiting very much is Sarasota…
These are my top five reasons that Sarasota is so special to me: well, actually Six…
Number One:
Sarasota is called the “Cultural Coast” for many good reasons, for those so inclined you can hear symphonies, operas and watch dancers perform my favorite of all dances, the Ballet, since Sarasota has its own ballet Company… most of these performances’ take place in the newly built Van Wezel Performing Arts Center…We’ve been fortunate to have been in town once to catch a performance of Swan Lake…*sigh* what a thrill that was. Our tickets weren’t that great since it was last minute but still, a rare treat.
Number Two:
Many flock to Sarasota for the beaches, where the off shore islands or keys as they call them, Casey, St. Armond, Lido, Siesta and Longboat are considered some of the best beaches in America, with broad fine stretches of sand, over 35 miles of them, bordering the aquatic blue waters of the Gulf…These beach resorts offer many types of hotels in every price range and Siesta is also noted as an art colony with many talented writers, painters and other artsy folks living there year round…these beaches can be pristine, quiet and lovely at times, yet very overpriced and overcrowded during other seasons of the year. Before planning a tripto Sarasota it is essential to check just what events are going on during the dates you want to visit…as for me I would never go there during spring break!
Number Three:
Back to the main land…In the city itself there are sights and attractions for every member of the family... I’ve always had a love for the circus, since I was a little girl and used to go to the circus with my uncle who was involved with Ringling Bros back in the day when the circus was held in the “big TopTents” ….So it’s a no brainer that one of my favorite places in Florida would be The Ringling Museum… When John Ringling discovered Sarasota during the early 1900’s, while he and his brothers were still partners with P.T. Barnum and James A Bailey, he decided this would be where he would live so he and his wife Mable bought some waterfront property and built their home in 1912…it was smaller than the one they built years later on same spot….This new home was an extremely ornate estate, a palace was more like it…They called it Ca d’Zan…today it is open to the public and equals just about any similar type of palatial estate to be found in Europe…They filled this palace with artwork they purchased during their travels abroad and these works of art on display are comparable to what can be found in some of the smaller museums of the world…
Here you will find paintings by Peter Paul Reuben’s and other well known artists, there is a vast collection of antiquities and tapestries, as well as much of the furnishings that are considered works of art… Eventually a separate museum had to be built, John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art to display it all. It’s these tours that bring us back, I’m simply fascinated by the tour of their living quarters, so ornate, so beautifully designed…. but the sad thing is that neither one of them got to live there for very long…………. And lets not forget the gardens….Mable’s garden of roses is like a festival of flowers surrounded by walls and an ornate tower, with statuary everywhere…the highlight is a statue of Michelangelo’s David, overlooking it all…Much like the one in Florence except here the sun-kissed crystal clear waters of the Gulf can be seen just behind this unique handsome marble figure.
Number Four:
My next favorite is not far away actually, right on the same property, the Circus Museum just a short walk and you will find yourself viewing the fascinating memorabilia that made up those traveling circuses of a bygone era…those wagons with ornate carvings on them which make you wonder how they managed to travel so many miles with them, some that held the circus animals others where the performers must have lived…it tickles the imagination just thinking about it…you can also watch a performance of circus clowns, doing what clowns do best to the delight of audiences of all ages. Kids at heart, all of them!
Factoid… Sarasota was where the circus went during the off season and was it’s headquarters
Admission: $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and the military, $5 for students
Number Five:
As are so many people nowadays, I am a real nature freak…I love animals of all kinds with a special affection for creatures of the sea so it’s no wonder that the Mote Aquarium is on my top five list…This is truly a special place, located just between Longboat Key and Lido Key and very easy to find and visit….The Mote is a different type of Aquarium as it’s a non-profit working and research aquarium…. there are no shows to speak of, as in other water theme parks, but instead it’s main purpose is to do research about sea life, studying the ways and means of preservation and the protection of all sealife..we ,as visitors, get to interact with the researchers and the animals, up close and personal to see just what is being done to learn and protect those precious creatures…Walking thoughout the rehabilitation areas is truly eye opening, dolphins, manatees, sea turtles and more are there recovering from various wounds and injuries…and there are also interesting sights for the kiddies with aquariums and hands on exhibits to see and interact with as well as the largest preserved squid in the world on exhibit which is quite a sight!
So there you have it, my top five Sarasota sights, but, I do have to include just one more for honorable mention, another animal preservation spot,
Number Six:
Pelican Man’s Bird Sanctuary
Years ago, the Pelican Man, as he was called, took in injured birds to try to heal them, soon other birds were included, before he knew it there were Owls, Herons, Egrets, more than 30 species were being rescued and rehabilitated, thousands every year. Some were healed and sent back into the wild, others, too badly injured were kept and given this new home for the rest of their lives…as a visitor you can walk along a boardwalk, viewing these birds from a great vantage point without bothering them, it’s a wonderful opportunity for us see them this up close and personal….some of the pelicans are huge, almost as tall as I am….they act as if they are king of the world!
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Admission; Seniors (65+), (Adults $6, Seniors (65+),Children (6-17) $4 Children (under 6) (6-17) $4 Children (under 6) Free
Sarasota
Sarasota is certainly a treat for any and all visitors and has so much to offer. It’s a beautiful city, an exciting city and one that holds many different attractions for people of all ages and interests. Located on one of the truly unspoiled locations in Florida, the gorgeous Gulf Coast…….
One more thing to mention…shopping! St. Armonds Circle. this very unique shopping area was created back in the day of Ringling , is, as the name suggests, built in a circular design, located on the Key with the same name…it is here you will find fancy boutiques, some very expensive, other a little less so. Art galleries abound as do wonderful little cafes for a quick bite and some, a bit fancier for fine dining…whatever your shopping or dining pleasure, you most likely will find it here..
