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All Articles for : Sarasota
Ellenton, Bradenton and Sarasota
It's easy to see why this area of the state is often proclaimed as Florida's Cultural Coast. The choices are spectacular: world-class theatre, opera, symphony, visual arts and dance.
Tags: Bradenton, Sarasota, driving_tours, Tours_on_a_Tankful,
Run Away to the Circus in Sarasota
Whether you plan a visit around the Circus Sarasota schedule, try your own skills as a trapeze artist or visit the Circus Museums, you’ll be happy you didn’t just spend the day at the beach.
Tags: family, Sarasota, theater, museums,
Sarasota Area Beaches
The clear, warm waters along this gently sloping shore make for ideal swimming. The beach is hundreds of yards wide, and its crescent shape only adds to the picturesque quality.
Tags: beaches, Sarasota, Siesta_Key, Nokomis, Venice, disabilities_travel,
In Search of the Circus
Memories come flooding back when I see famed Ringling clown Lou Jacobs’ tiny car, hobo clown Emmett Kelley’s props, Harold Ronk’s ringmaster costume, the Zacchini cannon and the Wallenda high-wire platform.
Tags: Sarasota, family, museums, Venice, history,
Florida Shopping, Nightlife and Luxury
When I want to become part of the entertainment, I often check out Miami’s Studio, the biggest karaoke club in the world with more than 22,000 songs in 20 languages.
Tags: shopping, nightlife, music, hotels, Daytona_Beach, Tampa, Panama_City, Miami, antiques, Lakeland, Mount_Dora, St_Petersburg, Naples, South_Beach, Sarasota, luxury,
Florida Port Tours
Like marine ports, airports also offer tours of their inner workings and some even hold special open houses.
Tags: tours, Fort_Myers, Miami, Fort_Lauderdale, Hollywood, Sarasota, Bradenton, Jacksonville, transportation,
Wild Wanderings in Sarasota
You'll spot plenty of other wildlife here, too, from bobcats to deer to wild turkeys. Birders can check more than 100 species off their life lists, especially along the birding trail boardwalk – known as the Birdwalk – that runs along Upper Myakka Lake.
Tags: Sarasota, wildlife, nature, camping, aquariums, birding,
Art All Around Us
One of the oldest Colonial buildings in St. Augustine, the Prince Murat House, is named for Prince Achille Murat (Napoleon Bonaparte’s nephew) and contains antiques that have some historical connections to the Murat family.
Tags: architecture, Miami, tours, historical_sites, Pensacola, Seaside, Lakeland, Sarasota, Palm_Beach, Boca_Raton, Winter_Park, St_Augustine, canoeing, kayaking,
Winter Wonderland
With flame-red bougainvillea and hibiscus blossoms, green coconut palms hung with oversized bulbs and mistletoe draped in cypress trees, Florida flora puts on its own holiday display.
Tags: Walt_Disney_World, events, Orlando, theme_parks, Fort_Lauderdale, Sanibel_Island, Captiva_Island, Delray_Beach, Fort_Myers, St_Augustine, Vero_Beach, Sarasota, Ponte_Vedra_Beach, Jacksonville, Tampa, Busch_Gardens, Lake_Buena_Vista,
Out On The Town
Fernandina Beach’s 50-block historic district extends lace-curtain charm through 19th-century B&Bs, inviting boutiques and side streets that hold bell-ringer churches and museums.
Tags: Sarasota, Fernandina_Beach, Tallahassee, Tarpon_Springs, Delray_Beach, museums, history, historic_districts, culture, gardens, art,
Generation M (for Museum Going)
Imagine leaving your home forever to travel halfway around the world and battle the enemy in a strange land of alligators and dark-skinned giants.
Tags: Boca_Raton, Boynton_Beach, Fort_Lauderdale, Fort_Myers, Homestead, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Marathon, Miami, Naples, Palm_Beach, Pensacola, Ponce_Inlet, Sanibel_Island, Sarasota, Stuart, Tallahassee, Tampa, West_Palm_Beach, Panama_City, museums, family, St_Augustine, aquariums,
Ports of Call
Nature trails, safe harbors, cabins, tent sites, hiking and biking trails and miles of deserted beaches make this a must-see location.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Apalachicola, Captiva_Island, Carrabelle, Charlotte_Harbor, Coconut_Grove, Fernandina_Beach, Fort_Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Key_Largo, Miami, Panama_City_Beach, Sarasota, South_Beach, Venice, nature, parks, camping, hiking, biking, boating, fishing, St_Augustine, hotels, resorts, Sanibel_Island,
Birds of a Feather
The unique refuge was established in 1931 to provide a wintering habitat for migratory waterfowl and is one of the oldest in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Tags: Fernandina_Beach, Key_West, Merritt_Island, Micanopy, Orlando, Sanibel_Island, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Titusville, wildlife, trails, birding, St_Petersburg, parks, nature, Homosassa,
Insider Tips to Florida's Beaches
And lest we forget, it's beautiful! It continually makes several of America's Top 10 lists of best beaches based on sand, water quality and facilities.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Beaches_of_South_Walton, Grayton_Beach, Key_West, Naples, Palm_Beach, Sarasota, Sebastian, South_Beach, Venice, Vero_Beach, beaches, shelling, water_sports, snorkeling, romance, historical_sites, family, wildlife, surfing, sunsets, New_Smyrna_Beach, Daytona_Beach, St_Pete_Beach, birding, Ponte_Vedra_Beach, equestrian, Sanibel_Island, Hollywood,
Parrot Heads
This is a place of bikini tops and Bloody Marys for breakfast. Where the talk is about fishing, the weather and what port of call is next.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Fort_Lauderdale, Gulf_Breeze, Key_West, Marco_Island, Miami, Miami_Beach, Naples, Nokomis, Panama_City_Beach, Pensacola, Ponce_Inlet, Sarasota, South_Beach, St_Pete_Beach, Tampa, Venice, nightlife, beaches, resorts, hotels, dining,
Walk on the Wild Side
The grand sight of a whale splashing in the water is not usually associated with Florida. But northern right whales choose our northeastern coastal waters, almost exclusively, to give birth in winter months. They are among the most endangered species of large mammals in the world.
Tags: Big_Pine_Key, Crystal_River, Marco_Island, Naples, Orlando, Oviedo, Pensacola, Sanibel_Island, Sarasota, Sebastian, Tallahassee, Titusville, Vero_Beach, nature, wildlife, manatees, dolphins, Everglades_National_Park, Florida_Keys,
Malls with Style
International Plaza & Bay Street boasts the only Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom in western Florida and 200 designer and specialty boutiques, many exclusive to the area.
Tags: Fort_Lauderdale, Orlando, Palm_Beach, Sandestin, Sarasota, Tampa, Winter_Park, shopping, dining,
Gateway to the Gulf
Watch dolphins play in the boat's surf and jump alongside the boat, or follow ospreys, pelicans and herons as they break free from the mangroves.
Tags: Anna_Maria_Island, Bradenton, Cortez, Longboat_Key, Sarasota, beaches,
Music to Our Ears
All around the state, musical organizations recognize the need to build audiences.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Clearwater, Cocoa_Beach, Fort_Lauderdale, Fort_Myers, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Key_West, Lake_Wales, Lakeland, Miami, Miami_Beach, Mount_Dora, Naples, Ocala, Orlando, Palm_Beach, Pensacola, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, music, St_Petersburg, Melbourne,
Biking the West Coast
Henry Ford, the man behind the Model T, visited Edison's Fort Myers home in 1915 and liked the area so much, he returned the following year to purchase his own home.
Tags: Bradenton, Cedar_Key, Fort_Myers, Longboat_Key, Naples, Sarasota, Tampa, Venice, motorcycling, historical_sites, museums,
Cultural Celebrations
Where else can you hear Scottish bagpipes and an oompah band belting out polka tunes, while snacking on spicy Thai treats or a German sausage?
Tags: Bartow, Coconut_Grove, Eatonville, Jacksonville, Key_West, Miami, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, culture, events, history, festival, music,
A-Foot in Sarasota
Downtown has developed into a true city center, where people work, live and play. It encompasses diverse districts of antique shops, historic areas, gallery rows, an artist's colony, theaters, a neoclassic design library and heaps of restaurants.
Tags: Sarasota, shopping, theater, art, walking_tours,
Turtle Watch
All Florida beaches are potential nesting sites, but the greatest concentration of loggerhead nesting turtles lies on the east coast between the Canaveral National Seashore (Titusville) and Fort Lauderdale.
Tags: Boca_Raton, Fort_Lauderdale, Jensen_Beach, Melbourne, Naples, Palm_Beach, Sarasota, Sebastian, Titusville, Vero_Beach, nature, tours, beaches, sealife, Dania_Beach,
Gator Tales
Captain Martin maneuvered us into swampy areas where unsuspecting 'gators splashed into the water to the left and right of us. We were lucky: We saw at least a dozen 'gators during the half-hour trip.
Tags: Orlando, Oviedo, Sarasota, wildlife,
Sarasota: The First Word in Beaches
I lay studying this miraculous sand between my fingers. This indeed was the definition of sand, the definition all beaches aspire to.
Tags: Englewood, Nokomis, Sarasota, Venice, beaches, Siesta_Key,
Bradenton Beach Scenic Highway and Tamiami Trail Windows to the Gulf Coast Waters Scenic Highway
The Gardens offer visitors of all ages a wonderful learning experience and some truly incredible sights.
Tags: Anna_Maria_Island, Bradenton, Bradenton_Beach, Sarasota, museums, zoos, Scenic_Highway, driving_tours,
Secrets of the Shoreline
The scenery offers jungle-like surrounding where you and your family can swim with manatees, soak up the sunshine, hunt for fossils, or picnic on white-sand beaches.
Tags: Bradenton, Longboat_Key, Sarasota, Tampa, nature, tours, canoeing, wildlife,
Trail of Florida's Indian Heritage
Our archaeological heritage is a legacy that we are privileged to experience and obligated to protect. It is a link to people and cultures that are mostly extinct, as well as to the vibrant native cultures of the present.
Tags: Bradenton, Brooksville, Clewiston, Crystal_River, Gainesville, Sarasota, Tampa, Weeki_Wachee, tours, St_Petersburg, museums, history, historical_sites, driving_tours,
Let Them Run Wild
We take in the beauty of the fertile marshes and prairie grasses that fill the wetlands, and marvel over the stunning birds passing overhead.
Tags: Sarasota, parks, nature, canoeing, biking, wildlife, camping,
Sun, Sand and Shopping!
Unlike beaches elsewhere that are made up of coral, quartz and shell fragments, Siesta's sand is 99% quartz.
Tags: Sarasota, Venice, shopping,
City Profile: Sarasota
Several fine restaurants and ice cream parlors also line the circle. A horse-drawn carriage ride around the circle is the perfect evening treat.
Tags: Sarasota, Siesta_Key,
City Profile: Longboat Key
Longboat Key is an elegant and scenic environment offering a rare combination of breathtaking beaches and cultural activities with a relaxed and elegant lifestyle.
Tags: Longboat_Key, Sarasota,
Bradenton, Pine Island, Punta Gorda and Sarasota
This area is known for its breathtaking natural beauty and unspoiled views and vistas found in the broad sweeps of white sand beaches on Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key.
Tags: Anna_Maria_Island, Bradenton, Charlotte_Harbor, Longboat_Key, Port_Charlotte, Punta_Gorda, Sarasota, parks, museums, art, driving_tours, nature, Tours_on_a_Tankful,
Art Safari
Thousands of visitors go to St. Petersburg specifically to pay homage to this eccentric artist and to explore in depth his amazing vision of the world. And with so many of his great works to appreciate, take your time and dally a little.
Tags: Boca_Raton, Fort_Lauderdale, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Miami, Miami_Beach, Ocala, Orlando, Palm_Beach, Tallahassee, Tampa, West_Palm_Beach, art, museums, St_Petersburg, Sarasota,
Florida's Architecture
After building his masterpieces all over the world, the indomitable Frank Lloyd Wright left the largest single collection of his buildings in Central Florida.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Lakeland, Miami, Micanopy, Naples, Palm_Beach, Sarasota, Seaside, Tallahassee, St_Augustine, architecture,
Fish On! Homosassa and the Gulf Coast
Fishing from kayaks continues to grow in popularity, and it's no wonder: the quiet craft draw only inches of water, allowing you to sneak up on fish in areas that most anglers can't access.
Tags: Apalachicola, Cedar_Key, Crystal_River, Fort_Walton_Beach, Naples, Pensacola, Sarasota, Steinhatchee, Tampa, fishing, water_sports, Homosassa,
Florida's Performing Arts
When you have a yen for lighter-than-air dance, when you yearn for the beauty of form-made-fluid, a night at the ballet, and nothing else, will satisfy.
Tags: Gainesville, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Palm_Beach, Pensacola, Sarasota, Tallahassee, music, theater, culture,
Best Honeymoon Spots
If you've chosen a honeymoon or romance package, you may also find a hot drawn bath laced with rose petals, chilled champagne, chocolate truffles or a book of love stories atop your satin sheets.
Tags: Lake_Wales, Sarasota, Seaside, romance, spas, bed_and_breakfasts, resorts, honeymoons, Florida_Keys, theater, culture, Siesta_Key, Beaches_of_South_Walton,
Deep-sea Fishing
Just about everyone will catch their limit of snapper and grouper, and the pleasant thought of a savory fish sandwich back home makes the long ride back a little easier to handle.
Tags: Cocoa, Fort_Lauderdale, Islamorada, Jacksonville, Key_West, Marathon, Miami, Palm_Beach, Sarasota, Stuart, Tampa, West_Palm_Beach, fishing, Florida_Keys, sealife, St_Augustine, Daytona_Beach, Melbourne,
Sarasota/Bradenton Area
The Theater and Arts District encompasses theaters from experimental to opera. Art galleries are rife, particularly along Main Street and Palm Avenue, and trendy restaurants give the town a reputation for fine and innovative dining.
Tags: Anna_Maria_Island, Bradenton, Bradenton_Beach, Cortez, Longboat_Key, Nokomis, Sarasota, Venice,
Unique Dining
If you're in the Space Coast area, make a lunch date with an astronaut. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's Lunch with an Astronaut program is a popular dining treat for kids and parents alike.
Tags: Bradenton, Captiva_Island, Clearwater, Clearwater_Beach, DeLand, Fort_Lauderdale, Grayton_Beach, Hollywood, Key_West, Kissimmee, Lake_Wales, Miami, Miami_Beach, Orlando, Palm_Beach, Sarasota, Tampa, West_Palm_Beach, Ybor_City, St_Augustine, dining,
Hands-On Fun
The ultimate hands-on sea experiences take place where special programs allow you to swim with dolphins and other marine creatures as you learn about their behaviors and habits.
Tags: Boca_Raton, Boynton_Beach, Clearwater, Daytona_Beach, Fort_Myers, Gainesville, Islamorada, Jacksonville, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Marathon, Miami, Naples, Orlando, Palm_Beach, Pensacola, Sanibel_Island, Sarasota, Stuart, Tallahassee, Tampa, West_Palm_Beach, museums, family, nature,
Wildlife Calendar
Nowhere else can you see reclusive alligators, playful manatees and beautifully plumed water birds all in a single day.
Tags: Big_Pine_Key, Crystal_River, Gainesville, Key_Largo, Marco_Island, Melbourne, Merritt_Island, Navarre, Orlando, Sanibel_Island, Sarasota, Sebastian, Titusville, nature, kayaking, hiking, canoeing, wildlife, parks, Everglades_National_Park, dolphins, Florida_Keys, manatees,
Beach Events
Located at the Florida-Alabama border, the Flora-Bama Lounge, Package, Oyster Bar & Grill is well-known for its Interstate Mullet Toss and beach party, where participants toss mullets, a fish indigenous to the area, from Alabama across the state line into Florida. The fish-throwing is done in late April on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico.
Tags: Bradenton, Clearwater, Clearwater_Beach, Daytona_Beach, Fort_Lauderdale, Fort_Myers, Fort_Walton_Beach, Fort_Myers_Beach, Fort_Myers_Beach, Key_West, Panama_City_Beach, Pensacola, Sarasota, Venice, beaches, sports, events, sunsets,
Best Beaches For...
The grains are so fine, so white that you'll feel you are on packed sugar.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Beaches_of_South_Walton, Daytona_Beach, Estero, Fort_Lauderdale, Hollywood, Key_West, Melbourne, Naples, New_Smyrna_Beach, Palm_Beach, Pensacola, Ponte_Vedra_Beach, Sanibel_Island, Sarasota, Sebastian, South_Beach, St_Pete_Beach, Venice, Vero_Beach, parks, shelling, snorkeling, romance, historical_sites, water_sports, beaches,
Florida's Best Surf Spots
Florida's Gulf coast doesn't offer the surf of the state's Atlantic coast, but all winter, you'll find surfers lined up at the best breaks from St. Petersburg to Venice Inlet and all across the northwest.
Tags: Bradenton, Cocoa_Beach, Daytona_Beach, Flagler_Beach, Fort_Walton_Beach, Jacksonville, Palm_Beach, Panama_City_Beach, Pensacola, Ponce_Inlet, Sarasota, Sebastian, Venice, New_Smyrna_Beach, St_Augustine, surfing,
Seaside Swinging
With the waves lapping at the shore mere feet from the fairway, the 543-yard par 5 is undoubtedly the most challenging - and arguably most scenic - hole at Redfish Point.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Bradenton, Clearwater, Crystal_River, Longboat_Key, Miami, Naples, Orlando, Palm_Coast, Panama_City_Beach, Pensacola, Sandestin, Sarasota, golf,