Sarasota Lifestyle
There's More to Sarasota Than Its Beaches!
Florida's "Cultural Coast"
With its professional theaters, symphonies, ballet and opera, Sarasota County is known as Florida's "Cultural Coast." We're home to more than 30 art galleries, artist communities, the Ringling Museum of Art,and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The arts community here surpasses that found in counties five or six times the size of Sarasota.
Sarasota County Cultural Attractions
Sarasota Arts Council
Circus Sarasota
Museum of Asian Art
Florida West Coast Symphony
Sarasota Ballet of Florida
Sarasota Opera
Asolo Center for Performing Arts
Florida Studio Theatre
Golden Apple Dinner Theatre
Sarasota Film Festival
For information on specific Sarasota events, visit www.sarasota.com for a detailed monthly calendar. It's quite comprehensive and lists all events on a day-by-day basis. Check out our blogs and social media listings too.
Out and About
You'll be amazed at the natural beauty you'll observe canoeing or kayaking South Lido Park's canal through thick mangroves, or exploring marine life while cruising Sarasota Bay. View wild tropical foliage along the new Canopy Walk at Myakka River State Park, or picnic in Oscar Scherer State Park. Test yourself with windsurfing lessons, parasailing, or fishing. Try out a great tennis court, and don't miss the opportunity for an autograph when Major League Baseball starts spring training.
Days on the Greens
With more than 80 courses sprinkled throughout the county, golfers love Sarasota as courses here challeng all levels of play and budgets. Readers of top publications have included many of the area's courses in the Top 20 Southwest regional golf courses and the top 100 places to play in the entire state. If you want to improve your game, there are top instructors available too.
Boating
With thousands of pleasure boats -- sailboats to speedboats -- registered in Sarasota County, boaters take to the area waterways. Public boat ramps are located all through the county, often serving as the launching spots for boat parades and sailboarding. The annual Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix Festival attracts thousands of speedboat racing enthusiasts to the area each July.
Fishing
Game or otherwise, you'll find plenty of good fishing here. Snook, redfish, kingfish, trout, amberjack, mahi-mahi, and grouper can be found hiding in the mangroves. Into the Gulf of Mexico, big-game tarpons cruise our deep waters. "Anglers can find a bounty of fish whether they drop their lines from a dock, boat, bridge, jetty, beach, or public pier. Snook, Florida's official game fish, is the most sought-after catch in the state."
Even More to Explore
Kids love getting a closeup view of sea critters at Mote Aquarium or especially the flocks of shrimp-pink flamingos and entertaining reptile and bird shows at Sarasota Jungle Gardens. Be amazed by the interactive science exhibits at GWIZ. Lean about our local history at Historic Spanish Point and explore its 4,000-year-old ancient Indian settlement. Or spend a day at world-class Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, a wonderland of tropical plants and over 6,000 orchids.
Tennis Facilities
There are literally hundreds of tennis facilities, racquet clubs and tennis resorts in our area. Home to IMG Academies, the world's largest sports center and the training ground of Andre Agassi, the Williams sisters and 2004 Wimbledon Champion and 2006 Women's Champion US Open Maria Sharapova, tennis has made a name here.
Education
Our public schools are top-ranked in the state and the area is also home to nationally recognized institutions of higher learning. There are also unique opportunities for adults who wish to continue their education.
Great reason to buy Sarasota real estate: Sarasota Weather
The weather is ideal. With an average annual temperature of 74 degrees, the area has near perfect weather all year long. The temperature of the gulf water ranges from 60 degrees in the winter months to the low 90s at its warmest in the summer.
Average Annual Rainfall: 57.11 inches, mostly during the summer afternoon.
Don't forget Sarasota Beaches. For complete information on the Sarasota lifestyle, visit our resource on arts and culture, events, real estate, health and beauty and more. Florida is a wonderful place to live, work and play.
