Sarasota, Florida - An Introduction

by Jeff Bogle | More from this Blogger

There is a little slice of heaven located about one hour due south of Tampa. This place is ripe with first class accommodations, inventive cuisine, activities and shopping galore, perfect weather and miles of world-renowned beaches. Sarasota, Florida is a beach bum's paradise and an ideal family vacation spot.

Two airports - the Tampa International and the Sarasota-Bradenton, serve Sarasota very well and make getting into and out of the city quite simple and headache free. The main reason folks travel here are the 35 miles of pristine beaches accessible, many within minutes, from downtown Sarasota. Directly across the bridge from the center of town are the famous Siesta, Lido, and Longboat Keys as well as Anna Marie Island. Lido Key and the St. Armand's Circle district are our favorite, by far. The dining, shopping and ice cream shops wrapped around the circle provide the perfect excuse to never wander far, but the beach and the warm gulf water just a stones throw away are the real showstopper. Lido Beach is gorgeous and in the time we were there, almost always empty. There are no boardwalks, games or food vendors here. Just soft white sand and warm inviting water...just perfection!

The downtown Sarasota area is full of great, diverse dining spots, both upscale and Floridian (read: beach attire) casual. There is a wonderful organization here made up of independent, creative and outstanding restaurants and when you pay a visit to any one of them, you can be sure that you will be enjoying the freshest local ingredients prepared by individuals with a deep routed passion for their city, craft and business, as well as for pleasing locals and tourists alike.

The residents of Sarasota are passionate about their hometown. There is a rich progressive tradition here, as one need look no further than the expansive John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the Sarasota Film Society's International Film Festival held here each November, or the lush Marie Selby Botanical Gardens to see that this small community is alive and well in the arts and culture department.

We have visited Sarasota in each of the past two years, in September of 2005 and June of 2006. During our two stays, the traffic around the city and to and from the beaches was never heavy at any time of day, weekday or weekend. That is ultra-rare for a seaside location, as anyone familiar with typical beach town traffic knows. For example, Clearwater Beach traffic just 50 miles to the north can be rather frustrating. You will face none of that stress in the Sarasota area and that alone makes this an attractive destination.

Next month, look for A Sarasota Hotel and Restaurant Guide and A Guide of Things to do in Sarasota when it rains!

Been to Sarasota? Please share your experience, memories and tips!

Jeff Bogle is a Family Fun blogger. Check out his other blogs here.

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Additional Resources

Sarasota's Official Tourism Website

Sarasota Film Society's Cine-World International Film Festival - Official Website

Ringling Museum - Official Website

Learn more about Jeff Bogle

Jeff is married to a lovely redhead and is fortunate to have in his life an amazing young lady, age three.

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