Sarasota: travel tips and best time to visit

Sarasota on the Gulf Coast combines culture and Caribbean beaches in a special way. The circus king John Ringling made the city his winter home and left behind a magnificent legacy of an art museum, a circus collection and a mansion on the water. Right off the city, Siesta Key is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, known for its brilliant white, cool quartz sand.

The white quartz sand of Siesta Key near Sarasota.

The Ringling legacy

The Ringling brings together a significant art museum, the unusual circus museum and the opulent Ca' d'Zan mansion on the water. Half a day to a full day of art and history.

Siesta Key

The beach at Siesta Key is legendary: the finest, almost white quartz sand that stays cool even in the midday sun, along with shallow, turquoise water. Time and again among the best beaches in the USA.

St. Armands and the islands

St. Armands Circle is the elegant shopping and dining circle, and to the north Anna Maria Island beckons with a charming, quiet island world.

Die Höhepunkte von Sarasota

What you shouldn't miss.

1

Siesta Key Beach

Brilliant white, cool quartz sand and turquoise water, time and again among the best beaches in the USA.

Directions with Google Maps

2

The Ringling

Art museum, circus museum and the opulent Ca' d'Zan mansion, the legacy of the circus king.

Directions with Google Maps

3

St. Armands Circle

An elegant circle of boutiques and restaurants, ideal for a stroll.

Directions with Google Maps

4

Anna Maria Island

A charming, quiet island north of the city, with old Florida flair.

Directions with Google Maps

The big questions from the forum

What was discussed most on USA-TALK.DE, with the community verdict.

Is a longer stay in Sarasota worthwhile, or is it more of a stopover?

Opinions differ. Those who take a nice holiday home with a pool and enjoy the beaches of the offshore islands are happy to stay longer. Others feel there is little to see in the city itself and that the stay can be shortened in favour of Key West or Clearwater.

Practical tips from the forum

Concrete advice from travellers who were there.

A vacation home with its own pool and kitchen is especially worth it in Sarasota. Cooking for yourself takes the edge off the price, and once you're more than two people it gets really affordable.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

For nice nature and plant shots, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota is worth it, especially if you like to photograph.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Sarasota sits conveniently on the Gulf Coast between St. Pete and Fort Myers. Pick out the best beaches up and down the coast, from Siesta Key to Longboat Key and all the way up to St. Pete Beach.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Don't plan too many days in Sarasota. If you're short on time somewhere else, like Key West, trim a day here instead. The place itself doesn't offer endless things to do.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Voices from the community

What travellers experienced on the spot.

Sarasota is one of the west coast cities I visited again and again and find very beautiful.
from personal experience

On our day in Sarasota we went out to Anna Maria Island, that was really lovely again.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Maybe do two nights in Sarasota and put in a beach day at Siesta Beach.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

We liked Sarasota, the area is quite different from the east coast of Florida. There are many lovely spots to explore in the surroundings, and the offshore islands like Siesta Key and Longboat Key are quickly reached by car.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Through a provider we booked a whole house in a quiet area of Sarasota: three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large open kitchen, a covered terrace, a pool and WiFi. Nicely furnished and super clean. I would take it again any time, from there you can make trips in every direction.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Sarasota was quite nice, but you could have skipped it too. There was not all that much to see. On the same trip we found Clearwater Beach with its beautiful beach far more appealing.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Anyone who wants to celebrate Christmas the way the Ringling family once did should take a look at the Ringling Mansion Ca' d'Zan in Sarasota, a magnificent villa with a large Great Hall.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

The beaches on the offshore islands off Sarasota are among the most beautiful, above all Siesta Key. For a relaxed beach holiday on the Gulf Coast the area is ideal.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Have you been here? Share your impression

Your experience helps other travellers more than any glossy brochure. Every post is briefly reviewed before publication.

Climate through the year

Average temperatures, day and night. Large value °C, small value °F.

22°72°F10°50°F

Jan

23°73°F11°52°F

Feb

26°79°F13°55°F

Mar

29°84°F16°61°F

Apr

31°88°F20°68°F

May

33°91°F22°72°F

Jun

33°91°F23°73°F

Jul

33°91°F23°73°F

Aug

32°90°F23°73°F

Sep

29°84°F19°66°F

Oct

26°79°F15°59°F

Nov

23°73°F11°52°F

Dec

Map with viewpoints

Park, entrances and the best viewpoints at a glance.

Loading the map transfers data (including your IP address) to OpenStreetMap.

Distances and driving times

How far it is to the key places nearby.

From	Distance	Drive time
St. Petersburg	37 mi (60 km)	approx. 0.75 hrs
Tampa	60 mi (95 km)	approx. 1.25 hrs
Fort Myers	70 mi (110 km)	approx. 1.5 hrs
Orlando	125 mi (200 km)	approx. 2.25 hrs

Where to stay

Right in the middle of things, or cheaper a bit further out.

Siesta Key

on the beach

Right on the white sand, ideal for beach days, popular and not cheap.

Downtown

central

Close to culture, restaurants and the bay, well connected.

Lido and St. Armands

elegant

A stylish location between the beach and St. Armands Circle.

Insider tips and common mistakes

What was worth it and what to skip.

Insider tips

Siesta Key early in the morning or at sunset, that is when the white sand is loveliest and it is emptier.
Plan in The Ringling for art and the unusual circus museum.
Make a side trip to Anna Maria Island, quiet, old Florida.

Common mistakes

Seeing only the beach, the Ringling legacy is unique.
Driving to the full Siesta Key parking lot at peak time on the weekend.
Underestimating the heat and thunderstorms in high summer.

Photos

Click to enlarge.

Videos

The video loads from YouTube only when you click. No data flows before that.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Siesta Key so famous?

For its extremely fine, almost white quartz sand that stays cool, and the shallow, turquoise water. Often ranked number one among US beaches.

What is The Ringling?

The estate of the circus king John Ringling, with an art museum, circus museum and an opulent mansion on the water.

How many days for Sarasota?

Two, one for the beach and one for culture, gladly more for the islands all around.

Does Sarasota combine well?

Very well with St. Petersburg and Tampa to the north and Fort Myers to the south.

Nearby

Easy to combine on a road trip.

Sunshine City

Florida

St. Petersburg

The Dalí Museum, a playful pier and some of the finest Gulf beaches.

Fort Myers

Edison's winter estate, palm-lined beaches and the gateway to Sanibel.

Tampa

Busch Gardens, Cuban Ybor City and Florida's lively Gulf Coast metropolis.

Sarasota

The Ringling legacy

Siesta Key

St. Armands and the islands

Die Höhepunkte von Sarasota

Siesta Key Beach

The Ringling

St. Armands Circle

Anna Maria Island

The big questions from the forum

Is a longer stay in Sarasota worthwhile, or is it more of a stopover?

Practical tips from the forum

Voices from the community

Have you been here? Share your impression

Climate through the year

Map with viewpoints

Distances and driving times

Where to stay

Siesta Key

Downtown

Lido and St. Armands

Insider tips and common mistakes

Insider tips

Common mistakes

Photos

Videos

12 Things in Sarasota

Siesta Key Travel Guide 4K

Top 10 in Sarasota

The Ringling, the Guide

Frequently asked questions

Nearby

St. Petersburg

Fort Myers

Tampa