Sarasota, Florida, USA

Sarasota
With thousands of acres of parks, fishing, beaches and more, Sarasota has a whole lot to offer visitors and retirees.

A treasure trove on the Gulf

With a backdrop of stunning beaches and Gulf sunsets, the Sarasota area offers a treasure trove of arts, heritage and nature attractions.

Audiences flock to see professional performances while art and history buffs take journeys through time at fascinating museums and historical sites.

Place for wildlife

Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy fishing and boating in Sarasota Bay and enjoy wildlife in Florida's largest state parks. Sarasota has breathtaking landscapes, biking, fishing, hiking, camping and kayaking. It offers 114,000 acres of parks and preserves. And it is home to the Baltimore Orioles' spring training camp.

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Climate

Humid subtropical

Physical Environment

Beaches within 25 miles
Resort community
Town under 75,000 with vibrant main street

Culture

Local film festival
Local community theatre
Local professional symphony
Major public college in downtown
Local professional ballet
Active club/bar/music scene
Fine art museum
Ethnic restaurants

Politics

Moderate

Economy

$$$ -- Prices seem reasonable

Recreation

Biking, hunting, running trails
Public golf course
Downtown yoga studio
Year-round fitness swimming center
Nearby surfing

Infrastructure

Public squares
Safe bike corridors
Mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhoods
Working farms within 25 miles
International airport
Vibrant public transportation system
Lots of downtown living space

Health

Emergency medical services within 25 miles
Community swimming pool
Community senior center
University teaching hospital

Fun Facts

Circus town

When the winter headquarters of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus moved to Sarasota in 1927, the community was branded as a "circus town. "John Ringling built a Venetian-style mansion on Sarasota Bay and worked to position the community as "Florida's Cultural Coast." Ringling's mansion today is the famous John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, which houses a stunning collection of Italian and Flemish masterpieces.

Enjoy Indian mounds

Indan Mount Park shows off Florida's native plants, animals and a prehistoric Indian mound site that dates to 1,000 B.C. With great views of Lemon Bay, the park offers teriffic hiking, biking and kayaking.

Presidential visit

President George W. Bush was reading a book to school children in Sarasota on Sept. 11, 2001, when he was informed of the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.

Architectural leader

The Sarasota School of Architecture is a regional mid-century modernist architectural style that blends elements of Bauhaus and Frank Lloyd Wright's "organic" style. It's an adaptation to the area's sub-tropical climate and used a lot of newly-emerging materials.

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