Bordered on the west by a sugar sand paradise that is routinely rated as one of the best beaches in the United States and home to world renowned cultural venues, Sarasota, Florida will sing to your traveling soul. From the rustic to the refined, Sarasota has something to offer everyone, while also maintaining a particular cultural uniqueness that stands out among the Sunshine State’s abundant attractions. Visitors are drawn back to Sarasota again and again.

Before the turn of the 20th century, Sarasota was a transient place—little more than a wide spot on the road between Tampa and Fort Myers. Spanish explorers, Seminoles, cow hunters, orange farmers, ranchers, pioneers and pirates all held the land at one time or another, but none were able to tame it.  

Then, in the early 1900s Scottish noble John Gillespie, built the Desoto Hotel and America’s first golf course. Gillespie was elected the first mayor of Sarasota, and the town became a magnet for aristocrats and artisans. In 1910, Bertha Palmer, the widow of Chicago developer Potter Palmer, built vast gardens on her winter estate, which has become the historic Spanish Point.  Bertha also purchased a 30,000-acre ranch in eastern Sarasota that is now one of the largest parks in the state, Myakka River State Park.

But you cannot speak of Sarasota’s history without confronting the elephant in the room —you know, the one standing on its hind legs with a sequined blonde on its back.  Sarasota is the world headquarters for the “Greatest Show On Earth.”  In fact, for many who frequent this diverse Gulf Coast vacation spot, Sarasota is as close as they will ever get to running away with the circus.

But clowns, acrobats and fabled feats of the fantastic are not all that Sarasota has to offer. Artisans, patrons, and aficionados of visual and performing arts have been carving out a sizable piece of the landscape for themselves for a century.  

Incredibly, these two cultural extremes have blended together to create an environment that is an undeniable aesthetic feast. Who is the founding father of Sarasota’s extraordinarily eclectic tradition?

John Ringling.

In 1927, Ringling literally brought the circus to town and forever changed the face of this waterside heaven on earth. The undisputed king of the big top revered all artistic expression, from the gaudy to the refined. While his shows of spectacle enthralled audiences all over the world, Ringling was developing a more refined taste as he collected countless works by some of Europe’s finest masters from his travels. He brought artists and performers across the Atlantic to introduce them to the burgeoning Gulf Coast town that he and wife, Mable, had made their home. 

Sarasota became the winter refuge of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, a social-cultural heritage that is alive and well over eight decades later.  The circus culture ran deep, giving birth to summer camps, communities and even a clown college.  This last institution was no laughing matter.  Some have said it was more difficult to get accepted to Ringling’s Clown College than to the Ivy League.  The Clown College closed in 1997, but The Museum of the Circus allows you to relive “The Greatest Show On Earth” every day.

John brought more than elephants to the Sunshine State. In 1924, he and Mable began building the palatial mansion, Cà d’Zan, Venetian for “House of John”, a local landmark that still draws thousands of visitors each year to tour its Venetian Gothic splendor. In 1927, intent on protecting and displaying his extensive personal collection of art, Ringling commissioned the development of what would become the famous Ringling Museum of Art. Now boasting the works of American, European and Asian masters, and a world-class visual arts college to train the upcoming generations of artists, the Ringling community has expanded into an international artist Mecca. Click here to view all of the hot cultural spots in the Sarasota area.

Sarasota only gets better as you head toward the water.

Rated as the country’s No. 2 beach, Siesta Key is like walking into a postcard year-round: sugar sand; water that’s a shimmering shade of azure you won’t find in a Crayola box; so beautiful any description seems cliché; and scenic enough to hold you breathless and send you looking for the closest lounge chair—content to doze in the sea breeze all day.Of course, if you’d rather capture that breeze, there are plenty of folks willing to show you how to sail across the water or rise above it. Look for both sail and parasail rentals on Stickney Point Road. Prefer a rod and reel to line and yard? Stop by CB’s Saltwater Outfitters to secure a charter or just get some stylish duds and look the part of the expert angler.

Of course, you didn’t hear it from us, but the public beaches aren’t the only places to drop a chair in the sand and soak up the sun. From Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island through Longboat Key to Siesta Key in south Sarasota, the chain of Gulf Coast barrier keys is littered with quiet hideaways only the
locals know. You won’t find them on the map and there won’t be any signs to mark the way, but they are down most any drive that ends on the sand. Devoid of the typical amenities most demand of a beach—showers, public restrooms and lifeguards—they are also free from the crowds and noise that can drown out the whisper of the sea breeze on the sand and the mesmerizing splash of the waves on the beach. 

Look for a corner without a condo, or an intersection with houses instead of hotels. Do a little exploring, and you just may be rewarded with a secret place all your own.

Lido Beach on St. Armand’s Key may not enjoy the renown of its celebrated sister, but it is a waterside jewel with a culture and attraction all its own. White sand, turquoise water, and elite amenities await travelers year round. Connected to the mainland by John Ringling, who used his circus elephants to build the bridge, visitors started coming to St. Armand’s Key in the late 1920s to absorb Florida Funshine and listen to the Ringling Circus Band.

Today, the bandshell and other early attractions have faded into a bygone era, but much of Ringling’s original vision remains.  The stately, palm-lined St. Armand’s Circle and statues from his personal collection decorate a thriving retail district and a ring of charming shops and gourmet restaurants.

Window-shop as you stroll the exclusive and quirky retail district. Step in a gallery to get a look at work by world-class local artists. Click here and view some of the different shops and restaurants in St. Armand's Circle.

And there’s more than just shopping to be done on St. Armand’s. Live jazz shows. Art exhibits. Craft festivals. Boat shows. Classic cars and hot rods. You can even turn the romantic in you loose and tour the Circle—and the rest of the island—by horse-drawn carriage. What better way to start a day that invariably ends watching the matchless Gulf Coast sunsets give way to wishing stars?

Experience the magnetic draw of eclectic fun in the sun. In any weather and at any time of year, Sarasota will delight your senses and warm your heart.  Stay for a day, a week or a season and you will never grow bored.  Better yet, you will never wonder what to do—only what to do next! Click here for a list of museums and aquariums in the area where you can get back to nature and go back in time.

You can fill a day making the Barrier Key Crawl from Anna Maria to Siesta and stop at unique shops, folksy galleries and elegant bistros. Or, feed your pirate side with the coldest beer and freshest seafood this side of heaven at salty little joints right on the water.

Get cultured at world-renowned museums and catch a play by local actors with day jobs and a passion for their art that inescapably draws you in. Watch kilted Scots toss cabers and world-class singers belt out Verdi. Stop by Ringling Art College and share a cup of coffee with the next Rembrandt, Picasso or Ty Pennington. Spend the day boutique hopping at St. Armand’s.

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What to do after all that? Grab a beach towel and your sunscreen—soak up some rays or drop a line in the water and do a little fishing.

Sarasota: a rich social and cultural heritage, an active arts community, posh restaurants, stylish shops, quirky boutiques—and clowns—we must not forget the clowns. Just another reason why everyone who visits leaves with a smile. BRV