Tampa International Airport 1 hr 20
Saint Armands Key (9 min)
Connected to the mainland by a causeway, this Sarasota Bay island offers a large roundabout & park. Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium (7 min)
Aquarium with a stingray touch tank & shark tank plus manatees in the nearby mammal center. Sarasota Classic Car Museum (20 min)
Venerable site showing 90+ classic, exotic & muscle cars, plus antique music boxes & phonographs. Lido Key (11 min)
This barrier island connected to the mainland via a causeway features beaches, a park & nightlife. The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (21 min)
State art museum founded by the circus magnate with 31 galleries in a pink Renaissance-style palace. Tibbals Learning Center at The Ringling (22 min)
Ringling Circus archives, with historical documents, costume drawings & art (by appointment). Coquina Beach (10 min)
Long public swimming beach featuring picnic tables, cabanas & play areas, plus a casual cafe. Sarasota Jungle Gardens (19 min)
Historic attraction featuring more than 150 animals & shows in a tropical setting. DeSoto National Memorial Park (29 min)
Nod to the famed explorer's landing site with living-history camp, exhibits, shore & nature trails. Ca' d'Zan (24 min)
Once home to the Ringlings, this circa-1924 mansion draws inspiration from the palazzos of Venice. Sarasota Bay (8 min)
Named an estuary of national significance, this subtropical, coastal lagoon is popular for kayaking. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Downtown Sarasota campus (15 min)
Showcase for thousands of tropical plants, plus a conservatory & garden museum, in a historic space. Lido Key Beach (11 min)
Sandy beach featuring a concession stand, gift shop & picnic tables, plus a swimming pool. The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature (35 min)
A planetarium, aquarium & history museum under 1 roof with dioramas & films. Siesta Key Beach (29 min)
Fine white quartz sand that stays cool plus a playground, tennis courts & year-round lifeguards. | 
