Tampa International Airport 51 min
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (24 min)
State art museum founded by the circus magnate with 31 galleries in a pink Renaissance-style palace. DeSoto National Memorial Park (24 min)
Nod to the famed explorer's landing site with living-history camp, exhibits, shore & nature trails. Nathan Benderson Park (17 min)
600-acre park on a lake with rowing facilities, including a boathouse & regatta center. Gamble Plantation Historic State Park (11 min)
Florida's only surviving plantation home, circa 1840, set on lush grounds & open for guided tours. Tibbals Learning Center at The Ringling (25 min)
Ringling Circus archives, with historical documents, costume drawings & art (by appointment). Riverwalk (13 min)
Picturesque riverside park for strolling & enjoying the sights, with a playground & benches. Ca' d'Zan (27 min)
Once home to the Ringlings, this circa-1924 mansion draws inspiration from the palazzos of Venice. The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature (13 min)
A planetarium, aquarium & history museum under 1 roof with dioramas & films. Sarasota Classic Car Museum (24 min)
Venerable site showing 90+ classic, exotic & muscle cars, plus antique music boxes & phonographs. Mixon Fruit Farms (10 min)
Citrus grove with a play park, alligator encounters & a store serving orange flavored ice cream. Manatee Village Historical Park (8 min)
Park area filled with restored historical buildings including a barn, general store & church. Lake Manatee State Park (19 min)
This waterfront park offers freshwater boating & fishing, plus camping (though no actual manatees). Sarasota Jungle Gardens (26 min)
Historic attraction featuring more than 150 animals & shows in a tropical setting. Florida Railroad Museum (17 min)
Transport history told in interactive exhibits & a 13-mile weekend ride, plus locomotive rentals. Sarasota Bay (37 min)
Named an estuary of national significance, this subtropical, coastal lagoon is popular for kayaking. | 
