By Catherine Bullard, Travel Correspondent

Stylish Hotel Offering Aquatic Fun On- and Off-Site

At one end of the Hyatt Regency Sarasota's 130-foot lagoon-style pool, a dramatic rocky formation vaults over the water, spilling dual waterfalls down on the swimmers below. In the shadow of the formation's blanched, stony façade—stained darker where the water tumbles down—the pool's edges follow graceful contours, echoing the gentle curves of the sandy shoreline down the road. Kids splash near the zero-depth entrance or experiment with underwater flips as adults sip cocktails from the poolside bar, venturing inside only for the brief afternoon drizzles that sweep across the skies. There, in the spacious lobby, immaculately white columns suggest both urban chic and alabaster beaches, and soaring floor-to-ceiling windows add to the airy aesthetic, which was recently fine-tuned in the course of a $22 million renovation.

Upstairs, hallways with festive rainbow-striped carpets and high-contrast flamingo portraits on the walls usher travelers to their rooms. Standard rooms, equipped with plushy king-size or double beds, serve as quiet oases away from the lighthearted fun at the pool and beach, but the floor-to-ceiling windows in some rooms and the balconies attached to others still make it possible for occupants to drink in views of the marina and crystalline bay. During the day, sunlight spills onto brightly colored, Lilly Pulitzer–inspired décor and teak furnishings, and at night, expandable work desks allow diligent travelers to study up on Floridian idioms with the gentle sounds of the pool waterfalls trickling in from outside.

Down at Currents Bar, barkeeps fill glasses with tropical fruit juices and single-malt scotch whiskeys displayed alongside tasting notes and a case of cigars, and the bar's culinary cousin, Currents Restaurant, dishes out local seafood and other upscale fare. Beach-goers can fill up on seaside fun with the help of the Hyatt's shuttle service to nearby Lido Public Beach, and guests can also make reservations at the Hyatt's 32-slip marina to sail across the cerulean sea or scuba dive beneath its surface (additional fees apply).

Sarasota, Florida: Tropical Habitats and Soul-Stirring Blues

Across the placid waters of the Sarasota Bay, the Gulf of Mexico splashes up toward the long beaches and rolling dunes of the Florida shoreline, and these nearby bodies of water make the Sarasota area a natural hub for aquatic fun. A short shuttle ride from the Hyatt, wildflower-studded Lido Beach's sandcastle-friendly expanses and calm Gulf waters beckon families in search of space for spreading out picnic lunches and lounging on rented beach chairs, and just to the south, Siesta Beach's powdery white sands and jellybean-hued lifeguard stands complement a coterie of party-inspiring refreshment huts and gathering places. On nearby City Island, Mote Aquarium engages visitors with its star attractions, the frolicsome manatees Hugh and Buffet. Both manatees love interacting with guests and frequently press their noses against the glass near a visitor's face before slowly, comically sinking to the floor.

Located on the mainland side of the bay, the Ringling Estate merits at least a half day of exploration with its multiple museums and breathtaking scenery, though its gracious docents are happy to help time-pressed visitors prioritize what they should see. A sunny, 66-acre property peppered with rose gardens and banyan-tree groves, the estate was home to John Ringling (of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus) and today features a fascinating circus museum replete with artifacts from the circus's heyday. Critically acclaimed Asolo Rep Theatre also makes its home on the estate grounds, sharing a grassy lawn with a comprehensive art museum sporting works by Rubens, El Greco, van Dyck, and other celebrated masters. At the estate’s waterfront Ca' d'Zan Mansion, the 41-room palace built by Ringling and his wife in the mid-’20s, Venetian Gothic architecture and exquisite décor bask in streams of sunlight as visitors move from room to room in hushed awe.

Amid the bustle of Sarasota's Main Street, fresh seafood lures eaters to family-friendly Barnacle Bill's Seafood, a restaurant and bar renowned for its tart and velvety key-lime pie ($4.50). In the salty breeze outside, pedestrians might find high-school-aged boys strumming acoustic guitars and belting out folk songs while the syncopated rhythms of down-home blues pulse from nearby Mattison's City Grille. There, guests can enjoy outdoor seating and virtuosic live blues and jazz bands whose swinging rhythms buoy diners with the feel of a friendly backyard barbecue. Strangers effortlessly swap stories and good-natured laughs, and old friends lean in to catch gossip and whispered Nintendo cheat codes. When the City Grille closes, the crowd migrates across the street to The Gator Club, a venerated late-night music venue and lounge.