Sarasota is filled with fun things to do both indoors and out. For instance, the city museums to explore as well as as nature preserves to discover.

The best things to do near Sarasota include:

• Siesta Beach: famous for its quartz-based sand that feels cool to the touch
• The Ringling: state art museum of Florida founded by Mable and John Ringling
• Lido Key: beautiful beaches, natural areas, and high-end shopping
• Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium: educational and interactive exhibits with a wide variety of marine animals
• Sarasota Jungle Gardens: opened in 1939 with more than 200 native and exotic animals

A beach city with a rich history, Sarasota has Instagram-worthy landmarks around almost every corner. Some of the best tourist attractions include Mable’s Rose Garden and the Ca d’Zan Mansion.

Popular attractions near Sarasota include:

• Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: dedicated to displaying epiphytes like orchids and bromeliads
• Ca d’Zan Mansion: the once winter home of John Ringling
• Phillippi Estate Park: a historic mansion with nature trails, fishing, and kayaking
• Mable’s Rose Garden: Florida’s oldest rose garden, in operation since 1913
• Siesta Key Village: the place to go for high-class shopping in Sarasota

While vacationing in Sarasota, you’ll have a variety of fun things to do on a whim. The Marietta Museum of Art has contemporary paintings to admire while the Sarasota Classic Car Museum has over 100 classic cars to view.

Exciting activities near Sarasota include:

• Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy: cheerful gallery featuring offbeat, contemporary paintings, sculptures, and other artwork
• South Lido County Park: offers swimming, kayaking, and trails to explore
• Sarasota Classic Car Museum: more than 100 classic cars to learn about
• Drum Circle Distilling: take a tour of this award-winning distillery
• Craft Food Tours: an aptly-named craft food and drink tour through Sarasota

Whether you’re new to the city or you’re a Florida native, you’ll discover that there are plenty things to do with a night in Sarasota. Some clubs offer DJs and cocktails while others offer live music and craft beer options.

Nighttime activities near Sarasota include:

• Florida Studio Theater: offering all types of shows and live entertainment
• The Gator Club: a trendy bar in a historic building with bands and DJs
• Pangea Alchemy Lab
• Five O’Clock Club: low-key establishment with nightly live music
• McCurdy's Comedy Theatre: have a laugh with bar food and drinks

A vacation in Sarasota has a lot to offer for the whole family. The city has a wide variety of things to do with kids including a big cat sanctuary and an aquarium.

Family-Friendly things to do near Sarasota include:

• Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary: offering encounters with big cats and other wild animals
• Tibbals Learning Center: offering historical documents, costume drawings, and art related to the Ringling Brothers
• Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium: educational and interactive exhibits with a wide variety of marine animals
• Lido S Park: picturesque white-sand beaches, nature trails, and a playground
• David Bolger Playspace: a beautiful outdoor play area at The Ringling

Sarasota has plenty of indoor activities to help you get a break from the Florida humidity. From educational museums to award-winning distilleries, it’s all available in this coastal city.

Sarasota things to do indoors include:

• Center for Architecture Sarasota: celebrating local architecture through classes, programs and events
• FSU Center for the Performing Arts: showing a variety of plays on the Florida State campus
• Art Center Sarasota: offering four rotating exhibition galleries and a sculpture garden
• Sarasota Opera: showing a variety of operas in a repurposed historic theater
• Drum Circle Distilling: take a tour of this award-winning distillery

As its miles of gorgeous shoreline and tropical climate should suggest, Sarasota is place to be if you like spending time outside. The city has wide selection of beaches, nature preserves, and parks to keep your days filled with sunshine and blue sky.

Active things to see in Sarasota include:

• Lido Key Beach: a sandy beach with picnic tables and a swimming pool
• Bayfront Park: Waterfront park with a promenade, playground, tiki bar, and dramatic views of the bay and city
• Sarasota Beach: a gorgeous and peaceful beach with sugar-white sand
• Ringling Bridge Causeway Park: 12 acres of sand and grass under the Ringling Bridge
• Ted Sperling Nature Park: swimming, picnicking, a playground, and trails