Things to Do in Sarasota, St. Armands and Lido Key
Museums and gardens on the bay, shopping on St. Armands Circle and a public Gulf beach on Lido Key.
See top-rated activities »About Sarasota
The city of Sarasota grew up around the winter quarters of the Ringling Bros. circus, and the circus money still shows. John and Mable Ringling built a Venetian Gothic mansion on the bay in the 1920s, then an art museum next door to hold their collection of Baroque paintings. Today the whole estate is run by Florida State University as the State Art Museum of Florida, and it is the first stop for many visitors. Plan at least half a day; the grounds include a circus museum, a miniature model of the entire traveling show, and gardens along the water.
Downtown Sarasota is compact and easy to walk. Main Street and the streets around it hold most of the restaurants and galleries, and the Saturday farmers market fills the blocks around Lemon Avenue all year. A short drive or bike ride away, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens grows orchids, bromeliads and other air plants on a small peninsula in the bay. Mote Marine Laboratory opened its new aquarium, Mote SEA, at Nathan Benderson Park in October 2025, roughly doubling the space of the old City Island building.
The John Ringling Causeway carries you over the bay to St. Armands Circle, a roundabout lined with shops, ice cream counters and sidewalk restaurants that stays busy into the evening. Keep going west and you reach Lido Key. Lido Beach has a public park with parking and concessions, and at the south tip of the island, Ted Sperling Park at South Lido gives access to quiet water on Big Pass and Sarasota Bay. The mangrove tunnels off South Lido are the most popular guided kayak trip in the county, and several companies run tours there every day.
Head east instead and the landscape changes completely. Myakka River State Park, about 30 minutes from downtown on State Road 72, protects river, lake, marsh and prairie, with alligators along the banks and a canopy walkway that climbs into the oaks. Boat and tram tours depend on water levels and have been paused at times, so check with the park before you go.
Don’t Miss
Art museum, Ca’ d’Zan mansion, circus museum and bayfront gardens on one campus. Thursday evenings bring reduced admission to the art museum and grounds.
Bayfront gardens known for orchids and other epiphytes, with a changing yearly exhibition that pairs plants with an artist.
Mote’s new aquarium opened in October 2025, with sharks, sea turtles and manatees and exhibits on the research Mote does in the Gulf.
A landscaped circle of boutiques, galleries and restaurants between downtown and Lido Beach, busiest in the evening.
A wide public Gulf beach close to downtown, with a quieter park and mangrove kayak launch at the island’s south end.
Contemporary art museum of Ringling College, set in the restored 1926 Sarasota High School building.
One of Florida’s largest state parks, with wildlife viewing, trails and a canopy walkway through the treetops.
Spring training home of the Baltimore Orioles, with Grapefruit League games in February and March.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Sarasota
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ViatorTours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 27, 2026. Best of Sarasota County may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
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Get free trip quotes »Sarasota — FAQ
How much time should I allow for The Ringling?
Half a day covers the art museum, Ca’ d’Zan and a walk through the gardens; add another hour or two for the circus museum. Mansion tours are timed, so book that part ahead in winter.
Where is the closest beach to downtown Sarasota?
Lido Beach on Lido Key, about 10 minutes from downtown over the John Ringling Causeway and past St. Armands Circle.
Can I kayak the Lido mangrove tunnels on my own?
Yes. You can launch a rented kayak from the South Lido area, but a guided tour is easier for a first visit because the guides know the tunnel entrances and the tides.
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