The Gulf Coast is Known for Beaches
The metropolitan area of Sarasota and Manatee counties, Florida are known worldwide for their Gulf of Mexico beaches including Siesta (arguably the best in the world), Turtle, Crescent, Lido, Casperson, Coquina, Venice, Long Boat Key, Manasota and Bradenton and many others.
But, Sarasota has so much more to offer than just beaches…
In the early twentieth century and later, many people with a passion for culture, art, music and dance among other things began to find the beauty of the Sarasota area; names like Ringling, Palmer, Selby, Payne, Mote began to establish this garden spot as a cultural mecca. What was started in those early years has been nurtured to give this area an international reputation for its culture along with its natural beauty.
The Sarasota area has the world class John & Mable Ringling Museum complex with a fantastic art museum, the newly renovated Ringling home, The Ca D’ Zan,
and a museum dedicated to the tradition of the circus. William & Marie Selby left us their property which has become the beautiful Selby Orchid and Botanical
Gardens. William Mote established the Mote Marine Aquarium and Research Center, and it is recognized as a leader in marine biological research.
All of these facilities, along with others, set the tone for an explosion of the arts by attracting many families that were willing and able to endow a plethora of excellent programs: The Sarasota Orchestra, The Sarasota Opera, The Sarasota Ballet, The Van Wezel Performing Arts Center along with the afore mentioned Ringling Complex, Selby Gardens and Mote Marine. We boast of many repertory and amateur theatre groups including the Manatee Players, The Asolo Repertory Theatre, The Players, The Florida Studio Theatre and the Venice theatre among others.
Wedding Pergola at Selby Gardens
The cities of our area; Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice, Palmetto, Englewood, Lakewood Ranch and North Port continue to benefit from the gracious people that provide the endowment funds and the tremendous number of volunteers that keep all of the above operating and continuing to prosper.
Only a short ride, east of the city of Sarasota, is Florida’s largest state park: Myakka State Park is a haven for birds, alligators, exotic plant life and a unique Canopy Walk. Of course, our area offers other wonderful outdoor activities not the least of which are golf and all the beautiful golf courses that abound in the area. And we must not forget the water sports along our beaches in the Gulf of Mexico-paragliding, fishing, parasailing, tours and Zodiak adventures. The city of Bradenton is the headquarters of the internationally known Bollettieri IMG Tennis Academy and LECOM Park spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sarasota is home to Ed Smith Stadium, spring training camp for the Baltimore Orioles.
After all that exercise in our wonderful outdoors, everyone is hungry and the area offers great dining with every ethnic form of food offered in attractively appointed surroundings,
Yes, we are a college town!!!! We boast of one of the top art colleges in the entire United States. The Ringling School of Art & Design, and other schools as well: The State College of Florida, the University of South Florida, New College. Our multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-racial environment encourages students from all over the world to attend our institutions.
Yes, the metropolitan area of Sarasota has many, many great beaches, but, as you have seen, we have so much more to offer – and we have a great Friendship Force club!!!
Please come and see us, however, we must warn you – you will not want to leave…
For more information about Sarasota, go to www.sarasotagov.com