Best of Sarasota

AOL Pick from our EditorsAOL Travel Editors test hundreds of travel experiences at all price points. There is no special treatment and no payment for their reviews -- just unbiased recommendations to showcase the essence of a city and help you make the most of your trip.

Best Hotels: Hotel Indigo Sarasota - Sarasota

A fun-and-funky chain with hotels in downtown areas around the country, the Hotel Indigo is counterintuitive, conveying... See More

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Best Restaurants: Euphemia Hay Restaurant

Frank MatowitzNew restaurants wax and wane in Sarasota, but this one has been going strong for more than...See More

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Best Things to Do: Solomon's Castle

Solomon's CastleThis place is literally in the middle of nowhere, about 50 miles east of Sarasota, but...See More

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Best Shopping: St. Armands Circle

Frank MatowitzIn a city that attracts everyone from young families beaching it to the super wealthy just...See More

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Best Nightlife: The Beach Cub

Frank MatowitzWhere the Gator Club is upscale and mild, The Beach Club is all-out wild, which is how it... See More

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Sarasota Itineraries

Don't know where to go? Check out our 2 and 7 Day Itineraries to get an idea of what you could do in this great city!

2 DAY ITINERARY

1 Get to the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art by 10 so you can spend a full day exploring the grounds, gardens and museums.
2 Do dinner at Euphemia Haye followed by shopping at St. Armands Circle.
3 Hit Kroaky’s Karaoke for some last-night cheer.

FULL SARASOTA ITINERARY »

7 DAY ITINERARY

1 First stop: the John & Mabel Ringling Museum of Art. Check the website in advance to see the times of the various guided tours. Plan on staying all day ... there’s a lot to see.
2 Continue the art theme by heading over to Towle’s Court to see a few of the contemporary art galleries, followed by dinner at The Canvas Café.

FULL SARASOTA ITINERARY »