Set on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico,
and sheltered by several barrier islands,
Florida’s Sarasota entertains her visitors with pristine beaches,
rich history and a passion for performance.
Before European settlers first rolled their wagons into Sarasota,
many native tribes, including the Calusa, Tocobaga, and Timucuan people
thrived off the bounty of this land and its waters.
The city of Sarasota was established when a band of Scottish pioneers
made this bayside area of the Sunshine State their home in 1886.
As the colony thrived it caught the eye of
one of the brothers behind the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus,
otherwise known as “the greatest show on earth”.
After making his fortune in the circus business
and becoming one of the wealthiest men in America, John Ringling,
and his wife Mable made Sarasota their winter home in the early 20th century.
Their influence in real estate and tourism was the catalyst that
caused the sleepy bayside town to grow into a dazzling vacation destination.
The eccentric millionaires purchased a 66-acre estate in North Sarasota
on which to build their dream home.
Spend a day or two exploring the vast complex,
now known as “the Ringling” to discover the impact this family had on the city.
Step into the “Circus King’s” bay-front mansion. The Ca’d’Zan, or House of John,
is a magnificent ode to Gothic Venetian architecture,
and stands as a shining example of the unbridled extravagance of
the roaring twenties.
As if their palatial mansion wasn’t enough, the Ringlings also raised
an immense art museum to house their considerable collection.
Wander the 21 galleries,
whose walls are adorned with pieces spanning culture and time.
The estate is a carnival of art, architecture and of course, performance!
In the Circus Museum, be ushered into a nostalgic world of theatrics,
with countless exhibits showcasing all the magic of the big top.
The celebration of spectacle is taken to even greater heights at the
Asolo Repertory Theatre, also on the Ringling estate.
Besides their spectacular property, the Ringling’s always travelled in style.
From the estate, make your way to the Sarasota Classic Car Museum,
where the family’s collection of Rolls Royce autos,
pack a thrilling performance under the bonnet.
John and Mable’s legacy had a lasting impact on the culture of this city.
Head downtown and take a tour of the city’s many performing arts centers,
which prove that in Sarasota, the show must always go on.
Sarasota’s natural gifts have long played center stage too.
Explore a colorful pageant of lush tropical rainforest,
desert cacti and everything in-between at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
Sarasota’s big skies, natural splendor and bayside breezes
provide the perfect backdrop for the city’s never-ending parade of
innovative shops, bars and restaurants.
Call into Drum Circle Distillery
where daring distillers walk the high wire between tradition and new flavors.
Follow the John Ringling Causeway across the bay to St Armands Key,
one of the fabulous barrier islands that shelters the shoreline of Sarasota.
Spend a morning shopping,
dining and relaxing in the cosmopolitan St Armands Circle,
then continue exploring the keys of Sarasota Bay.
Mosey over to Lido Key’s aquarium and enjoy the show put on by cheeky otters,
hypnotizing schools of fish, and blooms of dancing sea jellies.
After being entertained by some of the ocean’s best performers,
follow the warm briny breezes to Lido Beach.
Grab a front row seat to some of America’s clearest waters
and spend an afternoon relaxing to the non-stop rhythms of the sea.
Make your way south to Siesta Key,
to witness one of mother nature’s finest magic acts.
Here, on the public beach, the white quartz sand stays cool and comfy underfoot,
even on the most scorching days!
The magic continues in the many restaurants of Siesta Key Village,
where mountains of seafood will appear, and disappear, before your very eyes.
Sunning herself on Florida’s sparkling gulf coast,
Sarasota has been enthralling visitors since the early 20th century,
and now she’s calling you.
So roll up, roll up, to the Circus City,
where generations of performers and the greatest performer of all,
Mother Nature, come together in a vacation double act like no other on Earth!