The Ultimate 1st-Timer’s Guide to Sarasota

Sarasota is located in the Southwest part of Florida. Sarasota is known for its fabulous white beaches, art & culture and you can’t forget the circus. The astounding fact about Sarasota is that it is known as the circus town. John Ringling of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus started everything in this town. They even have a museum you can visit called The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. https://www.ringling.org/

Here are some suggestions on things to do when you go for a visit. I would start off by booking a tour through Discover Sarasota. On my visit, I went on the city tour and really enjoyed it. It gives you an excellent overview of all the things you can do in Sarasota, so it’s a great start to get familiar with the area and with their suggestions on places to visit after the tour. The tour is on a trolley or van, and you don’t get off the transportation, so that is the only downfall; you can’t get out and take pictures, but since Florida is so hot, it is great to see everything in the air conditioner is on.

The tour guide & driver I had were wonderful and kept me informed and laughing the entire time. Here is a link to check them out and to see the other tours they offer. https://www.discoversarasotatours.com/ This tour was a great suggestion given to be by Visit Sarasota. Visit Sarasota is also a great place to look when planning your trip. Click here: http://visitsarasota.com

St. Armands Circle is known for great shopping, restaurants, and art galleries. We had dinner at Cafe l’europe, and they even had a dog menu.  They have great outdoor seating with fans which is nice, especially when it’s hot. They are not open on Monday, so that is something to keep in mind if you plan to visit this restaurant. Here is the link for the restaurant. http://cafeleurope.net/ Another restaurant that I saw that was very busy was Columbia Restaurant https://www.columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/St-Armands-Circle . All the restaurants in this area had outdoor seating, so I would check to see if they allow dogs on the patio if you are looking at a specific one you are interested in. You can walk around the circle and see the Circus Ring of Fame – a sidewalk of circus stars. We also got to enjoy live music outside since a few people played instruments throughout the circle. While you take a stroll, you will see a lot of statues throughout the area. The shopping center includes niche stores: the Naples Soap Company, the Florida Olive Oil Company, and Bennington Tobacconist for a range of fine hand-rolled cigars and hand-mixed tobacco blends. If you would like more information on this area, use this link: https://starmandscircleassoc.com/

Doggy Dining list

The Old Salty Dog: https://theoldsaltydog.com/

Owens Fish Camp: https://owensfishcamp.com/

The Bijou Cafe: https://www.bijoucafe.net/

Patrick’s 1481: http://patricks1481.com/

Mattison’s City Grille: https://mattisons.com/mattisons-city-grille/

C’est La Vie: http://www.cestlaviesarasota.com/

Rosemary Design District

Is an area that has lots of great restaurants and art. I have been told at one point they will even have walking tours to see all the street art on the buildings. So if you enjoy street art, this is an area for you to check out. Click here to keep up to date on this area:https://www.rosemarydistrict.org/about

Leash Free Dog Parks List

17 Street Paw Park, Canine Club at Gillespie Park, Arlington Paw Park, Lakeview & Woodmere Paw Parks, and Brohard Beach and Paw Park.

If you are looking for a little adventure there are some parks that have hiking trails.

Myakka River State Park: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/myakka-river-state-park

Bayfront Park: https://www.letsplaysarasota.com/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/70/4753

Venetian Waterway Park: https://www.traillink.com/trail/venetian-waterway-park/ 

Pinecraft: The Amish Community

Members of Amish and Mennonite head to Sarasota during the winter months, to escape the harsh weather of Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and other northern states. In this area you can find them driving large adult tricycles. In Pinecraft you can find activities such as shuffleboard, horse shoes and volleyball. You can find delicious fresh food and local handmade gifts.

Boat Rentals/ Water activities that are Pet-Friendly

CB’s Saltwater Outfitters allow dogs on their boats. They offer deckboats, pontoon boats and boats made for fishing. Click the link to find more information on this company: https://cbsoutfitters.com/

If you are interested in kayaking with your dog you can check out Sarasota Paddleboard Company and the location that allows it is Longboat Key. https://www.sarasotapaddleboardcompany.com/longboatkey

Pet-Friendly Hotels

You can see my previous post about pet-friendly hotels here: https://www.livingafairytail.com/hotels-that-are-pet-friendly/