We head back to the Sunshine State and do some wandering around Sarasota.  This city offers more than meets the eye and has a little something for everyone!

Sarasota’s history dates back to prehistoric times. Spanish Point is the site of a 15-foot high shell midden dating back over 1000 years. The area was the first site in Sarasota County to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  There are 71 in total.

In 1885, Sarasota was a mecca for Scottish settlers. They arrived expecting a thriving tropical town but at that time Sarasota was a simple community with no streets or shops. Some hardy Scots decided to stay and built Sarasota’s first golf course in 1886. The DeSoto Hotel opened in 1887 and the first newspaper was published in 1899.  The city was Incorporated in 1902

in 1927, John Ringling  brought his famous Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus to Sarasota as its winter home. Acrobats, clowns, and performers became part-time residents of the area, and animals such as elephants and tigers were a popular sight. The people of the circus brought with them their unique approach to art, along with the artifacts and practices that they had witnessed in their travels, changing Sarasota’s art scene forever.

Here are 10 more Sarasota fun facts:

1. The name “Sarasota” is derived from the 1700s map name of Zara Zota which means “a place of dancing”
2. Sarasota has an average temperature of 72.6 degrees, and an average of 251 sunny days per year
3. Sarasota County has over 35 miles of powder-soft sand located along the beachfront of its 13 public beaches. One of the most popular and well-known beaches consistently  ranked one of the top beaches in the country is Sarasota’s Siesta Key beach
4. Along with the 13 beaches located in the city, the Myakka (my-ACK-a) River is also located in Sarasota. This river provides room for 58 miles of outdoor activities including fishing, canoeing, and kayaking
5. Sarasota is the only place in the world where you can walk through the treetops of a subtropical forest. The Myakka Canopy Walkway is an 85-foot long boardwalk which is 25 feet above the ground. It allows visitors to spot wildlife and birds from this elevated position
6. Golf is a top attraction in Sarasota. There are over 1,000 public, private and semi-private golf courses to choose from in Sarasota County
7. There are five districts that surround the downtown area of Sarasota. These include Burns Court, Towles Court, Rosemary District, Historic Palm Avenue, and Gillespie Park. These are all made up of shops and colorful bungalows turned into bakeries, galleries, salons and yoga studios
8. If you love to dine out – Sarasota has a higher concentration of Zagat-rated restaurants than any other city in Florida
9. Sarasota is often ranked as one of the best small cities in the United States. The city embraces the small-town feel while also urbanizing the community and downtown areas to make it a popular destination for locals and tourists
10. Over 4 million visitors enjoying Sarasota’s beaches, sunshine, golf, and shopping

Check out the video below and then go to Must Do for more information or to download one of their destination visitor guides.  Great stuff!