Sarasota travel guide

Sarasota Tourism | Sarasota Guide

You're Going to Love Sarasota

With a population of 51.917, Sarasota is a must-see destination in Florida, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Consider staying at least one whole day in Sarasota to see all of its attractions.

Where to Eat in Sarasota

Downtown is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Sarasota. These include popular favourites such as Duval's Fresh. Local. Seafood. (1435 Main Street), Mediterraneo Ristorante Italiano (1970 Main St.) and element: steak. seafood. pasta. (1413 Main St). If you’re looking for affordable options, Shore St. Armands (465 John Ringling Blvd) and Cafe Baci (4001 S. Tamiami Trail) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Melange (1568 Main St) and Fiorella Italian Bistro (3809 S Tuttle Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Sarasota.

When to visit Sarasota

Sarasota in September
Estimated hotel price
$298
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sarasota in September
Estimated hotel price
$298
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Sarasota in July, when the average temperature is 28 °C, and the highest can go up to 33 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 9 °C, with an average temperature of 16 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 246 mm. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Sarasota, with an average rainfall of 56 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Sarasota

Plane

When flying to Sarasota, you’ll arrive at Sarasota Bradenton Intl (SRQ), which is located 7 km from the city centre.

Train

The train station in Sarasota is called Sarasota, and is located 0.1 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Sarasota is to pick up a car hire from Orlando, which is about 175 km from Sarasota. You’ll find branches of Fox and Dollar, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Sarasota using RedCoach or FlixBus. From Tampa, the bus ride to Sarasota takes 113 km and will cost you around $71. From Fort Lauderdale, the ticket costs about $71 for a journey of 330 km. The most popular bus station is Sarasota 5600 Fruitville Rd, located 7 km from the city centre of Sarasota. Sarasota Cattleman Transfer Ctr - 5951 Porter Way is also a commonly used station, and is 8 km from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Sarasota, you’ll arrive at Sarasota Bradenton Intl (SRQ), which is located 7 km from the city centre.

Train

The train station in Sarasota is called Sarasota, and is located 0.1 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Sarasota is to pick up a car hire from Orlando, which is about 175 km from Sarasota. You’ll find branches of Fox and Dollar, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Sarasota using RedCoach or FlixBus. From Tampa, the bus ride to Sarasota takes 113 km and will cost you around $71. From Fort Lauderdale, the ticket costs about $71 for a journey of 330 km. The most popular bus station is Sarasota 5600 Fruitville Rd, located 7 km from the city centre of Sarasota. Sarasota Cattleman Transfer Ctr - 5951 Porter Way is also a commonly used station, and is 8 km from the city centre.

Airlines serving Sarasota

Lufthansa
Good (4,614 reviews)
KLM
Good (848 reviews)
SWISS
Good (927 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,451 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,599 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,282 reviews)
Air France
Good (974 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,549 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (476 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,930 reviews)
Emirates
Good (2,125 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,478 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,729 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (878 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (832 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,160 reviews)
LOT
Good (682 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (911 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Sarasota

From 5-star hotels such as the The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota to great affordable options like the Twin Palms at Siesta, Sarasota offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $380 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $612 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Magnolia Pointe, BW Signature Collection and Regency Inn & Suites Sarasota. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Sarasota, with prices from $89 to $2,572 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Sarasota are about 9% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Sarasota

Most booked hotels in Sarasota

The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota
5 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
$1,050+
Lido Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$598+
The Westin Sarasota
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$441+
Hyatt Regency Sarasota
4 stars
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
$347+
Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach
3 stars
Good (6.5, Good reviews)
$349+

Hiring a car in Sarasota

Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Sarasota is the Dollar branch at 6000 Airport Circle, which is 7 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.74 per litre in Sarasota (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $20.81 and $27.75. Standard (Volkswagen Tiguan or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Sarasota, while also 13% cheaper than other types, on average.

Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Sarasota is the Dollar branch at 6000 Airport Circle, which is 7 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.74 per litre in Sarasota (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $20.81 and $27.75. Standard (Volkswagen Tiguan or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Sarasota, while also 13% cheaper than other types, on average.