Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

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. We recommend you stay at least 28 days in order to fully appreciate everything Sarasota has to offer.

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Where to Eat in Sarasota

Downtown is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Sarasota. These include popular favourites such as Ama la Vita Ristorante (1551 Main Street), Indigenous (239 S Links Ave) and Lila (1576 Main St). If you’re looking for affordable options, Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar - Sarasota (300 John Ringling Blvd.) and Shore St. Armands (465 John Ringling Blvd) are great picks. For delicious green meals, La Mucca Ballerina (1668 Main St) and Melange (1568 Main St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Sarasota.

When to visit Sarasota

Sarasota in September
Estimated hotel price
$282
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sarasota in September
Estimated hotel price
$282
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 Autounion Car Rental and Dollar, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

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 Autounion Car Rental and Dollar, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

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.

Airports near Sarasota

SRQSarasota Bradenton Intl
TPATampa
RSWFort Myers SW Florida Intl

Airlines serving Sarasota

Lufthansa
Good (7,497 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,404 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,457 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,977 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,772 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,010 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,994 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,982 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,476 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,375 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,652 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (855 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,307 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,533 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,280 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,133 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,332 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,103 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,382 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (365 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 $332 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $936 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 $92 to $2,664 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Sarasota are about 23% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Sarasota

Most booked hotels in Sarasota

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Tropical Beach Resorts
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, Excellent reviews)
$261+
View
Lido Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
$607+
View
The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota
5 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$1,074+
View
Siesta Key Beach Resort and Suites
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$389+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Sarasota Bradenton Airport
4 stars
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
$214+
View

Hiring a car in Sarasota

Alamo, Thrifty and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Sarasota is the Hertz branch at 6000 Airport Circle, which is 6 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.61 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 $19.25 and $25.67. The most frequently booked car type in Sarasota is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Ford Focus or similar) is, on average, 44% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Alamo, Thrifty and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Sarasota is the Hertz branch at 6000 Airport Circle, which is 6 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.61 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 $19.25 and $25.67. The most frequently booked car type in Sarasota is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Ford Focus or similar) is, on average, 44% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Car hire agencies in Sarasota

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Avis

Avis

Budget

Budget
Find car hire in Sarasota

Sarasota Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Sarasota city guide for the best Sarasota travel tips. To help you organise your Sarasota trip ideas, this Sarasota visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.