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 46 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 August
Estimated hotel price
$306
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sarasota in August
Estimated hotel price
$306
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 Hertz and Miami Life Cars, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sarasota, including Bus, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Fort Lauderdale, the bus ride to Sarasota takes 330 km and will cost you around $59. From Miami, the ticket costs about $124 for a journey of 394 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 Hertz and Miami Life Cars, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sarasota, including Bus, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Fort Lauderdale, the bus ride to Sarasota takes 330 km and will cost you around $59. From Miami, the ticket costs about $124 for a journey of 394 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.

Airports near Sarasota

SRQSarasota Bradenton Intl
TPATampa
RSWFort Myers SW Florida Intl

Airlines serving Sarasota

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,837 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,934 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,244 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,968 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 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 $378 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $860 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 $2,567 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Sarasota are about 16% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Sarasota

Most booked hotels in Sarasota

See all
Lido Beach Resort
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
$701+
View
The Westin Sarasota
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$420+
View
The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota
5 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$929+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Sarasota Bradenton Airport
4 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
$215+
View
Hyatt Regency Sarasota
4 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
$372+
View

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 Hertz branch at 6000 Airport Circle, which is 6 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.52 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 $18.15 and $24.20.

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 Hertz branch at 6000 Airport Circle, which is 6 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.52 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 $18.15 and $24.20.

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.