How To Spend A Weekend In Sarasota, Florida – 3 Day Guide

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Last Updated on December 28, 2023 by sydabroad

If you are looking at how to spend a weekend in Sarasota, Florida, this itinerary is for you! 

Sarasota, a city south of Tampa located on Florida’s gulf, is known for the famous Ringling Art Museum, the many cultural institutions, and its white sand beaches.

As I write this post, I’m on my flight back to Dallas after spending the perfect weekend in Sarasota. I was visiting my grandparents and because I have visited Sarasota quite a few times now, I figured it was about time to write a guide about the city! So keep reading if you are looking for the best things to do in Sarasota.  

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This post is all about how to spend a weekend in Sarasota, Florida. 

HOW TO SPEND A WEEKEND IN SARASOTA

HOW TO GET TO SARASOTA 

Sarasota from Tampa 

Sarasota is located just short of a 2-hour drive from Tampa and therefore, there are no flights directly from Tampa to Sarasota. So, your best bet is to rent a car, Uber, or call a friend. 

Sarasota from Orlando

Orlando is located about 2 and a half hours drive from Sarasota. I was trying to get from Orlando to Sarasota and, to my surprise, there are no internal flights in Florida. Ya know, I thought it would be an easy route – but no. I ended up flying from Orlando to Charlotte and back down to Sarasota. Yeah, a horrible flight route but whatever.

So moral of the story is that getting around the state of Florida is limited if you plan to fly. But if you are flying from another state, you can easily fly into SRQ. 

Flying into Sarasota 

Sarasota’s local airport has grown over the years and offers many more flights than it did a while back. Southwest, Delta, American, and other airlines fly directly into Sarasota (SRQ) airport. 

Flying directly is ideal, so check if you can get a direct flight into SRQ. 

WEEKEND IN SARASOTA: 3 DAY ITINERARY 

DAY 1

COFFEE IN TOWN

Start your weekend in Sarasota by heading downtown for coffee. There is a variety of coffee shops downtown. And so many are located on Main Street. I tried O&A Coffee and it was delicious! I had an iced oat milk latte and it was perfect for such a warm day. They had nice seating outdoors and inside as well. 

Located right next door, is Breaking Wave Coffee. Another well-reviewed coffee shop in downtown Sarasota. I also passed a cafe called Buddy Brew Coffee and it was crowded and looked like a great cafe.

BRUNCH

After enjoying your coffee and exploring Main Street for a bit, head to brunch or lunch at one of the many amazing restaurants near Main Street. I went to Lila because I saw that it was one of the best-reviewed restaurants in downtown Sarasota. And it did not disappoint. 

Lila is a plant-based, American restaurant. It was so delicious and they did have a couple of non-plant-based options. We tried the tostadas, grilled tofu, and vegan burrito — everything was excellent. They also have outdoor seating to enjoy the nice Florida weather downtown. 

A few other great lunch and brunch ideas are First Watch and Green Zebra Cafe. Both of these restaurants are located on Main Street as well and are very well-reviewed. 

SHOP AROUND MAIN STREET 

Since Sarasota is well known for its arts, there will likely be something going on downtown. While I was here, we got to check out a little art festival and a local market. As we were leaving later in the day they were setting up for a reggae festival. There are also plenty of cute shops and galleries to check out on Main Street in downtown Sarasota. 

THE RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART & CA  ‘D’ZAN MANSION

Sarasota was once the winter home of the famous Ringling Brothers Circus. Today, you can tour the Ringling Museum of Art and the Ca’ d’Zan Mansion – which was once the home to the Ringling family. 

If you are looking for something fun to do in Sarasota, this is probably the number one place to see in the city. Unfortunately, I have yet to visit but I will visit next time! My sister was kind enough to send me some of the photos she took when she was there. She had nothing but great things to say about this museum so I highly recommend it! 

Museum admission costs $25 for adults and this ticket includes the Museum of Art, the Circus Museum, the Bayfront Gardens, and the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion. This ticket does not include entrance to Ca ‘d’Zan. If you are a college student, this ticket costs $5 – so make sure you bring your student ID! 

There is also a $10 ticket with entrance to the Museum of Art, the Circus Museum, Bayfront Gardens, the Glass Pavilion, and the first floor of the Ca ‘d’Zan. You can also explore the grounds for $5. Safe to say there is no shortage of things to see here, you can spend as much time as you’d like. 

If you are visiting on a Monday, the Museum of Art and Bayfront Gardens are free, so take advantage of that! The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Find out more information about hours and tickets here. 

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HAPPY HOUR DOWNTOWN

One of my favorite things to do in a new city is find a good rooftop happy hour spot! We went to the Perspective Rooftop Pool Bar at the Art Ovation Hotel and it was great. The view of the water with the sunset was incredible, the vibe was just perfect, and the appetizers and cocktails were delicious. 

The hotel itself was also unique because it’s essentially a mini art gallery in the lobby. It was a cool spot to visit. The bar is located on the fifth floor of the hotel. 

Another great happy hour spot in Sarasota is Jack Dusty at the Ritz Carlton. If you are looking for a boujee on a budget spot, Jack Dusty is the place. It’s not necessarily cheap, but reasonably priced cocktails as you’d find at other cocktail bars nearby.

A bit away from Sarasota in Lakewood Ranch, is an incredible wine bar with a great assortment of wines and apps. Sitting here outside on the patio was perfect. The wine was 10/10 and the charcuterie board we had was one of the best I’ve had in a long time! I know it’s a bit away from downtown Sarasota but it was worth a mention. The wine bar is called Fine Wine & Tasting on Main.  

DAY 2

LIDO KEY 

Spend the second day of your weekend in Sarasota near the water. Start your day with coffee, breakfast, and a stroll around Lido Key. Lido Key is known for its sunset cruises, dolphin watching, deep sea fishing, and its white sand beach. Lido Key tends to be a bit less crowded than Siesta Key. 

Spend some time at the beach taking advantage of the Florida sun then head to St. Armand’s Circle. 

ST. ARMAND’S CIRCLE

St. Armand’s Circle is the perfect place to shop around and grab a bite to eat. There are endless shops here and it’s just a nice area to explore. If you are looking for lunch, I recommend Columbia Restaurant, a Spanish restaurant with all sorts of delicious dishes. I ate here during my last trip to Sarasota. St. Armand’s Circle also has great spots to pick up ice cream and other desserts. 

SIESTA KEY BEACH AND VILLAGE 

If you want a full beach day, head to Siesta Key to enjoy your afternoon. Siesta Key beach is massive with plenty of parking and beach access points. You’ll find crystal-clear water and white sand. It’s an incredible beach to visit in Florida – actually one of Florida’s best beaches. 

Siesta Key from Lido Key is just about a 25-minute drive away and a great way to spend the afternoon. Because traffic can be a nightmare getting to and from the coast from downtown Sarasota, if you want a full beach day – it’s worth visiting both areas. If you don’t mind the traffic and want to spend most of your weekend in Sarasota at the beach, you can easily split up Lido Key and Siesta Key to spend one full day at each beach. 

Soak up the last bit of the sunshine and then visit Siesta Key Village for a cocktail & apps or dinner. Siesta Key Village is a classic beach village with bars, restaurants, cafes, and plenty of boutiques and shopping. A stroll down the tree-lined promenade is a must for visitors. 

DAY 3 

WEEKEND FARMERS MARKET

If you are looking for something to do on a Sunday morning in Sarasota, head to the Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch. It’s every Sunday at Waterside Place. This was the cutest farmers market offering so many different produce, baked goods, meals, flowers, and more. I got a delicious acai bowl and an empanada – the food was great. 

I suggest going early in the day, I went around 10 AM which was perfect because there were fewer crowds. It was getting quite busy (and hot) when we left.

NOTE: If you want to stay closer to downtown, you can visit the Sarasota Farmers Market, which is open every Saturday from 7 AM to 1 PM. It’s located in downtown Sarasota

SNORKEL WITH MANATEES

One of the most unique things to do in Florida is swim or paddleboard with manatees in Crystal River. Crystal River is about a two-hour drive north of Sarasota so if you have the time for a drive – this is a pretty cool experience. 

There are a variety of different manatee tours in Crystal River. The best months for seeing manatees are November through April and early morning is the best time to visit. You can book a manatee tour here. 

LUNCH ON THE BAY 

Grab some lunch on the bay at O’Leary’s Tiki Bar & Grill. They have great cocktails, sandwiches, wraps, shrimp plates, and more. You can eat in the sand, right on the water it’s the perfect way to spend the afternoon.  

MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS 

The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a 15-acre botanical garden located in downtown Sarasota. Another great way to spend a hot afternoon in Sarasota strolling through the gardens. Admission is $26 for adults and $11 for kids ages 5 to 17. They recommend allowing at least two hours to explore the gardens. You can find out more information on their website here. 

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WEEKEND IN SARASOTA – WHERE TO STAY 

• Book The Westin Sarasota here
• Book the Art Ovation Hotel here
• Book Aloft Sarasota here
• Book The Ritz Carlton Sarasota here

FIND A PLACE TO STAY IN SARASOTA 

Booking.com

HOW TO GET AROUND SARASOTA

Once you are either in downtown Sarasota, Lido Key, or Siesta Key — these are all very walkable places. However, you’ll need to Uber or have a car to get from place to place. And keep the traffic in mind. Sarasota is becoming more of a popular tourist destination (especially during the summer) so it does take time to get around, especially if you are going down to the beach. 

I hope this guide helped you plan the perfect weekend in Sarasota, Florida! If you have any questions, please comment below, DM me on Instagram, or email me at sydabroad@gmail.com. 

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