Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting 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 one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Sarasota has to offer.

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Where to Eat in Sarasota

Downtown is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Sarasota. These include popular favorites such as Indigenous (239 S Links Ave), Lila (1576 Main St) and Marcel DW (1568 Main St). If you’re looking for affordable options, Columbia Restaurant - Sarasota (411 Saint Armands Circle) and Ocean Prime - Sarasota (501 Quay Commons) are great picks.

When to visit Sarasota

Sarasota in September
Estimated hotel price
$162
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sarasota in September
Estimated hotel price
$162
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Sarasota in July, when the average temperature is 82.4 °F, and the highest can go up to 91.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 48.2 °F, with an average temperature of 60.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 9.7″. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Sarasota, with an average rainfall of 2.2″.

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 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Sarasota include JetBlue, Etihad Airways and Allegiant Air. The shortest domestic flight to Sarasota departs from Cedar Rapids and takes around 2h 37m.

Train

The train station in Sarasota is called Sarasota, and is located 0.1 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Sarasota is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 109 miles from Sarasota. You’ll find branches of Advantage and America Car Rental, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Sarasota 5600 Fruitville Rd, located 5 miles from downtown Sarasota. Sarasota Cattleman Transfer Ctr - 5951 Porter Way is also a commonly used station, and is 5 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Sarasota, you’ll arrive at Sarasota Bradenton Intl (SRQ), which is located 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Sarasota include JetBlue, Etihad Airways and Allegiant Air. The shortest domestic flight to Sarasota departs from Cedar Rapids and takes around 2h 37m.

Train

The train station in Sarasota is called Sarasota, and is located 0.1 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Sarasota is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 109 miles from Sarasota. You’ll find branches of Advantage and America Car Rental, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Sarasota 5600 Fruitville Rd, located 5 miles from downtown Sarasota. Sarasota Cattleman Transfer Ctr - 5951 Porter Way is also a commonly used station, and is 5 miles from the city center.

Airports near Sarasota

SRQSarasota Bradenton Intl
TPATampa
RSWFort Myers SW Florida Intl

Airlines serving Sarasota

KLM
Good (1,405 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,555 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,004 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,496 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,031 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,778 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,007 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,003 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,402 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,661 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,484 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (864 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,410 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,285 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,560 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,243 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,133 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,335 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,393 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (889 reviews)
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Find flights to Sarasota

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 $194 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $313 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Magnolia Pointe, BW Signature Collection and Comfort Inn & Suites Sarasota I75. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Sarasota, with prices from $53 to $1,528 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Sarasota are about 26% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Sarasota

Most booked hotels in Sarasota

See all
Captiva Beach Resort (open private beach access)
2 stars
Excellent (9.2, 1229 reviews)
$162+
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Tropical Beach Resorts
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 2663 reviews)
$166+
View
Turtle Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 192 reviews)
$290+
View
Kompose Boutique Hotel Sarasota
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2691 reviews)
$72+
View
Lido Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2124 reviews)
$371+
View
Siesta Key Beachside Villas
0 stars
Excellent (8.7, 912 reviews)
$242+
View

Renting a car in Sarasota

Renting a car in Sarasota costs $48 per day, on average, or $143 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Thrifty and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Sarasota is the Hertz branch at 6000 Airport Circle, which is 3 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 14% cheaper than airport locations in Sarasota.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Sarasota (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Sarasota is Intermediate (Ford Escape or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Kia Optima or similar) are, on average, 45% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Sarasota costs $48 per day, on average, or $143 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Thrifty and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Sarasota is the Hertz branch at 6000 Airport Circle, which is 3 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 14% cheaper than airport locations in Sarasota.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Sarasota (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Sarasota is Intermediate (Ford Escape or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Kia Optima or similar) are, on average, 45% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Sarasota

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$28/day

Intermediate

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$28/day

Supplier choice
Find car rentals in Sarasota