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.

Article

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 May
Estimated package price
$116
2 travelers
Flight to Sarasota
3 nights at hotel
Sarasota in May
Estimated package price
$116
2 travelers
Flight to Sarasota
3 nights at 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 7 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Sarasota include Southwest, American Airlines and Allegiant Air. The shortest domestic flight to Sarasota departs from Knoxville and takes around 1h 44m.

Train

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

Car

Another option to get to Sarasota is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 175 km from Sarasota. You’ll find branches of Rent-A-Wreck and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Sarasota 5600 Fruitville Rd, located 7 km from downtown Sarasota. Sarasota Cattleman Transfer Ctr - 5951 Porter Way is also a commonly used station, and is 8 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Sarasota, you’ll arrive at Sarasota Bradenton Intl (SRQ), which is located 7 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Sarasota include Southwest, American Airlines and Allegiant Air. The shortest domestic flight to Sarasota departs from Knoxville and takes around 1h 44m.

Train

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

Car

Another option to get to Sarasota is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 175 km from Sarasota. You’ll find branches of Rent-A-Wreck and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Sarasota 5600 Fruitville Rd, located 7 km from downtown Sarasota. Sarasota Cattleman Transfer Ctr - 5951 Porter Way is also a commonly used station, and is 8 km from the city center.

Airports near Sarasota

SRQSarasota Bradenton Intl
TPATampa
RSWFort Myers SW Florida Intl

Airlines serving Sarasota

KLM
Good (1,478 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,871 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,822 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,336 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,282 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,905 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,156 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,553 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,493 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (903 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,543 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,725 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,732 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,843 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,182 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,374 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (395 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,430 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,182 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,484 reviews)
Show more
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 $249 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $337 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 $1,866 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Sarasota are about 6% more expensive 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)
3 stars
Excellent (9.2, 1240 reviews)
$214+
View
Tropical Beach Resorts - Sarasota
3 stars
Excellent (9, 2716 reviews)
$256+
View
Seaspray Resort
4 stars
Excellent (9, 328 reviews)
$297+
View
Kompose Boutique Hotel Sarasota
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2818 reviews)
$146+
View
Siesta Key Beachside Villas
0 stars
Excellent (8.7, 916 reviews)
$344+
View
Siesta Key Island Rentals
0 stars
Excellent (8.9, 53 reviews)
$341+
View

Renting a car in Sarasota

Renting a car in Sarasota costs $53 per day, on average, or $159 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty 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 6 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Sarasota.

Expect to pay $4.09 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 $49.06 and $65.41. 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 Standard rental cars (Jeep Grand Cherokee or similar) are, on average, 56% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Sarasota costs $53 per day, on average, or $159 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty 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 6 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Sarasota.

Expect to pay $4.09 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 $49.06 and $65.41. 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 Standard rental cars (Jeep Grand Cherokee or similar) are, on average, 56% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Sarasota

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$32/day

Compact

Standard SUV

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$33/day

Standard SUV
Find car rentals in Sarasota