Introduction
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

Activities & attractions in Sarasota

Tours

Sarasota’s Premier Luxury Private Custom Charter Service
Private Tour
Kayak Tour Through the Mangrove Tunnels
Water Activities
90-min Sarasota trolley tour: history, culture, sights, and landmarks
City Tour
HydroCats - 2 Hr CraigCat Sightseeing Tour
Water Activities
Area Sand Bar Party Tour
Adventure
Sandbar, Beach, Dolphin Watching Cruise
Boat Tour

Nature & Outdoor Activities

Kayaking in Sarasota - Wholesale, Guided Trips, & Rentals
Kayaking
Catamaran Sailing Pass Adventure, True Sail, Dolphin Watch, Sunset Sai
Beach
Magic Carpet Ride above the water on an eFoil
Beach

Activities

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf - Pirate-Themed Mini Golf with Gators!
Adventure
Pottery Painting Studio | Gifts | Gallery -Discover 300+ Local Artists
Arts & Crafts

Other activities

MARA Art Studio + Gallery / Curated Fine Art Experience in Sarasota
Art & Performing Arts•Art Gallery

Where to Eat in Sarasota

Downtown is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Sarasota. These include popular favorites 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
$169
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sarasota in September
Estimated hotel price
$169
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, Allegiant Air and EL AL. The shortest domestic flight to Sarasota departs from Asheville and takes around 1h 39m.

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 Rent-A-Wreck and Advantage, 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, Allegiant Air and EL AL. The shortest domestic flight to Sarasota departs from Asheville and takes around 1h 39m.

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 Rent-A-Wreck and Advantage, 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

Lufthansa
Good (7,409 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,385 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,361 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,960 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,731 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,968 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,929 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,937 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,469 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,334 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,624 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (850 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,139 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,484 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,114 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,250 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (359 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,883 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,323 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,977 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 $188 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $514 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 25% 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
2 stars
Excellent (9.2, 1228 reviews)
$177+
View
Tropical Beach Resorts
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 2613 reviews)
$176+
View
Turtle Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (9, 187 reviews)
$202+
View
Kompose Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2626 reviews)
$69+
View
Siesta Key Beachside Villas
0 stars
Excellent (8.7, 908 reviews)
$235+
View
Lido Beach Resort
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 2103 reviews)
$339+
View

Renting a car in Sarasota

Renting a car in Sarasota costs $49 per day, on average, or $147 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.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 1% more expensive than at Sarasota Bradenton Intl.

Expect to pay $3.52 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 $42.25 and $56.33. The most frequently booked car type in Sarasota is Full-size (Hyundai Santa Fe 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, 47% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Sarasota costs $49 per day, on average, or $147 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.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 1% more expensive than at Sarasota Bradenton Intl.

Expect to pay $3.52 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 $42.25 and $56.33. The most frequently booked car type in Sarasota is Full-size (Hyundai Santa Fe 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, 47% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Sarasota

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$21/day

Economy

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$24/day

Intermediate
Find car rentals in Sarasota

Sarasota Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Sarasota city guide for the best Sarasota travel tips. To help you organize 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.