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 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
$170
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sarasota in August
Estimated hotel price
$170
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 Allegiant Air, Air Canada and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Sarasota departs from Nashville and takes around 1h 55m.

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 Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Rent-A-Wreck, 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 Allegiant Air, Air Canada and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Sarasota departs from Nashville and takes around 1h 55m.

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 Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Rent-A-Wreck, 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 (7,198 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,372 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,104 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,651 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,952 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,896 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,826 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,468 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (806 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,845 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,285 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,588 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,418 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,692 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,093 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (351 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,222 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,366 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,312 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,914 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Sarasota

Where to stay in Sarasota

Average rates range from around $203 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $483 and up for a 5-star experience. 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 21% 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 (9.1, 1208 reviews)
$220+
View
Turtle Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, 180 reviews)
$284+
View
Kompose Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2549 reviews)
$102+
View
Lido Beach Resort
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 2081 reviews)
$324+
View
Siesta Key Beachside Villas
0 stars
Excellent (8.6, 902 reviews)
$243+
View
Siesta Key Island Rentals
0 stars
Excellent (8.5, 49 reviews)
$186+
View

Renting a car in Sarasota

Renting a car in Sarasota costs $49 per day, on average, or $146 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 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 (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Ford Focus or similar) are, on average, 42% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Sarasota costs $49 per day, on average, or $146 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 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 (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Ford Focus or similar) are, on average, 42% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Sarasota

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$26/day

Economy

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$28/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.