One of America’s most sought-after destinations, Sarasota is a city steeped in the arts where residents enjoy year-round sun and sand and endless activities on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The city is the county seat of Sarasota County, which has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the second-fastest-growing region of the country. Almost 60,000 people live in this city, featured in annual “best of” lists. Sarasota comes in at No. 5 on “Best Places to Live” and No. 11 on “Best Places to Retire” in the latest rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Access to the ocean is certainly part of the appeal, Sarasota also is the center of what is known as the Cultural Coast. The city’s well-established arts culture is anchored by the historic John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. The Ringlings were instrumental in transforming Sarasota into a modern jewel, and one can hardly spend a day in the city without noticing their influence.
Sarasotans enjoy museums, galleries and performance venues throughout the city and surrounding areas, prompting Southern Living Magazine to call the area “the nation’s per capita arts capital.” Not many cities the size of Sarasota possess the cultural infrastructure to host a regular Art Walk, but that’s part of an average Friday downtown. Main Street hosts arts fairs, festivals and fundraisers annually. The biggest such event is the Sarasota Festival of the Arts, which has been so successful that today it takes up more than five city blocks and features the work of more than 200 regional and national artists. The Ringling Museum, the official state art museum, greets visitors entering the city from the north. Established in 1927 by John and Mable Burton Ringling, it features art collections, circus paraphernalia, beautiful bayfront gardens and Ca’ d’Zan, the Ringlings’ iconic 56-room mansion. It’s also home to The Sarasota Art Museum, a 15,000-square-foot showcase for contemporary art that focuses on up-and-coming artists and features revolving year-round exhibitions. Art Center Sarasota, established a year before the Ringling Museum as the city’s community arts foundation, includes four rotating exhibition galleries and a sculpture garden. The member-funded organization offers classes, workshops and programs for children and adults. Theater has extensive roots in the community as well. The Asolo Repertory Theatre, established in 1960, quickly developed a reputation for innovative productions. It is one of the largest non-profit theaters of its kind in the country. Ten years later, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall opened. Painted a unique shade of purple, the Van Wezel is arguably the second-most iconic structure in the city. For more than 50 years, it has presented popular Broadway musicals, top national and international performers and world-class symphony orchestras among its vast lineup of artistic offerings. It is also home to performances by the Sarasota Orchestra, Sarasota Ballet and Sarasota Concert Association. The Van Wezel was designed by William Wesley Peters, the son-in-law and protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, and that purple hue was the idea of Wright’s widow, Olgivanna.
The Gulf Coast is known worldwide for its white-sand beaches, and Sarasotans have access to several of them on the nearby barrier islands nestled between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Lido Beach on Lido Key is popular yet relatively private compared to the larger public beaches on Siesta Key, which comprise Sarasota Beach, Crescent Beach and Turtle Beach. Lido Beach, connected to the mainland by the John Ringling Causeway, is in the city limits, while the Siesta Key beaches are part of unincorporated Sarasota County. The Siesta Key North Bridge connects the island to the mainland. The Sarasota waterfront is dotted with fishing and observation piers and is home to the Sarasota Yacht Club. The bay is a perfect spot for canoers and kayakers, and the open waters of the Gulf are inviting for boat owners. In addition, the city manages more than 60 parks. The Bay, Sarasota’s signature park, is also its newest. The 53-acre sustainable green space, drew more than 50,000 visitors to celebrate completion of its first phase in October 2022. Designed with the motto “One Park for All,” it offers an array of recreational activities in a picturesque setting. The contemporary community gathering place is anchored by the historic Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
The median home price in Sarasota rose by 148% the past 10 years, outpacing the national average of 94% during that same period. However, the most recent data shows home prices are down 2% year-over-year, suggesting the market has stabilized and the pace of growth has cooled, in large part due to rising interest rates. The overall median home price hovers around $500,000, although a nice place on Lido Key will run you more than $1 million. Traditional ranch-style homes are prominent. Smaller, established cottage-style homes are common in the city’s oldest neighborhoods near downtown. The waterfront is home to a collection of the city’s largest homes, the most expensive of which approaches $30 million. The Spanish Mediterranean motif is common among the ornate homes that mingle with multi-level Coastal-style homes designed with the Florida weather in mind, sprawling estate-style homes and relatively understated ranch homes. Multi-family options include a variety of condominiums ranging from the mid-$100,000s for a one-bedroom unit inland to more than $10 million for a 7-bedroom, 8-bath, amenities-filled high-rise unit on the water. Insurance costs vary widely throughout the state, but Florida’s average of more than $4,000 annually is the highest in the country, primarily due to the potential for catastrophic weather events. Siesta Key, the northern tip of which is in the city limits, is among the state’s most expensive ZIP codes at $6,295. Insurance companies are required by law to give discounts, called wind mitigation credits, to owners who have taken steps to protect their homes. While hurricanes are a concern when buying a home in a coastal area, they are a rare occurrence on the Gulf Coast. They are much more common on the Atlantic Ocean side, as well as in the Panhandle area north of Sarasota.
With Tamiami Trail running right through the city, residents have quick and easy access to several contemporary shopping centers and a variety of dining options concentrated along the Gulf Coast’s primary commercial corridor. The jewel of Sarasota, however, is St. Armands Circle, where the dream of John and Mable Ringling becomes reality. Located across Sarasota Bay near Lido Key, the walkable shopping district is a popular destination that features more than 140 high-end boutique stores, restaurants and art galleries. The city’s website describes it as “the embodiment of the upscale, tropical lifestyle that has defined the region for nearly 100 years.” When it comes to restaurants, the choices are vast. Downtown Sarasota is the epicenter of the city’s culinary renaissance, home to a collection of restaurants that features everything from global cuisine to posh New American eateries to traditional seafood favorites in Old Florida settings.
Sarasota is part of Sarasota County Schools, rated the No. 1 district in the state by Niche. The district has received the Florida Department of Education’s highest performance grade every year since 2004. Two of the city's top-rated public schools carry on its cultural arts heritage. Sarasota High is home to the Sailor Circus Academy, a rigorous afterschool program that teaches circus skills to ages 8 through 18. Riverview High School boasts The Riverview Performing Arts Center. RPAC, as it is known, is a 1,000-plus-seat venue that hosts school and community performances year-round. The city also is home to several highly rated private schools, including NewGate School and Out-of-Door Academy, which is opening a new lower-school campus in 2024 for students in pre-k through fifth grade. Sarasota’s Ringling College of Art & Design is the only institution in Florida dedicated exclusively to teaching art and design. The curriculum includes nationally ranked courses in computer animation, motion design and game art. New College of Florida, a public liberal arts school, offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and a master’s degree program in data science. The Sarasota-Manatee campus of the University of South Florida also is in Sarasota.
In addition to Tamiami Trail, U.S. Route 301 also runs through Sarasota, providing residents with easy access to points of interest throughout the Gulf Coast. Tamiami Trail allows for convenient travel north into neighboring Bradenton, where Interstate 275 can then be taken directly into St. Petersburg and Tampa. Route 301 follows a similar path a few miles inland and can be taken all the way to Jacksonville. Sarasota International Airport, located on the border with Bradenton, offers regular flights to dozens of American cities in the eastern half of the United States as well as Denver. Public transportation is anchored by the buses of the Breeze Transit network, which offer fixed route, on-demand and paratransit services. The Bay Runner is a relatively new, complimentary trolley service that operates seven days a week until midnight with stops between downtown Sarasota and St. Armands Circle.
Crime.org gives Sarasota a “C,” meaning the rate of crime is roughly average compared to the typical American city. Violent crime, however, is rare, while property theft has the highest rate of occurrence. Much of the latter is concentrated in and around downtown, an important distinction because the victims of such crime are often businesses and not individuals. Depending on the neighborhood, the chances of being a victim of crime in Sarasota range from 1 in 18 to 1 in 60.
