Sarasota -- The Ins and Outs You Need to Know

Sarsota's best feature is its powder white sand beaches. You can walk for miles and never feel a burn on your toes. You can also search for seashells and even purchase a gulf seashell guide. We found nearly all of the ones listed. It was educational and fun.

Sarasota also has wonderful restaurants. If you enjoy watching the sunset in an open air cafe on the water with fresh seafood, then you will love Sarasota.

Sarasota also has fun things to do! Families can take the free Manatee trolley, visit the Mote Aquarium, walk through the Ringling Museum, take a half day trip to the Sarasota Jungle, or go for a boat ride! Prices are reasonable. Check out the Entertainment book for further discounts

Nightlife in Sarasota isn't the most exciting. You don't go here for head banging clubs. Rather, you hang out on your gulf-front balcony watching the sunset sipping a margarita or enjoy a small band or guitarist at one of the cafes on the beach. It isn't a teen hangout but rather a place for family fun or couple relaxation.

Quick Tips:

1. Try a different restaurant every night. Don't be afraid to go to different places. Practically every one was a pleasant surprise.

2. Use your Entertainment card. The price of the card was saved at one restaurant. They are having a sale now on thier website here.

3. Watch the Mote Marine Laboratory website here for Red Tide updates. When the wind is off the gulf, it makes breathing difficult and can kill lots of fish. It isn't pleasant.

4. Drive to St. Armand's Circle for shopping and restaurants. Be aware that these restaurants are more expensive than most in the area. My favorite is Columbia's. See my review for more information.

5. If you need to stay a night or two, check out the Hyatt. They offer special rates for seniors that are nearly half price and have a good restaurant and a great pool. They aren't on the beach but on the marina.

Best Way To Get Around:

Driving is must! You can take the free Manatee trolley on Anna Maria Island. It takes a while to drive from the tip of Anna Maria Island, through Longboat Key which is long and narrow, past Lido and St. Armand's Circle and over to Siesta Key. The best part of it is that you can see water on both sides for a lot of the ride. The time flies! Watch for bicyclists and pedestrians!

Best Things Nearby:
Siesta Key and the surrounding area has an incredible beach, numerous casual and wonderful restaurants, shopping, and a good aquarium for a day trip.

Best Things About the Resort:
The units are very large and bright. There's a HUGE bathtub and walk-in shower. The entire wall in the living room is sliding glass doors.

Resort Experience:
We were fortunate to get a last-minute exchange into Calini. Our unit was a two-bedroom two-bathroom corner unit on the first floor (you get what you exchange into). The corner unit was nice in that it was a bit larger and lighter than others. First floor units get a spiral staircase down to the ground level and a larger balcony than other floors. However, there's a little gulf view with buildings in the way. Higher units have a better view and units on the fourth floor have a GREAT view. The resort is across a small street and behind two buildings to the beach through an access walkway.

Units are very nice: large, clean, and convenient. Balcony doors open the entire length of the room. The bathroom's soaking tub is as big as a children's swimming pool (my kids loved it!). The second bathroom's tiled shower is very nice too. The mattresses are VERY thin, but not unbearable considering how nice the unit is.

The laundry rooms are on two floors, though second floor has two washers and two dryers, while other floor only has one of each. They were good machines and worked well.

My only complaint was the beach by the resort. There is a large drainage pipe right on the beach. It was gross. We drove down to a public beach access and enjoyed our days there. We did not try the pool or Jacuzzi (though there were people in both every day and night). The beach on Siesta Key is absolutely beautiful, the nicest I've ever seen.

I would gladly exchange into Calini again because of its size and layout. Other resorts might be a bit more convenient to access a nice beach, but many don't offer the size units or aren't as modern and clean.

Restaurants we enjoyed include: Turtles on Siesta Key, Columbia's in Armand's Circle (the 1905 salad is incredible), the Beach House, Rotten Ralph's, and the Rod and Reel Pier all on Anna Maria Island, Dry Dock's on Longboat Key and Sugar and Spice Amish Restaurant in Sarasota.

We also really enjoyed the Mote Aquarium.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

Best Things Nearby:
St. Armand's Circle is nearby, filled with restaurants and shops. The Mote Aquarium isn't far and Longboat key is a few miles away.

Best Things About the Resort:
It is situated on the beach at the end of the road next to a state park.

Resort Experience:
I have mixed feelings. While I enjoyed the vacation, I was expecting more.

BEACH I was expecting white powder sand. Lido Beach was hit by a hurricane and eroded. They trucked in sand that was more gravelly and coarse than the white sand I'd expected. However, the gulf water was beautiful, with very little waves and fun shelling. There was practically no one on the beach, so we had a grand time all day in the water (reminded me of the Caribbean).

RESORT While I expected hotel conversion units, I hate going to a place that nickels and dimes me to death. They charge for paper towels at the front desk ($1.50), salt and pepper, pail and shovel, beach chair rental ($5/day each), VCP ($4/day rental), etc. These little extras could have been provided. It was convenient that they offered them for sale, but paper towels? In addition, the unit had one small TV in the living room and none in the bedroom (they handed me a remote control at check-in). The bedroom had one king bed and then there were four day beds, two in each room, that were not comfortable, though provided plenty of sleeping places. No midweek cleaning, though they had a towel exchange daily where they counted each and every piece of cloth. The pool was quite small and crowded each day, all day. The front desk was friendly and efficient. I could not see the beach from my unit (many are not gulf view).

RESTAURANTS I recommend Columbia's at St. Armands Circle (try their famous 1905 salad) and Captain Jack's on the water. Dino's has delicious pizza and delivers to the resort. Also, Seagrapes next door has a very good lunch.

SIGHTS Not a lot to do but sun and surf. Nightlife is nonexistent. The Mote Aquarium is a nice place for kids. Also, the Ringling Museum is a nice day out. Tampa isn't too far if you want an amusement park experience.

I plan to try another resort in the area next time. Lido Beach is in a great location, midway between Siesta Key and Longboat Key and so close to St. Armand's.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

Best Things Nearby:
The resort is located on the main road between the Gulf of Mexico and the bay. Longboat Key is an upscale town near St. Armand's Circle with several restaurants and shopping.

Best Things About the Resort:
The units are spacious and clean. Modern furnishings combined with a large balcony make this a comfortable home away from home.

Resort Experience:
The Longboat Bay Club is located across a busy street from the Gulf of Mexico. It is not recommended that children cross unattended. However, once you cross to the gulf side, it is a 40-foot walk to a lovely white-sand beach. The beach access is directly in front of the resort. The resort is situated on the bay, which makes for a nice view of the water and wildlife. There are several slips for boats and a pier for fishing (rods and reels are provided free of charge by the resort). There is a smallish pool and nice-sized fenced-in playground area. The resort also offers complimentary tennis (with racquets) and basketball. Brand-new bikes are also available for the guests for free. Chairs and umbrellas are available any time. There are enough amenities and sports to keep teenagers, children, and adults occupied.

The units are exceptionally nice. Very large living areas and dining areas combine to keep it light and airy. The master bedroom offers a large bathroom and windows with a door leading to the balcony overlooking the bay. The second bathroom has a large stall shower. There are abundant closets throughout the unit. A stackable washer/dryer in the kitchen is convenient.

The staff was very nice, offering any information needed. They provide free games, puzzles, books, and videos for borrowing.

There are an abundance of restaurants within driving distance, particularly close and noted are Dry Docks and Columbias.

I would recommend this resort without hesitation. The only drawback is the street between it and the gulf.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Very Good

I STILL crave Columbia's 1905 salad and plantains! My mouth is watering right now for a Cuban pork sandwich and flan for dessert. Of course, I couldn't order any of this without a pitcher of their specialty sangria made to order at the table. Oh, how I miss this restaurant!

You can't visit Sarasota without enjoying at least one meal at Columbia's. You can dine outside on the sidewalk and watch the action on St. Armand's Circle or inside in a more elegant setting. Don't expect to be seated when you arrive unless you come early or late. I like getting there around 5pm so that I can watch the crowds descend from my perfect seat. Lunch is also wonderful, and a great way to have that famous 1905 salad made at your table (lettuce, Swiss cheese, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, etc., etc.)

For dinner, I ordered a steak for my young sons to share. Not only did the waiter serve them the steak in seperate dishes, saving me the trouble of splitting it, he actually cut the steak into small pieces for them at the table! This was the first and only time anyone has made my dining such a relaxed and easy experience!

After eating at Columbia's in Sarasota, I made a point of also trying the Columbia's in Celebration, by Orlando. It was equally good, same menu and same excellent service.

Before you leave Sarasota, make sure you pick up a bottle of the 1905 dressing at the restaurant's gift shop. They also sell the special sangria (with the little bull hanging from the label), which is difficult to buy elsewhere. Why not splurge and get one of their souvenir ceramic pitchers so you'll be able to recreate your wonderful trip when you're home? It helps satisfy the craving...a little!

Hours:

Monday - Saturday (11am - 11pm)
Sunday (12 noon - 10pm)
Open 365 days a year.
Full bar and children's menu available.

For more information, check out their website.

Mote Marine Laboratory, founded in 1955, is an independent, nonprofit research organization that showcases scientific research and displays marine life found in southwest Florida. It is located on City Island in Sarasota, Florida, on a 10.5-acre site. It is accredited through the American Association of Museums and has approximately 400,000 visitors each year.

When we entered the aquarium, volunteers, who were happy to talk about the amazing sea life we were observing, greeted us. It was nice to have someone to learn from and ask questions to rather than just reading the fact sheets that you find at most aquariums. The aquarium featured many species that inhabit the southwestern Florida region, as well as exhibits depicting research at Mote. We saw sharks in the 135,000-gallon shark exhibit, touched marine life in Contact Cove and Remarkable Rays displays, and watched Mysterious Mollusks.

A second building across the road housed Mote's Marine Mammal Center featuring resident manatees, sea turtles, and Mote's aquaculture work. The Roy and Susan Palmer Sea Turtle Center educates the public about sea turtles and the importance of conservation and rehabilitates sick and injured sea turtles. The exhibit is home to non-releasable turtles and also serves as a temporary home for turtles undergoing rehabilitation. My sons learned about how sea turtles bury their eggs and the hatchlings run to the sea. The whole family was amazed by a giant sea turtle who had recently been rescued and was in the process of being rehabilitated. We later learned that the turtle passed away the next day. How sad! However, the Mote Marine Laboratory is doing incredible work to help the species survive.

Hours are from 10am to 5pm daily, including all holidays. They were even open Christmas Day!
General Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for children (ages 4 to 12).
To receive a discount coupon, go to their website. While there, check out their Calendar of Mote Events.

The laboratory is also studying he red tide in Florida. For information and updates, check out the Mote Marine Red Tide Update page.

I highly recommend the aquarium for a half-day family trip. If you really want to learn about marine life, book their educational boat trip as part of a combination package.

Knowing that we would return to Busch Gardens this summer, we decided to purchase the Silver Passport family passes. These were a few dollars more per person but were good for an entire year. In addition, the pass allowed for free parking and discounts on food and gifts. Even if you don't intend on returning, buying one pass may be a good idea just for the discounts. They have the information on the Busch Gardens website.

The park, about 1 hour from Sarasota up I75 is both an amusement park and a zoo. The zoo was mostly accessed through the train and range-rover rides, with some areas for walking. This was perfect for my small children and mother, who normally get tired walking through large zoos. For an extra fee, you can purchase safari rides on open-air trucks through the Serengeti. Although expensive, it was well-worth the money to feed the giraffes and other animals. It is an experience of a lifetime!

My husband enjoyed the roller coasters while the rest of us liked the more tamer rides (the kids had fun at the Rhino Rally).

The Colonial House restaurant offered a nice menu with a family-style fried chicken dinner for $11.95 per person with all of the trimmings. The view of the Serengeti was beautiful. They also featured salads and larger entrées.

I would highly recommend Busch Gardens. We didn't get to see everything in 1 day (including all of the shows and rides) and look forward to returning.