things to be sure to see in sarasota-bradenton-vience area (Punta Gorda: to live, shop)

[nknoah]

We will be visiting the sarasota-bradenton-vience area this august and would like to get the feel of what it would be like to live there. What areas, attractions and things to do are recommended? We're 40ish, no children but not big into night life. Anyone have suggestions?

[jnanner]

i have yet to discover a fraction of things to do or see in the area but i'd say Siesta Key beach at night is a must

[Col.W.Deering]

I absolutely love going to Selby Botanical Gardens. My husband and I are your age, no kids and not into nightlife either. We bring our cameras to Selby for some great photo ops. They have some good food as well. It's a just a wonderful place for a leisurely walk surrounded by the beauty of the flowers and trees and absolutely gorgeous views of Sarasota Bay.

[Oobie119]

I agree that Selby Gardens is nice..You can also visit Desoto Point in Bradenton or Spanish Point in Osprey (about a 20 minute drive). Spanish Point is probably the nicer of the two. They both offer scenic walks near bays but Spanish Point is more of an archealogic/environmental area. Bayfront Park is also nice for a scenic walk along the bay, where many people walk or ride bikes. Walking along the marina there you can take a tour of the area by boat on one of the tours. Marina Jacks and O'leary's are two places in the park where you could have lunch or a few drinks, O'Leary's is the more casual place, and they have live entertainment. Hitting Siesta Key Beach for the drum circle is a must, this takes place on Sunday evenings around 5. Downtown Siesta you could go to the Siesta Key Oyster bar for a bit or dine outdoors at the Daquiri Deck. These two places would probably suit you better during the day or on a weekday, as they get a bit more crowded on weekends/evenings. You could stroll around St Armands Circle, have lunch or Ice Cream at Kilwins..The sunset is always something to see at one of the many beaches, or if you like horses, hit Palma Sola Bay for a sunset horseback along the water (www.beachhorses.com). Other than that, Bradenton and Sarasota are pretty small, laid back towns. : )

[SoFLGal]

My suggestions are:

Spanish Point, Osprey

Solomons Castle, Ona

Babcock Wilderness Adventure, Punta Gorda

Bishop Planetarium, Bradenton

Selby, Sarasota

Ringling Museum, Sarasota Free on Monday's

Mote Marine, Sarasota

Jungle Gardens, Sarasota

Have fun on your trip

[davery5872]

Originally Posted by Oobie119

Hitting Siesta Key Beach for the drum circle is a must, this takes place on Sunday evenings around 5.

The drum circle starts usually starts about 45 minutes before sunset.

[Racelady88]

I will second Solomon's Castle, Bishop, and Ringling. The Art Museum at Ringling is free on Mondays if you are a resident, but they do not check your ID. It is worth the $$$ to see the Cà d'Zan Mansion.