Things to do in Sarasota for Vacation (Bradenton, Siesta Key: rentals, theatre)

[hustlegang]

Hi All,

I will be spending 4 days with my family in Saraosta. Outside of the great beaches in Siesta Keys, are there anything else we should be doing in our 4 days of travel? I love the beach but there's only so much you could do and spending all 4 days on the beaches seem excessive. There are plenty of guides but most are probably mediocre compared to personalized advice by people with first hand experience. To give more context, the party consists of me (23 years old), my parents, and my brother (11 years old).

Thanks

[bbronston]

Originally Posted by hustlegang

Hi All,

I will be spending 4 days with my family in Saraosta. Outside of the great beaches in Siesta Keys, are there anything else we should be doing in our 4 days of travel? I love the beach but there's only so much you could do and spending all 4 days on the beaches seem excessive. There are plenty of guides but most are probably mediocre compared to personalized advice by people with first hand experience. To give more context, the party consists of me (23 years old), my parents, and my brother (11 years old).

Thanks

What kinds of things are appealing to your family? There's no point in soliciting a list of things to do if they don't appeal in the first place. Do you think kayak tours might be fun? Renting a boat? Art museum? Attend a show?

[photoman_6]

my favorite things have been the Ca 'd Zan (Ringling Museums)- pricey but well worth it; Jungle Gardens, Big Cat Habitat, Spanish Point; theatre productions at the Asolo, Mc Curdy Comedy Club, Mote Marine, walking around St. Armands Circle, the tons of restaurants (My favorite is Derek's casual in Bradenton).

[hustlegang]

I'm mostly interested in outdoors activities.

[daveysue]

There are several places thaf rent seadoos and we rented an electric boat at the marina at the south jetty in venice. It was really nice! They are called duffy boats, 80 dollars an hour and you ride up and down the intercoastal.

[daveysue]

Electric Boat & Kayak Rentals

[Icemodeled]

My husband and I love sarasota. Spent 2 months there last year and enjoyed it. We went to the ringling museum (free day) you wont get to see everything but still a lot, iv heard paying the fee is worth it though to see everything. We also went to the antique stores, there were many and a couple flea markets in the area. We drove to the Myakka state park, which was wonderfull. $6 fee I think but worth it. Wasnt to far from sarasota. Had a picnic there. We went from there to arcadia, if you do like antique stores, that town has a lot. Its a bit further though.

st armands square is nice to window shop and stroll around. We also liked taking a walk in the marina to. Lovely boats and views. Anna maria island was a fun spot to drive through, walk around the shops and get ice cream. Not far from sarasota. Have fun!

[Sunshine Rules]

A few sites that list some of the more popular outdoor activities and attractions in our area:


The Top 10 Outdoor Activities in Sarasota - TripAdvisor



Outdoors | Visit Sarasota County

Discover Natural Sarasota | The Official Website for Visit Sarasota County on Florida's Gulf Coast


Sarasota Jungle Gardens is another option. It's not just gardens, they have a number of animals, reptiles, birds of prey, tropical birds, etc and offer several shows each day.

Sarasota Jungle Gardens | Sarasota's Favorite Family Attraction!



There's also Bradenton, just north of Sarasota:

The Top 10 Things to Do in Bradenton - TripAdvisor - Bradenton, FL Attractions - Find What to Do Today, This Weekend, or in January


And just west of Bradenton, Anna Maria Island:

Things to do on Anna Maria Island | Fishing, Golfing & Many More Activities

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by hustlegang

Hi All,

I will be spending 4 days with my family in Saraosta. Outside of the great beaches in Siesta Keys, are there anything else we should be doing in our 4 days of travel? I love the beach but there's only so much you could do and spending all 4 days on the beaches seem excessive. There are plenty of guides but most are probably mediocre compared to personalized advice by people with first hand experience. To give more context, the party consists of me (23 years old), my parents, and my brother (11 years old).
Thanks

The other posters already offered many great suggestions, but it really depends on your budget, health and personal interests (and the weather!) Your brother might really enjoy a trip to Disney and Universal Studios (2 to 2-1/2 hrs) especially if you've never been there. It's getting awfully expensive, however.