Visit Sarasota County - What's New When You Arrive at SRQ

SARASOTA, Fla., Feb. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyond Sarasota County's 35 miles of coastline lies a haven of arts and culture, eclectic events and exquisite dining. The various cities along Florida's Gulf Coast® are as unique as the different sands on each shore. Start your journey with the county's staples – downtown Sarasota, Siesta Key Beach, and the City of Venice – but note, even those have changed a bit. Then, traverse new developments, such as the Rosemary District and the Atlanta Braves CoolToday Park Spring Training facility in North Port. You'll quickly discover there's a variety of new ways to experience Sarasota County.

Arriving at Your Destination
Arriving and departing Sarasota County has never been easier. Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) now offers nonstop flights to and from more than 40 cities in the U.S. and Canada. These flights are through Allegiant, Frontier American Airlines, Elite Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, and include destinations across the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest. 

SRQ Airport is also home to Air Canada, Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue Airways and United Airlines. It prides itself on being a stress-free, full-service International Airport for Sarasota and its eight barrier islands. Positioned five miles from downtown Sarasota, and on University Parkway, leading to I-75, SRQ is convenient and centrally located. This allows you and your guests to keep travel time down, maximize your minutes and experience the destination a little longer.

Accommodation Updates
Sarasota is no stranger to exceptional accommodations. When every room has a view of clear skies and stunning sunsets, it all comes down to the details. The newest hotels gaining traction in the county include:

• Siesta Key Beach Resort & Suites, Tiki & Pool completed a $2.7 Million renovation. The changes include a new zero entry pool, exterior surface, landscaping, more ADA compliant rooms, and general room upgrades.
• Lido Beach Resort is considered the most luxurious resort in Lido Key, after completing a major room renovation. The room renovations introduced new infrastructure, case goods, soft goods, bathrooms, and flooring in all 223 rooms and suites, including 112 condo suites in the resort's South Tower and 111 guest rooms in the North Tower. Additionally, the corridors of both towers were renovated, as well as the South Tower's 24-hour fitness center and communal seating areas. Additionally, select guest rooms and suites are pet friendly welcoming up to two dogs per room.
• Renovations will soon be complete at The Resort at Longboat Key Club. A well-known and popular accommodation located on the beautiful coast of Sarasota County and Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards Winner.
• North Port broke ground on the first new hotel in the city since 1973, Hampton Inn & Suites. The hotel is a new prototype for Hilton and expected to open later in 2020.
• Embassy Suites by Hilton – located in downtown Sarasota, this all-suite hotel boasts an 8^th floor full restaurant and bar with waterfront views. Complimentary happy hour daily. Opened in 2019.
• The Sarasota Modern – located in the up and coming Rosemary District, this luxury boutique property features minimalist design, artistic flair and three pools. Opened in 2019.

Culture Hound
Known as Florida's Cultural Coast®, Sarasota has the only professional ballet, opera and orchestra on Florida's west coast, alongside more than ten theatres, 13 stages and the State's Art Museum, The Ringling. Hot off the press, The Ringling College of Art + Design has opened the region's first museum dedicated to contemporary art. Yes, Sarasota's historic collegiate-gothic style high school was transformed (over 16 years!) into a state-of-the-art visual arts destination, Sarasota Art Museum.

The transformation of the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's Theatre Center was completed in January 2020 and Venice Theatre proudly announced the purchase of the 9,518-square-foot Arts Education Building, formerly the City of Venice's Hamilton Building. Launching this month, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens will integrate the arts throughout the grounds and gardens with the Salvador DalÍ: Gardens of the Mind exhibit. Also, the gardens recently received "The Living Museum®" trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The Hermitage Artist Retreat, on the National Register of Historic Places, recently appointed Andy Sandberg as Artistic Director and CEO. Sandberg is an accomplished director, writer, and Tony Award-winning producer, whose national and international career has been committed to new work and artist development. To view or buy art, check out the new Ligon Fine Art, focused on contemporary art. Whereas Chasen Galleries welcomed its second location in Sarasota, at Westfield Siesta Key Mall.

Discover Natural Sarasota County
Hike, paddle, bike, fish or sit back in natural paradise. The new tour company Myakka Outdoors provides access to the wetlands, lakes, and river in Myakka River State Park, one of the state's oldest and largest parks. Oscar Scherer State Park offers concierge camping packages and access to the Legacy Trail which will soon be extended 7.5 miles. On the west coast, there's Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, including mangrove tunnels and our world-renowned soft, white sand, as well as a new project in the works – The Bay Sarasota – which will transform this area in years to come.

The Circus Came to Town
Famously renowned as the historical winter home for the Ringling Bros. Circus, visitors can check out The Ringling Circus Museum, and for live circus entertainment they can head to The Circus Arts Conservatory (CAC), which recently completed a multi-million-dollar renovation. CAC combines professional circus performances, youth training and community outreach, and offers public classes in flying trapeze, aerial silks and other teambuilding activities. CAC is also home to the Circus Sarasota and Sailor Circus performances at select times throughout the year.

Culinary Delights
Home to award-winning and legendary restaurants, Sarasota County is brimming with culinary experiences. From outdoor dining, fresh, local seafood to authentic Amish cuisine and new restaurants popping up monthly, Sarasota has one of the largest groups of independent restaurants and hosts the most restaurants per capita for small cities. And, you're sure to dine in style as our restaurants overlook beaches, skylines and downtowns, and our many food and wine events are accompanied with local brews and craft cocktails. 

There are an unimaginable amount of restaurant happenings occurring in Sarasota County. Some of the most notable are:

• After a stunning remodel of a historic building downtown, Sage SRQ opened its doors to present us with equally impressive fine dining fare with a decidedly Mediterranean influence. Featuring a multi-level dining room with a vintage copper cocktail bar, 3,400 sq. ft. of private event space and a covered rooftop lounge with 360° views of downtown Sarasota.
• Waters Edge Winery & Bistro at Social will open in spring 2020 in downtown Sarasota. Each Waters Edge Winery & Bistro location combines the very best of a winery and wine bar in one versatile model that can be located anywhere, regardless of topography or agricultural factors.
• Sarasota is rapidly embracing the vegan lifestyle with several vegan friendly spots making this list. Fork My Life in Gulf Gate is offering vegan baked goods made fresh daily. Their Apple Crisp was recognized by PETA even!
• Lemon Tree Kitchen has seen wild success. Catering to quick and healthy diners, this is the perfect space for a vegan, vegetarian and carnivore to come together and all leave happy.
• Sarasota classic Libby's has had a major facelift and menu shift. With an industrial decor vibe and brasserie style menu, Libby's Neighborhood Brasserie's evolution has everyone in town talking. Plus, they opened a second location too near I-75 in Lakewood Ranch.
• We're excited to share that Circo, a taco & bourbon joint, just opened as well in early 2020!

Diversity and Inclusiveness
Sarasota is proud to have joined the U.S. Civil Rights Trail in 2019 as the southernmost destination. The Newtown African American Heritage Trail now recognizes the beach wade ins of the 1950's which led to desegregation of Florida's beaches. Take a trolley tour with Newtown Alive and learn about the area's black history. Based in Sarasota, Embracing Our Differences, a not-for-profit that uses the transformational power of art and education to celebrate and promote the diversity of the human family, welcomed Ben Jewell-Plocher as its Education Director.

Sports and Shopping
In the arena of sports, Sarasota recently welcomed the Sarasota Metropolis FC – Sarasota's Professional Soccer Club, and will host the 2020 USRowing Olympic Trials in April.

Local boutique Fixxation opened in downtown Sarasota in late 2019, offing lifestyle and wellness retail gold, and interior inspo! The shop includes "The Studio and "The Deck" offering yoga classes and events such as candle pouring and the recent "Create & Cultivate Workshop."

Animal Encounters 
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, home to more than 100 marine species, features touch pools, working labs, and interactive exhibits, and has a capital campaign to build a new aquarium. Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary has new programming aimed to "ease" the crowd, Yoga with Tigers. There's also Sarasota Sea Lion Preserve, which is now open to the public, and for those looking to rent stalls, ride or play polo, Epic Equine Experiences now offers everything equine.

History and Sustainability
Historic Spanish Point has an ongoing natural restoration project at The Point, an archeological wonder that has remained covered by vegetation for nearly 100 years. The Point is the most recent discovery at the 30-acre outdoor museum on Little Sarasota Bay. This is the first time in this century that visitors can see items on The Point that have been hidden for decades—marked pathways, a cistern, planters, building foundations, a swimming pool, and much more.

Sustainable Brands, a global network of companies that have committed to using their role and influence in the business community to work towards a more sustainable economy, has named Tervis to its corporate member network. Tervis is headquartered in Venice.

About Sarasota County
Visit Sarasota County leads and supports the tourism industry in Sarasota County by providing the highest quality, and most innovative, marketing programs and promotions to ensure the continued growth of tourism and travel from visitors around the world. It is the mission of VSC is to make Sarasota County the must experience destination on Florida's Gulf Coast. To learn more, visit www.visitsarasota.com.

Online photo library via the media room: https://www.visitsarasota.com/media-room 

SOURCE Visit Sarasota County

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