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Ca‘ d’Zan
5498 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL (12 miles)
The home of the circus king and his wife, a couple from humble mid-western origins, Ca’ d’Zan stands as a testament to the American Dream of the Roaring Twenties. Inspired by and designed in the Venetian Gothic style of the palazzos that ring the Venice canals, this dazzling palatial mansion perfectly captures the splendor and romance of the Italy the Ringlings so loved. To honor its owner, they named it Ca’ d’Zan, “House of John”, in the dialect of their beloved Venice.
Ringling Museum of Art
5498 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL (12 miles)
Here, in an extraordinary place is an extraordinary collection of art. From the Rubens’ Galleries to the Turrell Skyspace, view the permanent collection’s treasures, the fascinating exhibitions from around the world and the classical sculptures that fill the grand courtyard. The State Art Museum of Florida, this awe-inspiring palace was originally built by famed circus impresario John Ringling as a legacy to the citizens of Florida. This is a place of beauty and wonder.
Historic Asolo Theater
Ringling.org/historic-asolo-theater
5498 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL (12 miles)
The lights go down, a hush falls over the audience and the curtain rises on Sarasota’s most storied theater. U-shaped, with three tiers of boxes, this architectural gem provides a rare sense of intimacy between audience and performer that adds so much to the theater going experience. Created in Asolo, Italy in 1798, brought to Sarasota in the early 1950s and painstakingly restored in 2006, the Historic Asolo Theater is one of the most beloved objects in The Ringling collection.
Mote Marine Laboratory Aquarium
1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL (5 miles)
Come meet our fish. And our scientists. Our working aquarium gives you an up-close experience with a variety of marine animals and fish, including two touch tanks and a 135,000 gallon shark habitat. You can also witness our scientific research—as it happens—in viewable working laboratories.
Myakka River State Park
13207 State Road 72, Sarasota, FL ( 27 miles)
Florida’s largest state park gives visitors a sense of what the state was like a hundred years ago. 29,000 acres of primal wilderness surrounding the Myakka River teem with alligators, vultures and wild boars. Guided tours by foot, canoe and kayak offer nature lovers an interesting look at wild cypress swamp, mangrove forest and marshland.
Warm Mineral Springs
12200 San Servando Ave., North Port, FL (43 miles)
Warm Mineral Springs is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, as one of the most important underwater archaeological sites in America. Warm Mineral Springs is the only warm water mineral spring in the State of Florida, and is the largest water mineral spring in the world! The surface area of the spring is a round pond, it is 1.4-acre in circumference and reaches depths of nearly 250 feet deep in the center.
Sarasota Opera House
61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL ( 9 miles)
The Sarasota Opera House plays host to everything from opera, symphony and classical ballet to film festivals, popular music concerts, comedy shows and clowns. In addition to the theater, the Opera Complex includes a Pavilion with a spacious, multi-purpose banquet/performance facility; the Peterson Great Room, which can seat up to 390 people. Private meeting space, as well as private rehearsal rooms are part of the pavilion.
Sarasota Classic Car Museum
5500 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL ( 12 miles)
The Sarasota Classic Car Museum is recognized as the second oldest continuously operating antique car museum in the Nation! As you stroll through the museum, travel back in time and into the future of man’s greatest invention, the automobile! Antique, exotic, European and one-of-a-kind classics are featured in our rotating exhibits throughout the museum, seven days a week.
St. Armands Circle
300 Madison Drive, Sarasota, FL (6 miles)
The brainchild of circus magnate John Ringling, St. Armand’s Circle resembles an elegant European market, with Italian statuary, lush landscaping, and glittering outdoor lights in the evenings. Shoppers come from all over the world to browse the collection of over 130 upscale boutiques, unique galleries, and outdoor cafes.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
811 South Palm Avenue, Sarasota, FL (10 miles)
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is the perfect place for gardening enthusiasts and nature lovers to check out orchids, ferns, bromeliads and heliconias. The garden’s biggest claim to fame is that it has more epiphytes than any other exhibit or display in the nation. What’s an epiphyte–you ask? A breed of flower that seems to grow out of thin air. Not excited by obscure horticulture? No worries – nine acres of walking paths guide you through scenic gardens full of hibiscus, wildflowers, banyans, and tropical fruit trees.
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
777 N. Tamiami Trail | Sarasota, FL (10 miles)
Arguably the crown jewel of Sarasota’s contemporary arts scene, the landmark Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall welcomes a broad range of performers. Set along the waterfront, the stately venue hosts world-class symphonies, premier dance companies, jazz artists, pop legends and Broadway shows.