SARASOTA PHOTOS COURTESY Visit Sarasota County. GLASS PHOTO COURTESY Jason Swisher
POLITICS ASIDE, you’ll find a vast difference between the left and the right at Sarasota’s The Ringling museum. Stick to the right side of the 66-acre bayfront grounds and be immersed in the lore of the self-proclaimed Greatest Show on Earth. The property was the home of John and Mable Ringling, the former of whom helped found the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. A series of buildings contain memorabilia and interactive activities. (You can’t get shot out of a cannon, but you can walk a tightrope.) It also houses a diorama that is jaw-dropping in scale and scope: Howard Tibbals’ 3,800-square-foot replica of the circus, created over the course of 50 years with more than 45,000 pieces.
In stark contrast, the left side of the property houses a world-class art museum specializing in 16th- to 18th-century Baroque art, including five of Peter Paul Rubens’ immense The Triumph of the Eucharist canvases. On the same lush grounds, you can see a play at Asolo Repertory Theatre, one of Florida’s leading regional theaters.
Then head downtown to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. One of Time’s 100 Greatest Places, this sanctuary contains 15 acres worth of carefully curated natural beauty. Accessible paths wind through more than 5,000 species of plants, including the world’s most diverse collection of living epiphytes, or air plants. Arrive early to score food to feed the fish in the koi pond.
Another lauded recreation spot is also at hand: one of Tripadvisor’s 2024 best beaches in the world. Kick back on the unique, powdery quartz-crystal sand of Siesta Key. Getting there and getting around is as stress-free as soaking up the sun and the scenery of the Gulf of Mexico thanks to plenty of free parking and a complimentary trolley around the island.
