Sarasota Info

SarasotaCounty located on the West Coast of Florida, about 60 miles south of Tampa, encompasses an area of 573 square miles and includes the cities of Sarasota, Venice and North Port, town of Longboat Key and Englewood.

The county's approximately 600 square miles extend west from rustic ranch land to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay.

With more than 35 miles of gulf beaches, most Sarasota County residents are within a 15-minute drive of the most spectacular white sand beaches in the world.In the Sarasota area, you can enjoy the breathtaking sunsets, educational museums, operas, ballets, plays, golf tournaments, and boat races

You can join in tennis, lawn bowling, water skiing, shell collecting, bird watching, growing exotic tropical plants, university classes, golf, or boating.

Quality service is available from knowledgeable physicians, bankers, lawyers, investment brokers, lenders and insurance agents, who can help answer your questions about living and conducting business in Florida.

Sarasota, together with its neighbors to the north and south, Manatee County and Charlotte County, form the 7th-largest market in Florida. It is also Florida's third-fastest growing major market.

With over 600,000 people, the Sarasota/Manatee/Charlotte area is one of the largest, most affluent markets in Florida. In the last 5 years, it has grown 4 times faster than the national average. The per capita retail sales are almost 20% above the national average. It has a strong base of retirement age people, about a third of the population, but the fastest-growing segment of the market is middle-aged adults and their children. It has approximately 1/4 the population of the Tampa/St. Petersburg area.

The beauty of Sarasota will get your attention on your first visit. If you see Sarasota first from the window of an airplane, the colors of the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay, contrasting with the brilliant white sand of Longboat, Lido, and Siesta beaches, will make you anxious to see more. A rainbow of colors comes from the tall condominiums shining in the sun, the warm tile on the roof and patio of the mansion built by circus magnate John Ringling, the various green hues from the lush jungle-like vegetation, the flowers that are blooming any month of the year, and the lavender seashell-design Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

Sarasotaboasts some of the oldest and newest homes in the area. Some homes were built over 50 years ago as winter vacation cottages. Others are new gated bayfront estates with manicured grounds, marble foyers, soaring ceilings, the newest fixtures and technological advances, and spectacular views.

Residents from any neighborhood can enjoy the wide range of activities available throughout Sarasota. Whether your taste in art leans more toward circus posters, Rubens and Poussin, seashell creations, sand sculptures, or the new art of the Ringling School of Art students, it's here. Your hunger for theatre can be filled by the French Film Festival, the Asolo Theatre Company, Florida Studio Theatre, Island Players, Lemon Bay Playhouse, or Theatre Works, for a start.

If you want to add music to your diet, you could begin with the Florida West Coast Symphony, Key Chorale, Gloria Musical, the Jazz Club of Sarasota, Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Sarasota Blues Society, Sarasota Opera Association, or the Sarasota Concert Band.

You also have a large number of choices when you look for educational opportunities, spectator or participant sports, boating and other water activities, restaurant styles, museums, state parks, or fresh citrus.