SWFL Living Guide

Sarasota

Siesta Key sand, St. Armands Circle, the Ringling and the arts. Restaurants, bars, live music, galleries, parks, beaches, golf, marinas and more. 609 places. Tap a pin or a name for details.

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Drive from Cape Coral: 1 hr 36 min · 83 milesGoogle driving route, no traffic — expect longer in season. Same time the trip planner uses.

Big events & art festivals · 13

  • Art festival · Nov 14–15

    St. Armands Circle Art Festival (37th)

    St. Armands Circle, Sarasota — Juried fine art around the Circle, free admission.

  • Art festival · Nov 13–16

    Siesta Key Crystal Classic

    Siesta Beach, Siesta Key — Four-day international master sand sculpting competition on Siesta's white quartz sand. Ticketed sculpture area.

  • Art festival · Jan 30–31

    St. Armands Circle Art Festival (24th)

    St. Armands Circle, Sarasota — 10am–5pm both days, free admission.

  • Art festival · Feb 13–14

    Downtown Sarasota Festival of the Arts

    1718 Main Street, Sarasota — 39th annual — 200+ artists on Main Street, 10am–5pm, free admission.

  • Festival · Apr 9–18

    Sarasota Film Festival

    Downtown Sarasota theaters — Ten days of independent film, 200+ films, parties and filmmaker talks.

  • Boating · May 8

    Sarasota International Dragon Boat Festival

    Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota — Dragon boat racing — free to watch from shore.

  • Music · Jun 7–19

    Sarasota Music Festival

    Sarasota Orchestra venues — Two weeks of classical concerts by rising young musicians and faculty.

  • Art festival · Apr 25 – Sep 26

    Skyway 2027 exhibition

    Sarasota Art Museum — Contemporary art from Tampa Bay and Sarasota artists across several museums.

  • Boating · Oct 8–11 · Oct 8–10

    APBA Englewood Offshore Races

    Englewood Beach — APBA offshore powerboat national series stop, about an hour up the coast.

  • Festival · Sat Nov 21

    Grilled Cheese Festival

    CoolToday Park, Venice — Sixth year: food trucks, craft beer garden, live music and kids' activities.

  • Festival · Weekends, Nov 7 – Dec 6

    Sarasota Medieval Fair

    Mallaranny Farms, Myakka City — Full-contact jousting and themed weekends. Rain or shine.

  • Festival · Nov 7–8

    Sarasota Hungarian Festival

    Sarasota — 20th annual Hungarian festival (Sarasotai Magyar Fesztivál). Venue and hours on the organizer's site.

  • Festival · Nov 6–7

    Día de los Muertos: Festival of the Skeletons

    Village of the Arts, Bradenton — 22nd year: shrines, art, music and food in the Village of the Arts.

Dates checked on each official site, Sep 27, 2026. Weekly live music: tap the "Live music" and "Karaoke & trivia" filters above.

Sarasota forecast · next 7 days

7-day forecast for Sarasota. NWS forecast →

Checking the forecast…

Forecast from Open-Meteo (NOAA models). These are forecasts, not measured conditions. Always check official alerts in storm season.

Sarasota low tides · next 10 days

Sarasota

Low tide predictions from NOAA station 8726083. NOAA tide table →

Checking NOAA tides…

Real predictions from NOAA station 8726083, heights above mean lower low water. Full high & low tide table →

BOAT-ONLY SANDBARS

Sarasota's hidden islands

Most of these sandbars only show at low tide and are reached almost entirely by boat. They change shape with the tides and storms, so check the chart and the tide before you go.

  • Longboat Pass & Jewfish Key

    Between north Longboat Key and Bradenton Beach. The island itself is private, but the sandbar and shallows are open to the public, and it's a popular place for boaters to meet up.

  • Beer Can Island (Greer Island)

    The north tip of Longboat Key. Easiest by boat, since walking in is limited at high tide. You'll find tide pools, driftwood and shade trees.

  • New Pass sandbar

    Between Longboat Key and Lido Key, just past the New Pass Bridge, with a view of the downtown skyline.

Source: Visit Sarasota sandbar guide. Please leave live sand dollars in the water.

All sandbarsTides

Sarasota fishing · bite times

Bite times follow tide changes at NOAA station 8726083. NOAA tide table →

Checking NOAA tide changes…

Many anglers fish the hour before and after each tide change. Tide times are real NOAA predictions (Sarasota, 8726083).

Commonly targeted here

SnookRedfishSpotted seatroutTarponPompano

General guide, not a live report — seasons and size limits change.

Local fishing reports

Weekly fishing reports ↗
CB's Saltwater Outfitters, Siesta Key
Waterline fishing report ↗
Sun newspapers · local tackle shops
West Central Florida fishing forecast ↗
Florida Sportsman · Capt. Ray Markham

Written by local captains and tackle shops. Opens their site. Check the date on each report.

FWC rules & seasons ↗

Live cams · check the weather before you go

Cams are run by the hotels, stations and cities that host them — they can go offline in storms.

Need to know · local laws, utilities, moving

Sarasota is in Sarasota County. These official sites cover local rules, homestead, licenses, schools, power and hurricane evacuation zones.

Addresses, phones, websites, hours and ratings from Google Maps, checked Sep 27, 2026. Membership rules, fees and guest policies aren't listed — call or check the website.