A Weekend in Sarasota, FL
When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. When life hands you a cheap flight to Florida, you book that mothertrucker + head south! Aggressive I know, but I’m serious about the sunshine, alright? :)
I have to start by saying that Sarasota is officially my new favorite place in Florida. It only took about 12 hours of exploring the area for me to realize that this is the spot I would like to live one day. Call me crazy, but I’m digging the FL lifestyle man.
Where to stay in Sarasota:
The entire reason we booked this trip down south was to enjoy a cheap getaway, so, although tempting, staying at a resort on the beach was a bit of a stretch for our budget. When I was researching places to stay in the Sarasota area, I found Kompose Hotel, which had a photo gallery of the property that seemed too good to be true. Its only downfall being its proximity to the airport, which honestly didn’t end up being an issue at all.
Overall, we LOVED this hotel. It’s marketed as ‘affordable luxury’ and I would say that’s right on the money (pun intended). The concrete walls, art deco decor and modern features like a waterfall shower and customized home screens on our TV’s welcoming us to the space were wonderful. We both agreed that spending our money on this property with insane character was way better than staying the night at a typical Hampton Inn which was comparable in price.
They say online that they charge for add on’s like wifi, gym and pool access, but we were actually told it was free since we booked though Expedia, so maybe do the same when you go ;)
The Lay of the Land
In case you didn’t already know, here’s the breakdown of the area:
We flew into Sarasota which is about 10 minutes from downtown Sarasota. Sarasota has two main bridges that you can cross to the beach. The first, heading south, leads to Siesta Key, which is its own little island with only one way off/on the land. The second bridge brings you through St. Armand’s Circle, the cutest little shopping area, and out towards Lido Beach. Lido Beach is another recommendation from locals, especially if you are looking to avoid the crowds of Siesta, but Peter and I agree that the sand is softer and overall more enjoyable at Siesta Key.
What to do in Sarasota:
Visit Siesta Key Beach
If there’s anything the area is known for, it’s the powdery sand and blue water of Siesta Key Beach. We woke up at 6:30-7 AM each day to make our way to the beach for a morning walk by the water, swinging by Starbies for a drink on the way of course. We set up shop around 8 AM (aka laid two towels on the beach) and spent the early part of the day enjoying our time on the softest sand on Earth.
The best part of Siesta Key Beach is that there is a large parking lot which can be a rarity in beach towns. I would recommend getting there early in the morning to claim your spot because it gets full quickly, by noon there’s a line of cars searching for spots. It’s also worth noting that there is a concessions stand on the beach with pop, pizza, drinks, you name it!
Wander Downtown Sarasota
We were both shocked by how awesome downtown Sarasota was! There are several streets lined with restaurants, art galleries, and shops that stretch throughout the city, which makes for a perfect date night. We walked late at night, stopping for drinks at a Mexican restaurant with live music and delicious chips.
Drive up to Brandenton
If you rented a car, taking a drive up Bradenton is a great way to see all the beach towns and window shop all the beautiful mansions. It took us roughly 45 minutes to travel to Bradenton and we both absolutely loved it!
Grab dinner at St. Armand’s Circle
St. Armand’s Circle is a must-see when visiting Sarasota. I was completely blown away by the restaurants and stores (like big name stores) that line this little street. St. Armand’s Circle is a great place to wander around at night before catching the sunset on Lido beach - which just so happens to be a short walk away. I would just make sure you make a reservation at any of the restaurants if possible, otherwise you might be in line for a while.
Some food spots that we heard are good:
Venezia Italian Restaurant - we ate here + the sangria was delish!
Meaney’s Mini Donuts
Columbia Restaurant
The Best Food in Sarasota:
My first impression of the food scene in Sarasota was that it was incredibly diverse! There were so many types of cuisine to choose from, not to mention so many areas to check out (aka all the islands near Sarasota).
The Beach House at Lido Beach
Thanks to advice from a friend of a friend, we had our first real meal at The Beach House on Lido Beach. This beach-front restaurant is literally nestled on the sand itself, so kicking off your shoes off and enjoying the sunset as you sip a piña colada is expected. I strayed from the chicken sandwich that caught my eye and went for beef tacos, which were no joke the best tacos I’ve ever had. I’m really not sure what turned this taco-hater into a big fan, but the food here was incredible. The juicy meat, refreshing slaw + crunchy chips paired oh so well with my cool piña colada.
Although the restaurant doesn’t take reservations, they do have a large sitting area out front where you can take your buzzer and enjoy drinks/apps served by waitresses who come around frequently.
Old Salty Dog
I think this is officially the BEST spot for drinks that’s near Sarasota. Old Salty Dog is tucked away in a marina full of insane boats yachts! I even caught a glimpse of Alex Kompo from Siesta Key which was pretty insane. If you go, please do yourself a favor and get the key lime pie!!
El Melvin Cocina Mexicana
We found this restaurant on a late night stroll through the city and would highly recommend for the ambiance. We loved the live music, colorful decor and good energy. Was it the best mexican food in the world? No, but it was a fun spot to grab chips and drinks!
Venezia Italian Restaurant
This restaurant in St. Armand’s Circle was such a perfect spot for sangria, pizza and pasta. I loved the sangria so much, I would’ve drank it all night :) If I were you, I would take the pizza to go and bring it down to Lido Beach for sunset. How dreamy is that?
p.s. if you are anything like me and need sweets after dinner, grab some fudge from Kilwin’s down the street!
Honorable mentions:
Sadly, we didn’t have tons of time on in the area to try more food, but there are some other awesome places that I found via research/friends recommendations, that would be worth a try:
The Cottage in Siesta Key Village
Yoder’s - they have a great breakfast
Owen’s Fish Camp
Marina Jacks - this is especially good for sunset!
Tips + Tricks:
If you are looking to drive by some stunning homes, take the drive from Sarasota up through Lido Beach with the windows down. It’s unreal!
Renting a car is definitely the best way to get around. We were thinking about Ubering all weekend but we are SO glad we decided to get our own car instead so that we could check out different areas!
Tampa Bay and St. Pete aren’t far from Sarasota (like 50 minutes), so if you have more time it’s a great area to check out as well
Not a tip, but this would be a super fun area for a Bachelorette trip! It’s a great mix of beach + city
If you go, please let me know and send me all the pictures so I can live through you!