If you’re interested in learning more about moving to Sarasota Florida, the following information may prove helpful. Take a look at these important details!
Here are ten things to think about before relocating to Sarasota Florida. Find out below.
- 10 Things To Know Before Moving To Sarasota Florida
- 1. Unique Arts And Culture
- 2. White Sand Beaches Living In Sarastoa, Fl.
- 3. Incredible Food Dining In Sarasota
- 4. Transportation
- 5. Nightlife
- 6. Neighborhoods When Moving To Sarasota Florida
- 7. Cost Of Living In Sarasota Florida
- 8. Seasonal Festival
- 9. Education
- 10. Outdoor Activities
10 Things To Know Before Moving To Sarasota Florida
1. Unique Arts And Culture
Sarasota County, Known as Florida’s Cultural Coast. It’s where you can enjoy art galleries, museums, and performing art venues all in one. Since its modern expansion during the 1920s, Sarasota has been a city created by the arts.
The city remains a haven for aspiring artists and their founding mentors and world travelers with an eye for culture. From classic galleries to cutting-edge arts institutions, it’s an exhibition with an abundance of culture to offer. Check out the places to experience the Arts & Culture of Sarasota.
Conversations about the state of the arts in Sarasota nearly always started with the legacy of John Ringling and his wife, Mable. The Ringling Museum of Art inside Sarasota is now known as the State Art Museum of Florida.
The reason behind the Renaissance-style building is part of the majestic Ringling Estate. This world-class collection of sculptures, artworks, medieval objects, and decorative arts is a must-see for any cultural guest.
The Opera House is a venue for an extensive range of musical productions. Its main title to fame is the impressive 28-year run of the complete works of Verdi, including the acclaimed La Traviata.
The Sarasota Opera House brings tragedy, emotions, love, heroes, and heroines to Southwest Florida, courtesy of the operatic stage with excellent acoustics. Past productions include Carmen, Bellini’s tragic love story Norma, and
Puccini’s Manon Lescaut.
A popular choice for those who appreciate art and live music. Comprehensively known as Sarasota’s “Gallery Row,” Palm Avenue is filled with artisans contributing everything from hand-blown glass to carvings and paintings.
Every first Friday of the month, the First Friday Art walk draws in people from all over the area. The exhibit stays open until 9 p.m. and offers snacks and live music, and other entertainment.
2. White Sand Beaches Living In Sarastoa, Fl.
Sarasota is a gateway to powdery sand beaches located in the Gulf of Mexico; Sarasota’s white-sand are numerous headliners among the Best-Of lists, landing on the Best Beaches in America.
Yes! Being in Sarasota, Florida, means a day at the beach is always a great option, even in the middle of February.
With the sun glowing almost every single day, you can’t go wrong with that attractive powdery white sand and brilliant turquoise water. Check out the public beaches in Sarasota.
- Siesta Key Beach
The quartz-crystal sand is as white and soft as powdered sugar, Siesta Key’s Crescent Beach globally holds the “finest” and “whitest” sand beach.
Matched with the shallow bay and walkable sand bars gives a perfect spot for families with children who are getting to know how to swim or those looking for a serene enclave to paddle and wade. Siesta Key Beach is a friendly hangout, bringing plenty of tourists during the season.
- Crescent Beach
Just a little south on Siesta Key, Crescent Beach is located. A quiet stretch that leads to a pool of rocks is identified as the Point of Rocks.
While there’s only slightly hard-to-find public access here, this beach consists primarily of large beachfront resorts and mega-mansions. If you’re looking for a pretty escape from the more touristy Siesta Key Beach but want to enjoy the much-desired white sand, this is your place.
- Turtle Beach
A camper’s heaven. Turtle Beach is a coast beach equipped with campground facilities and boat slips to start kayaks and boats quickly. This is easily defined as Siesta Key Beach’s sportier sibling. High hills lead to a somewhat narrow beach with a shore that falls away quickly, not fitting for new swimmers.
The sand here is composed of more shells. You’ll want to bring flip-flops for the trek from the parking lot to the shore. Crossed the street, you’ll find several simple restaurants, including a marina-side tiki bar serving hamburgers and cold ones and a casual docks eatery serving up a delicious brunch.
3. Incredible Food Dining In Sarasota
The search for a great restaurant is endless. And in Sarasota, the restaurant scene switches constantly. Sarasota is lucky to have fantastic dining choices, from steakhouses to fresh seafood and salads.
Whether in Siesta Key, St Armands Circle, or Downtown Sarasota, there are some incredible places to eat. Here are some of the finest restaurants in Sarasota that are a treat for your taste buds.
One of the classic dinners with its Continental-American food. The Bijou Cafe is established in the center of the city’s vaunted theater district.
Make sure to order their specialty crab cakes, shrimp Piri Piri and roast duckling. Bijou Cafe has had many talented chefs, including Steve Phelps, who initiated his own downtown Sarasota restaurant.
Nancy Krohngold has a unique relationship with the pig, a mechanical bond that results in outstanding Western North Carolina- style smoked pork.
Korngold’s base ingredients include salt, pepper, two types of sugar, dry mustard, and cinnamon, plus the patience to let the meat cook gently. The result would taste good anywhere, but it helps that Nancy’s is also one of the most fun places to meet in the area.
A pleasure to visit, Owen’s serves some of the area’s best seafood and does it in a rowdy Old Florida. We love whatever’s fresh on the “Naked Fish” menu prepared with either the brown butter, Hollandaise, or lemon-caper butter.
A meal isn’t perfect without a side of the restaurant’s ideal collard greens, and the succotash is a home run. Don’t miss the chance to catch a pic on the tire swing outback.
4. Transportation
Planning to go around Sarasota is very easy, thanks to its best public transportation system. The Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) offers valuable bus services and connections with the Manatee County Area Transit.
While it doesn’t serve Sarasota, Amtrak has a bus service that operates from Sarasota Station to the nearest Amtrak station in Tampa.
When you want to drive out of town, you can take one of the major roads that combine nearby towns and cities.
Established about five miles from downtown Sarasota, I-75 is the only major highway in the area. It runs north to Tampa and South to Miami.
The city is also accompanied by two U.S. Routes, which are U.S. Route 41 and U.S. Route 301. U.S. Route 41 enters Sarasota from the South and travels west on Bayfront Drive before going north again, paralleling the coastline. U.S. 301, on the other hand, runs parallel to I-75.
The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport has been the area’s main airport since 1941. Working over 1.3 million passengers every year, it offers flights with five airlines to places primarily in North America.
You can use nearby Tampa International Airport, St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, and Southwest Florida International Airport for a more extensive selection of national and international flights.
5. Nightlife
Sarasota nightlife means live music, breathtaking sunsets followed by a margarita, and cocktails saturated with flavors you’ve never tasted before. Film festivals, artistic performances, and live comedy shows. There’s more to Sarasota nightlife than meets the eye. Try to check these bars and clubs around Sarasota.
Excellent food and a carefree vibe are Florida’s tradition and nowhere does it better than Sarasota, Florida O’Leary’s Tiki Bar, and Grill. Enjoy a meal, cocktail, cold beer, or wine under an umbrella with your toes in the sand or under the open-air, waterfront Tiki Hut. Plus, you can reach it by car or boat!
O’Leary’s menu features a mixture of breakfast favorites, appetizers, sandwiches, salads, burgers, and more at budget-friendly prices. So, check out their menu and make sure to order their best seller!
This downtown Sarasota open-air patio restaurant and bar is a nightlife hotspot giving an inclusive wine list, a full liquor bar, and live music. Happy Hour drink and dining specials are allowed from 3 to 7 p.m. daily. Menu items include crab cakes, calamari, wings, brick oven pizza, and more.
Spend an entertaining night out at Livingston’s Amusements with their premium cocktails, ice-cold beer, or signature shots in a smoke-free environment. They also have great homemade pizza, billiard tables, and HD TVs.
6. Neighborhoods When Moving To Sarasota Florida
Imagine this! Calling your dream destination a home! That’s the vibe in Sarasota, where millions of people every year come for a visit.
The city is a bustling artistic and business center, with a lovely downtown core, an innovative arts area, and of course, stunning beaches that have drawn guests for decades. If you’re among the many people thinking about relocating to Sarasota, check out the best neighborhood to live in.
- Laurel Park
Are you looking for history combined with beauty? Check out Laurel Park in downtown Sarasota. This community has been correlated to New York City’s Greenwich Village, thanks to its diverse mix of old Key West-style cottages, cafes, and boutiques.
Laurel Park is already developing a sleek modern style and reasonably a pool and a chic tiny garage apartment.
- Venice
It is dubbed as the Shark Tooth Capital of the World. Once a fishing and farming town, this city in the heart of Sarasota County has bloomed into a vacation stop, where families play in the surf, hunt for prehistoric shark teeth, and shop downtown.
Venice is an affordable option near Sarasota. Venice also features the cheerful and happiest seaside towns in America.
- Bradenton
Bradenton is the place of the oldest working fishing village in Florida. The typical home costs $264K, and the city offers an affordable choice. The Downtown area features a museum, planetarium, aquarium, parks, and historic Main Street shops and eateries.
Dining on the deck of Bradenton’s mainstay Pier 22 restaurant on Memorial Pier will view fishing boats and extravagant yachts cruising in and out of the Manatee River marina.
7. Cost Of Living In Sarasota Florida
Sarasota, on the Gulf Coast of Florida, is a beautiful place to live. The weather, the beach, and the lifestyle are all welcoming. One question many people have is about the cost of living in Sarasota. So, is Sarasota affordable?
There are two expenses in Sarasota that are higher than the national average. First is the housing; for a national standard for a new home, rental prices are higher. The median rental price in the United States is roughly $1062 per month.
Here in Sarasota, it’s around $1900 per month. Not a huge difference but, when paying your monthly bills, it can add up. The great news is that, besides groceries, all the other cost indexes here are lower than the national average.
The second that has a high charge is groceries. Yep! So if you’re a fan of good food, the bad news is that you’ll spend about 7% more on groceries in Sarasota.
That’s not a gigantic difference by any means, but it can add up with all expenses. The good news is that seafood is a bit cheaper here because it comes fresh off the boat from the Gulf of Mexico every day!
Some folks here still go fishing for their supper! Many people rent a warehouse unit in Sarasota to store their boat and boating gear. It’s the easy, safe, and affordable way to maintain a ship if you don’t have your dock.
Are you going out to get your nails done? How about your haircut or getting your car’s oil changed? The good news is that those miscellaneous items won’t cost you more than the national average.
There’s an old proverb that works like this; when it comes to storing money, every little bit helps. Healthcare costs are that “little bit” and will keep you about 3% when you live in Sarasota.
Outpatient services like trips to the emergency room, Doctor visits, and so forth are thus slightly less costly. Sarasota also has a robust healthcare system, with excellent hospitals and affordable residents to doctors.
8. Seasonal Festival
If you’re always into festival celebrations, then Sarasota is for you! There’s always something celebrated on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Find out what events will be going on during your stay, or take a look at some of the local’s favorite annual festivals!
- Forks & Corks Food and Wine Festival
Forks & Corks Food and Wine Festival’s primary goal is to encourage the independently owned restaurants and culinary innovators to be committed to “Eat Like A Local.” project.
Forks & Corks is the organization’s biggest annual community event and fundraiser.
The lineup does involve several University Master Classes led by wine industry chiefs from around the world.
It is celebrated with a dinner party through downtown Sarasota that will consist of multiple dishes and wine pairings, exceptional food and wine menu selections at Originals restaurants, and an online auction featuring rare wines, travel experiences, unique dining experiences and more.
- Sarasota Film Festival
It is a film festival with a mission to celebrate the art of filmmaking by hosting an international film festival and developing year-long programs for the community’s educational, economic, and cultural benefit.
- Harvey Milk Festival
Sarasota County’s annual LGBTQ-friendly festival is a refuge for the expression of life and art. HMF emphasizes various performances, including live music, film, performing, and visual artists, to engage a large and diverse audience.
The goal is to capture unique footage of the community lighting the bridge together, along with a particular projection on the bridge itself. Harvey Milk Festival strives to deliver the same creativity and ingenuity as prior proponents of LGBTQ+ equality.
9. Education
Sarasota, Florida, extends a world-renowned education system with abilities that can make a real difference to your future.
The Sarasota education system provides students the freedom to combine courses and subjects from various areas of education so that you can tailor your degree to your own needs and interests. Check out the best public community colleges and universities in Sarasota, Florida.
Keiser University is a private university that simultaneously allows both conventional and online delivery programs for undergraduate and doctorate levels. The Colleges and Schools Association regionally approves it of the South.
It is placed 263rd among 395 schools on its list of national universities. The Commission permits it for Independent study in Florida. The faculty and staff are so accommodating. They are efficient and work excellently together with supporting and helping the student body.
It is a non-profit university in Florida that offers different courses, including liberal arts, performing arts, business, and administration. The admission required applicants to have a combined grade point average of at least a 3.0 or a 4.0 scale and a minimum ACT composite score of 21 or an SAT score of 1000 Evidence-Based Reading and Maths.
One of the most incredible things about Webster University is its diverse student, staff, and faculty population. Webster allows everyone to increase their knowledge on global citizenship through one of their many international campuses.
Founded in 1957, Florida State College, Manatee-Sarasota is the first and most significant public college in the county. It offers online classes yearly at campuses in Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice.
The college allows bachelor’s degree programs and over 30 workforce certificates. State College of Florida is an excellent investment for students looking to save money. The campus is beautiful and massive. The professors are enthusiastic about their fields.
10. Outdoor Activities
Every season is an excellent period to get outside and enjoy the weather in Sarasota, thanks to Florida’s year-round sunshine and temperate climates.
From Sea to shore, the possibilities to explore and enjoy the great Outdoors are abounding in Sarasota County. Here are the top things for a must-try during a trip to Sarasota County!
Want to be fascinated with a different type of animal in their habitat? Sarasota Jungle Gardens is for you! This Jungle garden is the best place for the entire family. They have an attraction that has been home to more than 200 native and exotic animals.
Sarasota Jungle Gardens also highlights ten areas of tropical vegetation and jungle trails. Jungle Garden’s animals involve free-roaming flamingos, birds of prey, a variety of parrots and macaws, snakes, small mammals, lizards, iguanas, crocodiles, and other
reptiles.
Wanted to rent a boat with a limited budget? Then Cortez Watersports is for you! A budget-friendly boat rental that also offers different water activities for the whole family!
Services cover Pontoon Boat Rental, Jet ski Rental, Deck Boats, Fishing Skiff Rentals, Dolphin Encounters, Sunset Cruises, Champagne Cruises, Self-Guided Eco-Tours, Weddings, and Memorial’s at Sea and Ride with the Dolphins.
You wouldn’t call it a day if you haven’t bought a surfboard from Marvel Boards and Boats. Marvel Boards and Boats is committed to handcrafting and personalized one-of-a-kind surfboards, skateboards, paddleboards, kayaks, and other products for discerning and active outdoor enthusiasts.
Their love for the Sea and the land is mingled with a desire to present customers with a beautiful and bespoke way to enjoy nature, crafted from the premium that nature provides. Every piece created is original and personalized.
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