Sarasota travel guide
Sarasota Tourism | Sarasota Guide
You're Going to Love Sarasota
With a population of 51.917, Sarasota is a must-see destination in Florida, United States. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Sarasota has to offer.
Where to Eat in Sarasota
Downtown is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Sarasota. These include popular favourites such as Indigenous (239 S Links Ave), Lila (1576 Main St) and Marcel DW (1568 Main St). If you’re looking for affordable options, Columbia Restaurant - Sarasota (411 Saint Armands Circle) and Ocean Prime - Sarasota (501 Quay Commons) are great picks.
When to visit Sarasota
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Sarasota in July, when the average temperature is 28 °C, and the highest can go up to 33 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 9 °C, with an average temperature of 16 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 246 mm. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Sarasota, with an average rainfall of 56 mm.
How to Get to Sarasota
Plane
When flying to Sarasota, you’ll arrive at Sarasota Bradenton Intl (SRQ), which is located 7 km from the city centre The shortest flight to Sarasota from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 3h 06m.
Car
Another option to get to Sarasota is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 175 km from Sarasota. You’ll find branches of Rent-A-Wreck and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Orlando.
Airlines serving Sarasota
Where to stay in Sarasota
From 5-star hotels such as the The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota to great affordable options like the Twin Palms at Siesta, Sarasota offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around C$ 266 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 438 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Regency Inn & Suites and Comfort Inn & Suites Sarasota I75. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Sarasota, with prices from C$ 76 to C$ 2,658 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Sarasota are about 13% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Sarasota
Most booked hotels in Sarasota
Renting a car in Sarasota
Renting a car in Sarasota costs C$ 59 per day, on average, or C$ 235 if you want to rent it for 4 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Sarasota is the Hertz branch at 6000 Airport Circle, which is 6 km from the downtown.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 1% cheaper than airport locations in Sarasota.
Expect to pay C$ 1.81 per litre in Sarasota (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 21.72 and C$ 28.95. The most frequently booked car type in Sarasota is Compact (Chevrolet Trax or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Chevrolet Cruze or similar) are, on average, 28% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.
Best car rental deals in Sarasota
Compact SUV
4 adults, 2 Bags
C$ 41/day
Standard
5 adults, 3 Bags
C$ 44/day