Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

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 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Sarasota has to offer.

Article

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

Sarasota in October
Estimated hotel price
C$ 180
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sarasota in October
Estimated hotel price
C$ 180
1 night at 3-star hotel

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.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Sarasota

Plane

When flying to Sarasota, you’ll arrive at Sarasota Bradenton Intl (SRQ), which is located 4 miles from the city centre The shortest flight to Sarasota from Canada departs from Montreal and takes around 5h 27m.

Train

The train station in Sarasota is called Sarasota, and is located 0.1 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Sarasota is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 109 miles from Sarasota. You’ll find branches of Rent-A-Wreck and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Sarasota 5600 Fruitville Rd, located 5 miles from downtown Sarasota. Sarasota Cattleman Transfer Ctr - 5951 Porter Way is also a commonly used station, and is 5 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Sarasota, you’ll arrive at Sarasota Bradenton Intl (SRQ), which is located 4 miles from the city centre The shortest flight to Sarasota from Canada departs from Montreal and takes around 5h 27m.

Train

The train station in Sarasota is called Sarasota, and is located 0.1 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Sarasota is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 109 miles from Sarasota. You’ll find branches of Rent-A-Wreck and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Sarasota 5600 Fruitville Rd, located 5 miles from downtown Sarasota. Sarasota Cattleman Transfer Ctr - 5951 Porter Way is also a commonly used station, and is 5 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Sarasota

SRQSarasota Bradenton Intl
TPATampa
RSWFort Myers SW Florida Intl

Airlines serving Sarasota

KLM
Good (1,443 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,744 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,694 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,110 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,204 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,859 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,098 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,194 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,728 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,523 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,486 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (894 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,652 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,662 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,374 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,356 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,173 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,436 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (382 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,785 reviews)
Show more

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$ 269 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 609 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Magnolia Pointe, BW Signature Collection and Regency Inn & Suites Sarasota. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Sarasota, with prices from C$ 73 to C$ 6,211 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Sarasota are about 42% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Sarasota

Most booked hotels in Sarasota

See all
Captiva Beach Resort (open private beach access)
2 stars
Excellent (9.2, Excellent reviews)
C$ 308+
View
Turtle Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, Excellent reviews)
C$ 371+
View
Tropical Beach Resorts - Sarasota
3 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
C$ 316+
View
Siesta Key Palms Resort
3 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
C$ 287+
View
Seaspray Resort
4 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
C$ 434+
View
Lido Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
C$ 613+
View

Renting a car in Sarasota

Renting a car in Sarasota costs C$ 53 per day, on average, or C$ 160 if you want to rent it for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty 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 3 miles from the downtown.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 8% more expensive than at Sarasota Bradenton Intl.

Expect to pay C$ 1.15 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$ 13.71 and C$ 18.27. Compact (Chevrolet Trax or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Sarasota, while also 39% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Sarasota costs C$ 53 per day, on average, or C$ 160 if you want to rent it for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty 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 3 miles from the downtown.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 8% more expensive than at Sarasota Bradenton Intl.

Expect to pay C$ 1.15 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$ 13.71 and C$ 18.27. Compact (Chevrolet Trax or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Sarasota, while also 39% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Sarasota

Intermediate

5 adults, 3 Bags

C$ 38/day

Intermediate

Compact SUV

4 adults, 2 Bags

C$ 43/day

Compact SUV
Find car rentals in Sarasota