Last updated: September 18, 2026.
Best of Sarasota 2026: our picks
Our first annual editors' picks — the beaches, attractions, and freebies we'd send a friend to, drawn from everything we've covered on this site. No votes, no advertisers, no pay-to-play. Disagree with a pick? Email hello@sarasotasavings.com — we read everything.
Best Beach
🏆 Siesta Key Beach — The famous one earns it. Powdery white quartz sand that stays cool underfoot, consistently ranked among the best beaches in the US, and a huge public beach with lifeguards, concessions, and restrooms. Read the beach guide →
Best Family Beach
🏆 Siesta Key Beach — Again Siesta, because no other beach stacks this much family infrastructure in one place: lifeguards, restrooms, concessions, a playground, and sand that won't burn little feet. Arrive before 10am on weekends. See the family guide →
Best Beach for Shelling & Shark Teeth
🏆 Venice Beach — The "Shark Tooth Capital of the World." Instead of just swimming, you hunt for fossilized shark teeth along the shell line — a free treasure hunt kids genuinely love. Bring a cheap sifter scoop. Read the beach guide →
Best Free Thing to Do
🏆 Sunday Drum Circle at Siesta Beach — A long-running local tradition: drummers and dancers gather near the main pavilion around sunset on Sundays. Free, joyful, and the most Siesta Key thing you can possibly do. More free things to do →
Best Splurge Attraction
🏆 The Ringling — The former estate of circus magnate John Ringling: an art museum with Old Masters, the Circus Museum, the bayfront Ca' d'Zan mansion, and 66 acres of gardens. The single best any-day stop in town, and worth every dollar of admission. Plan your visit →
Best Rainy-Day Plan
🏆 Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium — A working marine research lab with a public aquarium on City Island: touch tanks, sharks, manatees, and sea turtles. Genuinely educational for adults, irresistible for kids — weather-proof and a full morning. See the family guide →
Best Sunset Spot
🏆 Historic Spanish Point — A 30-acre bayfront preserve in Osprey run by Selby Gardens, with prehistoric middens, a pioneer homestead, and one of the prettiest sunset views in the county. Quieter than the beach crowds. More things to do →
Best Day-Trip Base (Neighborhood)
🏆 Downtown Sarasota — Walkable dining on Main Street, the bayfront and The Bay park steps away, and everything — Siesta Key, St. Armands, the Ringling — within a short drive. The most practical home base for a first trip. See the weekend itinerary →
Best Free Park
🏆 The Bay — Sarasota's free waterfront park downtown, with playgrounds, open lawns, and room to run along the bay. The perfect free wind-down after a morning attraction. More free things to do →
Best Seasonal Event
🏆 Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens — December 5, 2026–January 2, 2027, downtown Selby Gardens fills with two million-plus lights. A can't-miss family night out — and kids 4 & under are free. Read the Lights in Bloom guide →
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Frequently asked questions
How were these picks chosen?
They're our editors' picks, drawn from the places we've covered and visited across this site. No reader votes, no advertisers, no pay-to-play — just the spots we'd send a friend.
Can I suggest a pick or disagree with one?
Absolutely — email hello@sarasotasavings.com. We read everything, and the list gets revisited every year.
Will this list change over time?
Yes. This is the 2026 edition, and we'll publish a fresh edition each year as new spots open and old favorites change.