Sarasota : Florida

Sarasota, Florida is a town of 52,000 (the Metro is much bigger) on Florida's Central West coast abutted by the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay. Development began in the 1920 and a result the town has dozens of historically significant buildings and institutions. This popular retirement community is considered by many to be, after Miami, the cultural capital of Florida. It has one of Florida's most interesting and compact downtowns with many great neighborhoods. An impressive array of cultural facilities are gathered there, along with high-rise, luxury hotels.

The Ringling Brothers located the winter quarters of their circus here. Their philanthropic legacy has made Sarasota a cultural powerhouse. The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, one of those institutions, is one of the most impressive museums in Florida. One of Sarasota's top attractions comes at the end of a bridge from the downtown harbor - St. Armand's Circle. This delightful circle is surrounded by elegant dining, shopping, and luxury housing.

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Some residents live in apartments right downtown, while others choose from a delightful array of housing options in various neighborhoods in town. Homes on exclusive barrier islands like Longboat Key and Siesta Key are in towering apartment houses or huge mansions overlooking the gulf. An enormous array of gated golf and active adult communities tend to be nearer the Interstate (see link to Sarasota Active Communities at top of page).
According to the National Association of Realtors, the median sales price of a home in the Sarasota/Bradenton/North Port area was $480,000 in Q1of 2022, a 28% increase from a year earlier.

John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art; charming ambience with historical background to the 1920; the Cincinnati Reds has spring training here; Bobby Jones laid out the city golf course; many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places; something for every active adult 55+.

There are a lot of tourists and traffic in winter, and hot, humid temperatures in the summer.

Tourism, finance, hospitality, health care, education.

Sarasota, one of the top cultural centers in Florida, is the home of Florida West Coast Symphony and its famous Sarasota Music Festival. It also hosts the Sarasota Ballet, Sarasota Opera, The Players, and numerous other musical, dance, artistic, and theatrical venues. John Ringling purchased an entire historic Italian theater, the Asolo;which he had broken down and shipped here. Later, Stuart Barger designed and oversaw the construction of another Asolo - a multi-theater complex. The new complex provides several other venues for students of Florida State University's theatre arts and film program. The beautiful Selby Library downtown (pictured at left) is built to mimic a circus tent and has great resources and programs.