Sarasota Guide

Everything you need for the free St. Armands Fall Festival of the Arts on October 17 and 18, 2026: hours, where the booths are, parking on festival weekend and how to make a day of it.

Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Here are the confirmed events on St. Armands Circle, Siesta Key and at The Ringling, plus parking, trolley and weather tips.

A visitor's guide to the 2026 Living Arts Festival, Nov. 8 to 15: what it is, the free signature events, program highlights and how to plan a week around it.

Everything you need for the 2026 Siesta Key Crystal Classic sand sculpting festival, Nov. 13 to 16: tickets, hours, parking, the trolley and the best day to go.

The Sarasota Chalk Festival is not taking place in 2026, but its Avenue of Art sidewalk paintings in Burns Square are open any time. Here's the status, the history and what else to see.

Planning Thanksgiving in Sarasota? Here's what's on Nov. 26 to 29, 2026, what's open on the holiday, beach tips and what to expect as winter season begins.

Holiday gifts for anyone who loves Sarasota, sorted by recipient, from Longboat and Lido Key sweatshirts to stocking stuffers and gift cards, with shipping and pickup details.

Holiday events in Sarasota for December 2026, with confirmed dates for the St. Armands tree lighting, the downtown parade and The Nutcracker, plus weather and planning tips.

A three-day plan for couples flying in over MLK weekend or Presidents Day weekend 2027, with booking tips, what's on each weekend and a free-Monday finish at The Ringling.

The 2027 Orioles spring training schedule at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, plus tickets, parking, the bag rules, free workouts and how to make a beach trip of it.

When spring break crowds usually hit Sarasota in 2027, how to find beach parking at Siesta and Lido, and what to book before you fly.

Easter Sunday is March 28, 2027, at the height of spring break. Sunrise services on the beach, egg hunts, brunch tips and beach parking advice.

A month-by-month calendar of Sarasota winter events from November 2026 to April 2027, with verified dates and links to our full guides.

A verified calendar of free outdoor art and craft festivals in Sarasota from October 2026 to spring 2027, on St. Armands Circle, the downtown bayfront and Main Street.

Where to park (and when it's free), where the restrooms are, how to walk to Lido Beach, what to eat and which souvenirs are worth bringing home. A guide to St. Armands Circle from a shop on the Circle.

A month-by-month look at when to visit Sarasota, using NOAA weather normals, Gulf water temperatures and airport passenger counts, plus straight facts on hurricane season and red tide.

A relaxed three-day Sarasota itinerary for first-timers flying into SRQ: the islands, The Ringling and downtown, and a final beach day on Siesta or Longboat.

An area-by-area guide to choosing a home base near St. Armands Circle: Lido Key, Longboat Key, downtown Sarasota and Siesta Key, with the hotels visitors ask us about most.

Three ways to spend a day on Lido Key: the family beach, quiet North Lido, and kayaking the South Lido mangrove tunnels. Parking, lifeguards, beach rules and what changed on Lido in 2026.

Where to park, what's at the main beach, how Siesta Key Village fits in and whether the Sunday drum circle is still going, plus our tips for beating the crowds.

Every public beach access and where to park, how to find Beer Can Island, and what to know before a day on Sarasota's quietest key.

An honest side by side of Sarasota's three best-known islands, from sand and crowds to parking and dinner, so you can pick the right one for your trip.

A beach-by-beach guide to Sarasota, from Siesta's quartz sand to Longboat's empty stretches, with a quick verdict on who each one suits.

The best places to watch the sunset in Sarasota, from Siesta and Lido beaches to the downtown bayfront and the Ringling Bridge, with parking and timing tips.