While Sarasota is known worldwide for its sugar sand beaches and perfect weather, its cultural endeavors make this beach town a hidden gem for art, theater, and even sports lovers.
The Ringling
Today, The Ringling, the State Art Museum of Florida, is home to one of the preeminent art and cultural collections in the United States, but this world-renowned destination has equally impressive beginnings. John Ringling was one of the five brothers who owned and operated the circus known as “The Greatest Show on Earth.” In 1911, he and his wife Mable moved to Sarasota (the winter home of the circus and its performers) and purchased 20 acres of waterfront property. On that property, they built an opulent home—Ca' d'Zan (“House of John”)—designed around Mable’s love of Venetian Gothic style.
The home has become an important and beautiful part of the Ringling campus, with guests touring portions of the five-story, 36,000 square foot mansion, which has a total of 41 rooms and 15 bathrooms. While traveling Europe to scout circus performers, John became enamored of art, and thus a collection was born. Soon after the completion of Ca' d'Zan, he built a 21-gallery museum to house his collection of Old Masters, including Velazquez, Poussin, van Dyke and Rubens. Guests can see these works in addition to visiting collections. And be sure to check out the breathtaking courtyard, filled with replicas of Greek and Roman sculpture, including a bronze cast of Michelangelo’s David that has become a symbol of the city of Sarasota.
5401 Bay Shore Rd., 941-359-5700; ringling.org
Asolo Repertory Theatre
Just steps from the famous John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Asolo Repertory Theatre is recognized as one of the premier professional theaters in America, and one of the largest in the Southeastern United States. Now in its 60th season, Asolo Rep is one of the few theaters in the nation that performs in true rotating repertory—meaning the actors and crew stage multiple productions on overlapping dates. This makes seeing multiple shows at Asolo possible even on a short trip to Sarasota. And once you’ve seen a performance there, you’ll want to stay for more. The Mertz Theatre, a beautifully restored 500-seat facility originally built in 1903 as an opera house in Dunfermline, Scotland, is home to most of the company’s performances. Asolo Rep also typically performs one show per season in the intimate and contemporary 161-seat Cook Theatre, also housed in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. With up to 10 shows a season performed in such a stunning environment, you’ll want to plan your trip around a visit to this renowned rep.
5555 N Tamiami Trail, 941-351-8000; asolorep.org
Sarasota Opera
Located in the middle of Downtown Sarasota, the Sarasota Opera House is home to outstanding locally-staged opera productions that remain true to the vision of the composer to entertain, enrich, and educate. These living works of art are housed in the stunning William E. Schmidt Opera Theatre, which seats 1,119. Originally opened in 1926, the theater went through hard times, and was nearly demolished by a hurricane in 1928, only to languish until its closing in 1973. The opera community in Sarasota stayed strong, and continued to stage productions around town. In the 1980s and 1990s, the original theater underwent renovations as costs permitted. From 2007 to 2008 the building underwent a holistic renovation and now, after the $20 million project, the stately theater stands in true splendor. In fact, Musical America called the Sarasota Opera House "one of the finest venues for opera in the United States.” Visitors can tour the space on Mondays during opera season, so plan your trip around a performance and stay to see the theater.
61 N. Pineapple Ave., 941-328-1300; sarasotaopera.org
The West Coast Black Theatre Troupe
This incredible Sarasota arts organization was founded in 1999 with the mission to produce professional theatre that promotes and celebrates the African-American experience, attracts diverse audiences, supports and develops African-American artists, and builds the self-esteem of African-American youth. WBTT has the distinction of being the only professional black theatre company on Florida's west coast, and their performers and graduates of their educational programs have gone on to perform on Broadway, in TV and film, and all around the world. Their one-of-a-kind shows are not to be missed, so check out their schedule before planning your trip.
1012 N. Orange Ave., 941-366-1505; westcoastblacktheatre.org
The Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art + Design
The newest feather in Sarasota’s cultural cap is this 15,000-square-foot museum, housed across two historic spaces. The renovated space for the museum is an architectural marvel, blending a classic brick façade with a modern building and completely redesigned interior. The campus takes over the former Sarasota High School, including its main building, a Collegiate Gothic structure designed by M. Leo Elliott and its secondary space, a building by mid-century modern legend Paul Rudolph. The museum was opened as part of Sarasota’s famed Ringling College of Art + Design, and includes traveling and static art exhibits and installations, as well as a sculpture courtyard, a 110-seat auditorium for educational events and performances, a cafe, and a retail store.
1001 South Tamiami Trail; sarasotaartmuseum.org
The Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park
With so much art to experience, it’s easy to forget about Sarasota County’s other favorite cultural pastime: baseball. This year, The Atlanta Braves will play their first offseason in nearby North Port at the newly opened CoolToday Park. Grab one of the 8,000 seats and take in one of the team’s 17 home games, or visit the park on an off day—with seven fields across 90 acres of complex, visitors can make good use of the facility any time of year during concerts, markets, and other local events. There are also amazing restaurants, including The Chicken Coop, Fish Camp, the Braves Smokehouse and Greenfields, or you can celebrate a Braves win (or drown a loss) at the Tomahawk Tiki Bar past the left field foul pole. The massive, open bar sells food and alcohol, including the famous Home Run Rum Punch.
18800 South West Villages Pkwy, Venice, 941-413-5000; mlb.com