48 Hours in Sarasota, FL

There are wonderful things to do and spending 48 Hours in Sarasota, FL will go by so fast but be so worth it! Sarasota Florida is a beautiful city located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, south of Tampa and North of Ft. Myers. It is easy to travel to, either by flying directly into the Sarasota- Bradenton Airport (SRQ) or into Tampa and making the quick one hour drive south. The weather in Sarasota is beautiful year round, almost never going below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but summer months can be very hot and humid like most of south Florida. It is a safe city to visit and offers many wonderful opportunities to have fun and be outdoors.

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We have created the perfect packing list to get everything you need for your small town getaway into one lightweight personal item. Flights are getting more expensive, and carry-ons have become a charge for almost every flight. Getting everything you need into the perfect personal item is one of the best tricks to keep costs low.

How to get to Sarasota FL

Flight Planning: if you do fly into SRQ, you likely flew either Allegiant Air, Delta, American Airlines or Southwest. It is a smaller airport, but can be very convenient when wanting to visit Sarasota Bradenton area. You should be able to find some direct flights to many cities through Allegiant, you have to book direct with them. You can fly direct to Atlanta with Delta, and direct to Dallas- Fort Worth on American.

Weather Info: The weather is the most beautiful during the winter months, where it will almost never get into the 80’s. The temperature starts to creep back up to the 90’s in April- May and the rainy humid season really sets in from June-September. These months are the least welcoming to visitors, but if you are willing to brave the heat, you will encounter wide open space on the beaches and in the restaurants.

Now that you made it to beautiful Sarasota, you will want to know how to spend your day!

Day 1 in Sarasota Myakka River State Park

Day 1: Start the day at Myakka River State Park, it is 9 miles east of I-75 and is 37,000 acres, one of Florida’s largest! You want to get here early, to avoid any possible crowds and to get some walking in before the sun makes it too hot. There are some beautiful walking trails, but for sure do not miss the Canopy Walkway, the view is amazing!

Day 1 Siesta Key Beach

Next stop is Siesta Key Beach, it has been voted one of the worlds best beaches. You could easily spend a full weekend here, and if you want to here are some tips and tricks! You could have a lovely lunch on Siesta Key, but if you are feeling a little more upscale St. Armands Circle on Lido Key will fill that need easily. After you relax and recharge, hit up the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. It is a relaxing afternoon strolling the gardens. Wrap up with a quick dinner and get ready for tomorrow!

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Day 2 Sarasota Ringling Museum

Day 2: Start the morning with a yummy coffee from Buddy Brew Coffee, and then get ready to do some walking. First stop, Sarasota Classic Car Museum has all the fun cars dating back to the 1920’s. It is worth a walk through and the employees are super friendly. We got there at 9am and had enough time get across the street to The John and Mable Ringling Museum when it opened at 10am. This is the perfect stop in the morning, walk the gardens, wander through the Ringling’s house Ca’ d’Zan and out the back terrace with views of the water. Once you are ready wander through the beautiful pink art museum and look at all the wonderful art!

Sarasota Day 2 Afternoon

If you have any time, go hit up the Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy. If you like Greek food, hit up Apollonia Grill, there are two locations and both offer wonderful food and service.

Sarasota Florida is such a beautiful city in south west Florida, it is safe easy to get to and has many great options for things to do! The gorgeous weather year round is worth the visit alone!