Sarasota, FL Ideas

Lance F

Lance F

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Lance F
I'm on a Cheyenne 3 trip and am in Sarasota for the next couple of days. Looking for ideas of things to do. The other pilot and I have a car, and we're staying near the airport KSRQ.

My leg into KAHN this morning got to fly the ILS to minimums. Man, I love this stuff.:D
 
The Ringling museum of art is very, very cool! No it is not clown paintings, but real works of art. It is just off of 41 SW of the airport. http://www.ringling.org/

There is also the Ringling House there called the Ca' d'zan. It is a beautiful house that has been restored to its former glories.

If you are still into art head up into St. Pete and see the Salvador Dali museum, also incredibly cool.

You can head south to Venice and go snorkeling ofr sharks teeth at the beach.

Head east to Arcadia for some antique shopping

Or head to the north and go canoeing on the Hillsborough River. http://www.canoeescape.com/

These guys will outfit you, drop you off and then pick you up after the trip. I have done several tours with them and the river is great and you will have a ton of fun.

For dinner head up to Bradenton/Ellenton and go to the Crab Trap II at Manatee and I70.
 
smigaldi said:
The Ringling museum of art is very, very cool! No it is not clown paintings, but real works of art. It is just off of 41 SW of the airport. http://www.ringling.org/

There is also the Ringling House there called the Ca' d'zan. It is a beautiful house that has been restored to its former glories.

If you are still into art head up into St. Pete and see the Salvador Dali museum, also incredibly cool.

You can head south to Venice and go snorkeling ofr sharks teeth at the beach.

Head east to Arcadia for some antique shopping

Or head to the north and go canoeing on the Hillsborough River. http://www.canoeescape.com/

These guys will outfit you, drop you off and then pick you up after the trip. I have done several tours with them and the river is great and you will have a ton of fun.

For dinner head up to Bradenton/Ellenton and go to the Crab Trap II at Manatee and I70.
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According to my wife, the best beach for finding shark's teeth is on Casey Key just north of Venice. IIRC you need to show up around sunrise to get the best finds. There's also a couple of good restaurants on the mainland side of the lift bridge onto the key (one's called Pelican Alley I think). A favorite dining experience of mine is Captain Eddie's restaurant on Hwy 41 just south of Laurel Rd between Venice and Nokomis. Not too far east of SRQ is the Myakka state park with lots of alligators and other wildlife. Supposedly there's also a "Skunk Ape" hanging out there too.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/MyakkaRiver/default.cfm

There's a really nice aquarium and marine exhibit on City Island (very close to downtown Sarasota):

http://www.mote.org/index.php?submenu=Aquarium&src=gendocs&link=Aquarium&category=Aquarium

You could also visit Busch Gardens north of Tampa.
 
You MUST go to the Columbia Restaurant on St. Armands Key, which is across the causway from downtown Sarasota. It is on St. Armands Circle, which is a nice area to walk around.

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/sarasota.asp

The Radisson on Lido Key (walking distance from St. Armands Circle) is a nice hotel right on the beach.
 
If you're into beaches, Turtle Beach is decent, as is Crescent.

For shopping amongst the masses, check out St. Armand's Key and the shops along the traffic circle.

If you want some night life with some good music (was too old for me, but apparently its pretty good for everyone post 40 years of age), check out the Gator Club at Lemon/Main, also, the restaurant across the street is always popping with activity (can't remember the name).

There's Sharky's at the Pier, which is in Venice, and it has some amazingly good food, as does the Wing Basket (or Wing stop, I always forget) near KSRQ. We had one here in ABQ, but the one in Sarasota (actually, probably Bradenton) isn't a chain, just a restaurant with the same name as the chain.

I STRONGLY suggest Myaka State Park. There's a riverboat tour, and its pretty fun. You'll learn a lot about the local birds, the local plants, and see a BUNCH of alligators up close.

edit: I totally forgot Phillipi Creek. That's some damn good seafood right there.
 
SkyHog said:
edit: I totally forgot Phillipi Creek. That's some damn good seafood right there.
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+2 My wife and I agree and was about to mention this from SRQ South down 41 it will be on the left after you cross the creek.

For a longer Drive go up 41 on the inside of the Bay. There is a Plant on the Bay just North of Apollo Beach that will have a lot of Manatee's in the warm water there. They have a walkway, viewing deck, center, etc.
 
It's pouring rain here and there's a tornado watch on until noon. I do appreciate the ideas, and we'll make something work. Soemwhat glad we don't have to fly in this stuff.
 
SkyHog said:
If you're into beaches, Turtle Beach is decent, as is Crescent.

For shopping amongst the masses, check out St. Armand's Key and the shops along the traffic circle.

If you want some night life with some good music (was too old for me, but apparently its pretty good for everyone post 40 years of age), check out the Gator Club at Lemon/Main, also, the restaurant across the street is always popping with activity (can't remember the name).

There's Sharky's at the Pier, which is in Venice, and it has some amazingly good food, as does the Wing Basket (or Wing stop, I always forget) near KSRQ. We had one here in ABQ, but the one in Sarasota (actually, probably Bradenton) isn't a chain, just a restaurant with the same name as the chain.

I STRONGLY suggest Myaka State Park. There's a riverboat tour, and its pretty fun. You'll learn a lot about the local birds, the local plants, and see a BUNCH of alligators up close.

edit: I totally forgot Phillipi Creek. That's some damn good seafood right there.
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Turtle beach has just been renourished, and is broad but the sand is very grainy. Crescent is far superior; the sand is like sugar.

Sharkey's is an OK environment, but the food is mediocre at best. Phillipi Creek is gawdawful greasy fried junk. TOURIST TRAP: STAY AWAY

I would recommend the Turtle Beach Pub for a blackened grouper sandwich or a crab stuffed tomato and some beers. While on Siesta Key, go into the village and visit Daquiri Deck for a good look at how the trust fund babies of the world are living these days.
 
Ken Ibold said:
Not a chance. I spend about 2-3 months a year down there and I will NEVER go back there.
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My inlaws spend four months there and it's always on the lunch list. I'm usually working then so I've only been there a couple of times myself for the appetizers and beer.
 
What's the name of the open air bar/restaurant at Siesta Key where you can bring your dog and they provide treats and water for them.
 
Lance F said:
It's pouring rain here and there's a tornado watch on until noon. I do appreciate the ideas, and we'll make something work. Soemwhat glad we don't have to fly in this stuff.
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The Ringling museum is indoors and relatively dry.
 
Many thanks for the ideas. I used a bunch of them, mainly for eating. Sarasota seems pretty nice to me. We drove around this morning to get the lay of the land and sea. rain ended noonish, and we ended up in Venice. Had lunch at Sharkey's at the Pier. My grilled Mahi sandwich was quite good.
Yesterday afternoon had lunch at Marina Jack's on the water. Walked around the circle on St Armands Key (actually bought a couple of Christmas gifts). Went back there for dinner and I had an excellent Ahi tuna Wellington at Cafe l'Europe. It's right next to Columbia Restaurant, which looked too big to me.
Tonight had dinner downtown at Patrick's (corned beef and cabbage). Then went and had a beer at the Gator Club (totally dead tonight, but I could see the potential atmosphere there).
We'll have a little time tomorrow before getting back to work.
thanks all for your ideas. Flying's tough.
 
I was just about to recomend the attached restaurant however I just came across an internet article that Giants may be closed, definately call first.

If you still have time or on your next trip, head north of sarasota, past Apollo Beach to Gibsonton, Florida and make your way to Giants Camp Restarurant for breakfast. Gibsonton is where a lot of the circus side show performers stay for the winter season.

Giants Camp Restaurant
9815 Us Highway 41 S
Gibsonton, FL 33534
Phone: (813) 677-3500

Definately not a fancy place, just lots co circus clebrity pics on the walls and you never know who you will run into at breakfast. Worth the stop just for the bragging rites.

The day we were there one year for Sun n Fun, the cook didn't show up so the waitress took over and breakfast was a suprise - what ever came out next was yours.

Fly safe
 
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