The List - Sarasota / Bradenton
The top 10 must-dos in Sarasota, FL
Mote Aquarium
1 Mote Aquarium
Manatees and turtles and sharks, oh my. This worldclass marine research center and aquarium is home to a world of marine life, from seahorses to stingrays. The touch tank is a big hit with kids, who can safely pet sea urchins, hermit crabs and other sea critters. Just don't expect any singing crabs. 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota. 9413884441; www.mote.org.
2 Cortez Village
Old Florida lives on in the clamor of this working fishing village, replete with colorful cracker cottages, timeworn fishing boats, winding streets and authentic dockside fish joints and markets. Check out the 30th Annual Fishing Festival, Feb. 1819, at the Cortez Village Historical Society. 124th St Ct W, Cortez; www.cortezvillage.org
3 J.R.'s Old Packinghouse Café
Dig the live sounds of homegrown folk, blues and bluegrass while digging into downhome Southern, Cajun and Cuban grub. The fiery Bubba Gump Shrimp dish will keep you reaching for the frosted mugs of freeflowing beer, but it's well worth the burn. 987 S Packinghouse Dr, Sarasota; 9413719358; www.oldpackinghousecafe.com
4 LeBarge Dolphin Watch Cruises
Frolicking dolphins are a common sight in Sarasota's nearshore waters. Learn about these intelligent creatures on a twohour, marine biologistguided cruise of Sarasota Bay. Watch them hunt for snook and romp in the waves, and find out what makes them smile. 2 Marina Plz, Sarasota, 9413666116; www.lebargetropicalcruises.com
5 Rosa Fiorelli Winery
This winery is a 10acre slice of Sicily in Manatee County. Ask owners Rosa and Antonio Fiorelli for a taste of their semidry Manatee Red or Florida Muscadine Blush — wines bottled from grapes grown right on the spot. 4250 County Rd 675 E, Bradenton; 9413220976; www.fiorelliwinery.com
6 Sarasota Opera: Lucia di Lammermoor
Gaetano Donizetti's thunderous melodrama about feuding Scottish clans, forbidden love and a forced marriage gone magnificently wrong offers a sensational, sweeping score and a story line packed with heartbreak, murder and madness. Feb. 18, 21, 23, 26. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota; 9413668450; www.sarasotaopera.org
7 Rod and Reel Pier
This cool little seafood shack perched at the end of a long, rickety wooden pier offers a postcardperfect view of the Gulf of Mexico and plenty of fried Florida fixin's, including fried clam strips, oysters and shrimp. The fish is flopping fresh and the icecold pitchers of beer are neverending. 875 N Shore Dr, Anna Maria; 9417781885.
8 Historic Bridge Street
At the end of this bustling, twoblock enclave of souvenir shacks, galleries, boutiques, bars and restaurants, is the historic Bradenton Beach City Pier. Fish for your own lunch, or if you prefer the simpler option, try the blackened grouper sandwich at the pier's Rotten Ralph's restaurant. Gulf Dr N and Bridge St, Bradenton Beach; 9417781604; www.bridgestreetmerchants.com
9 Sarasota Farmers Market
This sprawling, downtown market celebrates the bounty of land and sea with a crop of homegrown regional fishermen, bakers, cheesemakers and growers. Saturdays, 7am to 1pm; Main St and Lemon Ave, Sarasota; 9412259256; www.sarasotafarmersmarket.org
10 Joseph's Coat
For a closer look at the heavens, check out this "skyspace" installation at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. The meditative space offers a view of the sky through a round aperture, while colored lights change the space's mood, shifting a viewer's perception of the sky. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota; 9413595700; www.ringling.org.
Reader Comments
- Someone forgot the Siesta Key Crystal Classic !!!! A Master Sand=Sculpting Competition, an Awesome time with a lot of Awesome Artworks all made out of beachsand ! (Posted on 13 Feb 2012)
