Delightful sunset cruise! Friendly crew, nice boat, loved the tables (perfect for byob drinks and…read moresnacks), appreciate the tiki cover (nice to have shade). 1.5 hours was great amount of time. Got dinner after. Check in was by the gelato place and boat was past the oyster bar. Just be sure to plan in extra time to park and check in.

Trevor and Justin were just the best! We saw so many dolphins, a manatee and had the best time at…read morethe sand bar. Could not have had a better experience. Trevor and Justin made the day what it was. If I could give this company and these two men 90 stars I would. What an amazing day! Thank you!

The winter home of John & Mable Ringling has 36,000 square feet & 56 rooms. Ca' d'Zan was meant…read moreto impress! It was completed in 1926 after 2 years of construction, the mansion quickly became a social hub in Sarasota. Today, Ca' d'Zan offers a glimpse into John & Mable's taste and lifestyle, transporting us back to the glamorous Roaring Twenties. The name Cà d'Zan means "House of John" in the Venetian language; in Italian it would be "Casa di Giovanni". Completed in 1926 by Owen Burns, Cà d'Zan features an eclectic array of architectural styles including Venetian Gothic, Italian Renaissance, Moorish, and Spanish-inspired elements drawn from different historic periods. The Ringling visited Venice, which inspired & influenced the house. Mable Ringling died in 1929, John Ringling continued to visit Cà d'Zan through financial collapse, a quickly dissolved second marriage, and his declining health until his death in 1936. Cà d'Zan was part of John Ringling's bequest to Florida, along with The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, which were meant to be a memorial to and the philanthropic legacy of their lives. The estate was in limbo for 10 years,, it took time to settle debts, claims by heirs taxes before the state of Florida could take control of the property. Cà d'Zan was uninhabited from 1936 to 1946, and the home deteriorated during that time with a lack of interior climate control. Cà d'Zan opened to the public in 1946 as part of the State Art Museum of Florida. In 1982, the home was listed as a contributing property on the National Register of Historic Places.

This place is definitely full of luxurious items, art collections and just the detailed artwork in…read morethe ceilings and more. So worth visiting!

I would have loved if we could have gone inside the museum... that's what the 1 star knocked off is…read morefor. But the rest of the grounds and displays were great! The beachfront walking trail and the story of deSoto's history from Spain described in full detail... I was not excited to hear how some of the horses had to be killed and eaten for survival purposes ... But back in the day, almost 500 years ago, I guess emergency survival food and water kits weren't readily available. Good idea to keep in your car, along with some TP. I would love to kayak around here. The water and the view were beautiful! There is a long route and a short route for walking, you also will learn about the different types of mangroves and other Florida native plants/trees. Definitely worth another visit, hopefully when the museum is open again, but my understanding is there's no one even answering the phones (even at the number on the sandwich board as you enter the park) so you'll never know when they will reopen.

This site is still undergoing reconstruction after the storm damage in 2024 but the trails are open…read moreand a limited number of events are being staged on some weekends. The Spanish explorer De Soto landed near Tampa Bay in 1539 hoping to find gold, bring religion to the indigenous Americans and claim land for Spain. De Soto died from disease in 1542 never having found the gold he was seeking. The survivors of his expedition eventually reached the Mississippi river and set sail for the Caribbean in 1543. This National Monument is dedicated to him and has a nice hiking trail through the mangroves here. There are also two privately funded monuments dedicated to the religious personnel who accompanied De Soto on his voyage to America. Free admission and parking. The visitor center is still closed but porta johns are available.

Went to a donation based event in the park to see Christmas lights. Great way to see Santa and the…read moreGrinch for a reasonable amount of money (or free). It's been hard to find pictures with Santa for a reasonable amount in the area and now I know to come back here next year! Only thing I struggled with was walking to the entrance after I parked. Bring a flashlight!

Wonderful local park - great for a short hike, an educational trip regarding native plants or a…read moreplace to sit quietly and enjoy nature.

Looks pretty cool. Would love to be able to get in to see all the markers but all gates are closedread more

This is a small but nice park situated in the historic cocoanut district of Sarasota. It's mostly…read moreused by the neighborhood and community. The park is contained between tamiami trail on the one side and cocoanut avenue on the other. There is some parking around the park. There is a basketball court and also a small children's play area and a tennis court too. People walk their dogs in the morning and afternoon. I wouldnt recommend it after sunset.

Great area for the kids to play. Multiple areas for the kids to play including swings and climbing…read morearea. They also had a basketball court

Sarasota Bayfront is such a beautiful place to spend an evening, the bay views are amazing, and you…read morecan walk around and take pictures. The night views in Sarasota Bayfront are absolutely stunning. The views are really picturesque. There's plenty of parking, and there's a tiki bar right on the water, which makes for a really great experience.

Sarasota is blessed with so much natural beauty and as well as man made beauty. There is so much to…read moresee and do here! One of the fun things is Bayfront Park, which is located at the south end of the Ringling Causeway. There, you have the Marina Jack's II filled with beautiful boats and yachts to admire as you walk on the paved pathway around the park by Sarasota Bay. They have a 2 stiry restaurant there also. Birdlovers can enjoy pelicans, seagulls, egrets, and many other varieties of birds flying around. The views of the Bay, the Banyan trees, flowers, and palm trees in this park are a sight for sore eyes. I especially love the giant Unconditional Surrender statue of the sailor and nurse kissing and celebrating the end of WWII. If you get hungry or thirsty, there is O'learys for food and drinks to enjoy by the water. There is a huge parking lot for free parking with wheelchair accessiblability. Dogs are welcome as long as you clean up after them. An enjoyable and unforgettable excursion!

I stopped because I always see the sign for it on 1-75 south. Come for the mansion, stay for the…read morewalking around the grounds. Walking around is free.

Surprisingly nice little state park to visit in Ellenton…read more This is a 1840s antebellum mansion that was donated by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1925 to the state of Florida. The remaining grounds are a state park with open space, picnic tables, and even small BBQ pits. There's a small museum (free) in the visitor's center. And for $6, you can get a 30 minute tour of the mansion. I was prepared for anything with the tour, but it was actually lovely and informative. We were able to see all the restored rooms in the mansion, and while none of the contents are original to the Gamble (or Patten) days, they are contemporaneous, and the state ranger was able to provide information about how people in the 1800s did things without the technology we have now. He also was well versed in how many idioms came to be, like "sleep tight" or "pop goes the weasel." While the tour guide did not overtly decry slavery, he did not glorify the old plantation ways, which I appreciated. Overall, this was a nice way to use up an hour in Manatee County, and I learned a bit about 1800s domestic life.

Dj was a great guide for our group. Went into detail about all the different species, had…read moreextensive information on a few of them and he seemed to enjoy his job. This was a great experience with some opportunities to hold some of the stars at Croc Encounters. I definitely would recommend.

Great time, lots of gators,Monitors, turtles etc - Be hydrated it's hot, if there's no breeze it…read moregets pretty stuffy..