The city of Sarasota is home to a collection of restaurants, theaters, museums, and shopping boutiques, all mixed within a vibrant art scene. With its location less than 30 minutes from Crescent Royale Condominiums in Siesta Key, downtown Sarasota is the perfect day trip!
A Guide to downtown Sarasota
Main Street runs through the heart of downtown Sarasota where you will find a variety of restaurants, shops, and other businesses. Spanning from the city center, there are five different districts that surround central downtown including, Burns Court, Towles Court, Rosemary District, Historic Palm Avenue, and Gillespie Park.
Burns Court
The historic Burns Court neighborhood is located south of downtown Sarasota, between Pineapple Avenue and Burns Court. Here is where you will find charming 1920s bungalows, independent shops, and restaurants, plus the historic Burns Court Cinemas. A popular activity is to walk through Burns Square where you can treasure hunt at the local boutiques, take a yoga class, shop the art galleries, and more.
Towles Court
While most of downtown Sarasota is a lively art scene of galleries and artists’ studios, Towles Court is a unique community of award-winning artists all bundled together. Located at the edge of downtown Sarasota, Towles Court features the art center, several restaurants, and plenty of galleries. Join them for the seasonal (October-May) “Third Friday Art Walks” which feature gallery openings, live music and drinks from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Rosemary District
Located just north of downtown Sarasota is the completely re-imagined Rosemary District. Over the years an influx of hip restaurants, vintage shops, new apartment buildings, and plenty of yoga and Zumba classes have made this neighborhood one of our favorites in downtown.
Historic Palm Avenue
If you are looking to shop till you drop, grab your wallet and head on over to historic Palm Avenue. Here you will find elegant shops and galleries with everything from clothing stores offering women’s fashions to gourmet food stores. Some say it’s the “best walk in town.” Join them for their “first Friday walks,” with a different theme every Friday.
Gillespie Park
A more local neighborhood, Gillespie Park is a great option to enjoy lunch or drinks at the local watering hole, like the Mandeville Beer Garden, and admire the charming cottages that line the streets. Be sure to check out the block on 7th Street between Goodrich and Orange Avenues to see the collection of brightly colored cottages.
Other things to do in downtown Sarasota
Visit the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Home to more than 20,000 plants, rare orchids, and blooming flowers, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a must when visiting downtown Sarasota.
Take in the views from the Ringling Bridge
For some of the best views of downtown Sarasota, hit the ground running (or walking or biking) on the John Ringling Causeway bridge. The 60-foot-high bridge affords pedestrians spectacular views of downtown Sarasota and Sarasota Bay.
Bayfront Park
Bayfront Park is the ideal place relax any time of day with its waterfront location and plethora of amenities, including two restaurants. But this park is particularly spectacular at sunset, where you can sit back and relax on one of the many benches or swings that fill the park. It’s the perfect way to round out our guide to downtown Sarasota.
Stay at Crescent Royal Condominiums
After your long day exploring downtown Sarasota, come back and relax in your condo at Crescent Royale. Enjoy beachfront access, ocean views, and spacious accommodations at our Siesta Key condos. Cap off your day of adventures with sunset views from your private lanai and enjoy the cozy comfortable surroundings in our one-bedroom condos, two-bedroom condos, or our three and four-bedroom condos. Book your stay with us today!
