Located on the gulf coast of Florida, Sarasota is a beautiful city, rich in cultural and leisure activities. A center for art and theater, Sarasota also has hundreds of excellent restaurants in every price range. It has interesting bookstores, a great farmer’s market, and several large natural foods stores.
The area has unspoiled state parks where you can hike and canoe through mangrove lined waterways. It also has an exquisite botanical garden, and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world; Siesta Key beach has powder white sand that is as fine as confectioner’s sugar, and gorgeous turquoise water. It is regularly named as one of the world’s top ten beaches.
Sarasota’s Siesta Key beach is known for having the whitest, finest sand in the world, as soft and bright as confectioner’s sugar. Sarasota has miles of beaches and dozens of public accesses with free parking; the islands also offer great restaurants and biking. From the secluded undeveloped Caspersen Beach State Park to the young party atmosphere of Anna Maria Island, Sarasota’s island beaches have everything.
Known as Florida’s Cultural Coast, Sarasota is celebrated for its theater, dance, art and music. The county’s cultural attractions are astonishing for a city its size, with world class symphony and ballet companies, a gorgeous historical opera house, numerous playhouses, a plethora of art galleries, the world’s largest collection of rare orchids at Selby Botanical Gardens, and a thriving local music scene.
Whether it’s abundant wildlife and quiet, scenic beauty in one of several large natural areas in Sarasota and Manatee counties, or giant water slides and rollercoasters in nearby Tampa, southwest Florida offers abundant leisure opportunities. Hike, camp, or canoe with alligators at the 45 square mile Myakka River State Park in Sarasota or laugh and scream at Busch Gardens and Adventure Island in Tampa.
If you are relocating to Sarasota to attend SSMT, one of the biggest questions you may be facing is “Where am I going to live?” Fortunately, the Sarasota area offers plenty of housing in a variety of price ranges. Call the school to connect an admissions guides will be happy to help you find housing, find a roommate or connect you with our favorite local realtor.
Of course Sarasota has some of the most beautiful weather on the planet! Daily highs in the winter average 73°; and in July and August the average high temperature is 91°.
