About Sarasota, Florida

The history of Sarasota as a popular beach retreat began in the 1920s when millionaire John Ringling made it a resting place for his off-season circus performers. The dividends of serving as a constant vacation destination for 80 years show in the range of Sarasota’s cultural and entertainment offerings.

Interesting articles about Sarasota:

"Best Beaches"
"Best Place to Retire"
"Best Place to Live & Work"

One of the Best Places to Live

• Inc Magazine ranks Sarasota #4 in “Boomtown 06: Hottest Midsize Cities in America” (2006)

• AARP Magazine ranked Sarasota fourth among “The 15 Best Places to Reinvent Your Life” (June 2003)

• Kiplinger listed Sarasota as one of the “12 Great Places to Retire” (March 2005)

• The Sarasota-Bradenton area was named in the top 50 cities in “Your Guide to the Best Places to Live” in the book Cities Ranked and Rated (2004)

• Sarasota ranked #16 in the small cities and towns category for “Top 25 Arts Destinations” by American Style Magazine. (2006)

• Relocate America named the Sarasota/Bradenton/Venice area to their “Top 100 Places to Live”. (2006)

• Best Beaches USA names Crescent Beach, Siesta Key in the top 3 “Best Walking Beaches in the US”. (2006)

• Fortune Magazine rated Sarasota “Best Place to Retire for Singles” (June 2006)

• Biz Journal ranked Sarasota in the top 5 of their “Hot Spots in the Sunbelt”, identifying the most attractive warm-weather metros. (November 2006)

• The Sarasota-Bradenton area was named among the nation’s top areas for “Overall Quality of Life” by Business Development Outlook Magazine (October 2006)

Top Choice for Business Relocation

• Inc Magazine ranked Sarasota as #20 on their “Best Cities for Doing Business” list. (May 2006)

• Entrepreneur Magazine named Sarasota in the top 50 “Hot Cities for Entrepreneurs 2006”.

• Forbes Magazine named Sarasota the 44th "Best Place to Live and Do Business" out of the largest 150 U.S. Metro Areas (2003).

• Expansion Management Magazine rated the Sarasota/ Bradenton/ Venice area as a four star business opportunity metro, designating the best metro areas for future business locations. (2006)

• Biz Journal named Sarasota in the top 4 “Hottest Big Metros for Jobs”, along with Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Washington D.C. (2005)

• Sperling’s Best Places ranked the Sarasota/Bradenton/Venice area 9^th in their “Best Cities for Teleworking”, in the small metro area category. (2006)

• The Milken Institute ranked Sarasota #6 among the “Top 15 Performing Cities” in the U.S., based on economic performance and the ability to create and retain jobs. (November 2004)

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked the Sarasota/Bradenton area "3rd in the Nation in Job Growth."

Excellent Educational Opportunities

• Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine ranked New College of Sarasota the sixth best value in public colleges in the United States. (2007)

• Princeton Review lists New College in its "Best 361 Colleges" (2006 and 2007 Editions)

• US News and World Report rates New College as the #1 liberal arts college in the United States. (2006)

• Business Week named Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota to their “D-Schools: the Global List”, a listing of the top design programs in the world. (September 2006)

• Money Magazine included the Sarasota County School District on the list of "Top 100 Schools in the United States."

• Expansion Management awarded Sarasota County's School District a GOLD MEDAL. The GOLD MEDAL is the highest level of achievement awarded to a school district by the magazine, and Sarasota was the only district in Florida to receive the honor in 2006. (November, 2006)

Top Quality Health Care

• Sarasota Memorial Hospital was one of only 176 medical centers (3% of all hospitals nationwide) included in “US News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals 2006”.

Below is a partial listing of helpful links for the Sarasota area.

ATTRACTIONS
Busch Gardens
Disney World
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Myakka Wildlife Tours, Inc.
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
Sea World
South Florida Museum
Sarasota Bay Explorers
G-WIZ

CULTURAL HAPPENINGS
Sarasota Arts Council
Circus Sarasota
Florida West Coast Symphony
Sarasota Ballet of Florida
Sarasota Opera
Asolo Center for Performing Arts
Florida Studio Theatre
Golden Apple Dinner Theatre
Ringling Museum of Art
Van Wezel
Players Theatre
Sarasota Jazz Club

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Sarasota County
Manatee County
Bradenton City
Englewood City
Venice City

HOSPITALS
Sarasota Memorial Hospital
Doctors Hospital

LIBRARY
Selby Public Library

MORTGAGE & FINANCE
Check Your Credit Scores
Intangible Tax
Mortgage Payment
Homestead Exemption

NEWSPAPERS & LOCAL MEDIA
Bradenton Herald
North Port Sun Herald
Sarasota Herald Tribune
Venice Gondolier
Sarasota Magazine

RECREATION
Sarasota Golf Courses
Sarasota Marinas
IMG Academies
Sarasota Fishing
Sarasota Movie Theaters
Sarasota Baseball
Area Beaches

SCHOOLS
Sarasota County Public Schools
Manatee County Public Schools
Charlotte County Public Schools
Manatee Community College
University of South Florida
New College of Florida
Ringling School of Art
Sarasota County Technical Institute
Out of Door Academy
New Gate School
Cardinal Mooney High School
Sarasota Christian School
St. Stephens Episcopal School
Bradenton Academy
St. Joseph Catholic School
Bradenton Christian School

SCHOOL REPORTS
School Reports - Sarasota County
School Reports - Manatee County
School Reports - Charlotte County

SHOPPING
St. Armands Circle
Ellenton Outlet Mall
Southgate Mall
Sarasota Square Mall

TRAVEL
Sarasota-Bradenton Airport
Maps & Driving Directions

VISITOR SERVICES
Siesta Key Chamber
Convention/Visitor's Bureau
Longboat Key Chamber

WEATHER
Local 4-day Weather Forecast

DISTINCTIONS
Featured Agent on Grab Real Estate Network for Sarasota Real Estate
Featured Agent on Inside Finances Network for Bird Key Real Estate
Featured Agent on Inside Finances Network for Lido Key Real Estate
Featured Agent on Inside Finances Network for Longboat Key Real Estate
Featured Agent on Inside Finances Network for Casey Key Real Estate

MORE ABOUT SARASOTA REAL ESTATE

For more information concerning the Sarasota real estate market, read the articles below:

Sarasota Waterfront Property
The Florida Gulf coast region is famous for powdery-white sand, crystal-blue waters and first-rate family fun.  Sarasota waterfront property gives you a front-row seat to everything this beautiful Florida beach town has to offer.  (Read more...)

Houses For Sale
Sarasota, Longboat Key and Siesta Key houses for sale are luxurious homes in locations many people only dream of living.  (Read more...)

MLS
A Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is an easy way to search for homes in Sarasota, Longboat Key and Siesta Key. The Sarasota MLS, Longboat Key MLS and Siesta Key MLS can each assist in your new home search. 
(Read more...)

New Home
New home construction is booming in Sarasota, Longboat Key and Siesta Key.  (Read more...)

Real Estate
Sarasota, Longboat Key and Siesta Key have a variety of real estate for sale, from traditional single-family homes to luxurious gulf front estates. Explore Sarasota real estate, Longboat Key real estate and Siesta Key real estate to find the property you’ve been looking for.  (Read more...)

Real Estate Agent
If you are looking for real estate on Florida’s Gulf Coast, a Sarasota real estate agent will be an invaluable resource for you.  (Read more...)

Sarasota Commercial Real Estate For Sale
If you are looking for Sarasota commercial real estate for sale, you can find a variety of options as well as commercial properties for lease.  (Read more...)

Sarasota Property
If you would like to enjoy the sunny climate and beautiful beaches of Florida’s Sarasota County, consider becoming a full- or part-time resident by investing in Sarasota property, Siesta Key property or Longboat Key property.  (Read more...)

Sarasota Real Estate Investment
With some of the most beautiful properties available in the state of Florida, Sarasota offers a wide selection of real estate opportunities. Making a Sarasota real estate investment in this area could be the right choice for you.  (Read more...)

Sarasota Realtor, Longboat Key Realtor or Siesta Key Realtor
As you look to invest in your next beachfront property on Florida’s Gulf Coast, a Sarasota Realtor, Longboat Key Realtor or Siesta Key Realtor can offer you the assistance of a highly-trained professional. 
(Read more...)

Sarasota Relocation
If you’re considering moving to Sarasota, relocation services can help ease your transition. This waterfront community combines beautiful surroundings with all the amenities you could ask for.  (Read more...)

Sarasota Vacation Homes
Sarasota vacation homes offer the comforts of home amid the excitement of a vacation paradise. 
(Read more...)

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