Things to do in Sarasota, Florida (1-2 Day Itinerary)

Recently I visited Sarasota. Here are 4 things I did and I would do again.

1. Lido Beach

2. St. Armand’s Circle

3. Downtown Sarasota

4. Taking the trolley.

Note: I stayed at a hotel near downtown so this made it easier to access the trolley. Sarasota doesn’t seem to have any hostels yet so it’s a good idea to ensure you’re staying somewhere that’s walkable, safe, and near the trolley if you want to avoid taking an Uber or renting a car.

Lido Beach

While it was a little chilly to swim and there was dead fish washed up on the shore (I assume it’s because of red tide) the water was beautiful and blue.

I also walked around Lido beach to North lido beach to get to St. Armand’s Circle (Lido/North Lido beach is the same thing, only North is closer to St. Armand’s).

I picked up seashells at LIDO and I can say that this beach has beautiful seashells that are intact (not broken).

St. Armand’s Circle

St. Armand’s circle is a cute little shopping center near LIDO beach. While I didn’t buy anything or sit down and eat due to time and trying to save, I did enjoy the architecture of the boutique shops and buildings.

Even if you don’t plan or don’t want to buy anything, St. Armand’s is a cute little vicinity to sightsee. They also had a nice church that looked very vibrant and childlike (in my opinion).

While walking towards St. Armand’s there was a small area that had gorgeous homes and boats. While you can’t go inside it's beautiful scenery that I highly recommend trying to pass on your way to St. Armand’s (especially if you’re coming from North Lido Beach).

Downtown Sarasota

While I didn’t explore Downtown Sarasota too much, I did enjoy the scenery of the palm trees during sunset while walking back from the trolley to the hotel.

It was mostly filled with hotels. It’s still a beautiful area, especially if you enjoy the high-end vibe of the hotels, dining, and retail stores.

Taking the Trolley

I took the trolley from downtown (located on Palm Street) to Lido Beach.

As of 3/2023:

The stop that leads to Lido Beach is the Pavilion. It leaves you in front of the beach restrooms that are enclosed in a pavilion area.

You can also request a stop or stop at St. Armand’s and walk to the beach.

From LIDO beach to St. Armand’s, it’s approximately a 15-20 minute walk. Depending on how fast you walk.

The trolley is free.

Some notes regarding the trolley stop I wish I knew prior:

All the trolley stops are marked with a TROLLEY STOP sign.

There is an app you can download called “Bayrunner” you can use this app to track the trolley and where it stops.

I used this app alongside my Apple/Google map to find the location/street the trolley would stop at.

I also asked the hotel/restaurant staff when I didn’t know where I was going. Just be safe and trust your gut.

•Downtown trolley stop (near the hotel, there may be more) is near PALM street. So if you’re considering staying near downtown make sure to be near Palm street.

•St. Armand’s trolley stop is located near the restaurant Clásico.

•Lido Beach - After the stop at St. Armand’s, there is a stop at the beach and another one at the Pavilion (that is the “main” LIDO beach stop).

Note: I did not take the trolley to St. Armand’s from the beach. I only took it to get back to the hotel (St. Armand’s trolley stop to Palm).

It was approximately an 8-15 minute walk from Palm Street (downtown stop) to the hotel, but I felt safe as there were other tourists, valet parking staff, and street/palm tree lights. I always try to return before it gets too dark (before sunset or before the end of the sunset). I always check my weather map and see when the sun is predicted to go down and make sure to give myself some buffer room to ensure if I get lost or want to stop at a souvenir shop, etc. I can without worrying about my safety.

Hope this helps. :)

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Links/Resources:

Lido Beach:

https://www.scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/569/4318

Trolley hours, stops, etc.

https://sarasotabayrunner.com

Trolley App:

https://sarasotabayrunner.com/app/

St. Armand’s Circle:

https://starmandscircleassoc.com

Downtown Sarasota:

https://www.visitsarasota.com/sarasota

Sarasota:

https://www.visitsarasota.com/article/shop-dine-and-play-lido-key-and-st-armands-circle

Disclaimer

This blog is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be considered legal advice. There may be a few (or a lot) grammatical errors. Use/apply at will. Please make sure to do your research on the information provided. This post is unsponsored. :)

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