About Visit Sarasota Overview
Our Mission
Promoting Sarasota County as a world-class Gulf Coast travel destination.
Sarasota County
571 square miles of Gulf Coast Florida with 35+ miles of barrier island beaches.
Florida Cultural Coast
The official cultural designation reflects the Ringling legacy and continuing arts investment.
Visitor Services
Trip planning assistance, maps, event listings, and accommodation referrals.
Media Resources
Press kits, image library, and destination fact sheets for journalists.
Sustainability
Sea turtle nesting protection, ecosystem preservation, and responsible tourism programs.
Visit Sarasota is the official tourism promotion organization for Sarasota County, Florida. The organization's mission is to grow Sarasota County's visitor economy through marketing, promotion, and visitor services that support the long-term health of the destination.
About Sarasota County
Sarasota County encompasses 571 square miles and a population of approximately 460,000 permanent residents. The county sits on the Gulf of Mexico midway between Tampa and Fort Myers, occupying a position on the Florida Gulf Coast that combines urban sophistication with natural Gulf Coast access.
The Cultural Coast Designation
Sarasota's designation as Florida's Cultural Coast reflects the genuinely unusual concentration of cultural infrastructure relative to population size. The county maintains world-class museums, a professional performing arts season, and a gallery district that developed out of the original John Ringling investment in the area and has continued building since.
Visitor Information
The Visit Sarasota visitor center provides trip planning assistance, maps, event listings, and accommodation referrals. Visitor information is available at the Nathan Benderson Park welcome center and at multiple partner hotel concierge desks throughout the county.