Guests who are staying in Sarasota hotels and are looking for a fun and free activity that the whole family can enjoy should consider trying their hand at some Florida fishing. There are a variety of public fishing areas where families on Florida beach vacations can spend a leisurely day on the water as they try to catch some saltwater fish.

Of course, guests from Sarasota hotels should first check with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to inquire about necessary fishing permits.

At Hart’s Landing, visitors on Florida beach vacations will find one of the oldest saltwater fishing and bait and tackle stores in Sarasota. Guests from Sarasota hotels can locate the Landing at the foot of the John Ringling Causeway, right near downtown. Here, families on Florida beach vacations enjoy fishing from the Tony Saprito Pier—a free fishing pier that is situated in a beautiful park-like setting.

Another fishing spot popular with visitors from Sarasota hotels is the Bay Island Park. Guests on Florida beach vacations will find this spot at the western approach to the Siesta Bridge. Here, families from Sarasota hotels can rent the fishing equipment they need for the day. At this location, fishermen on Florida beach vacations may reel in fish such as grouper, red fish, or mahi mahi.

There are plenty of additional public fishing locations from which visitors to Sarasota hotels can choose. These include the Englewood Public Fishing Pier, Ken Thompson Fishing Pier, the Osprey Fishing Pier, and many others. For more information on attaining the proper licenses and finding a great place to fish, guests on Florida beach vacations who are staying at Longboat Key Club & Resort should simply check with their concierge.

Once again, guests from Sarasota hotels are getting excited for the second annual Ringling International Arts Festival, presented by the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and the Baryshnikov Arts Center of New York.

From October 13 through 17, 2010, visitors enjoying Florida beach vacations can experience New York talent at Florida’s leading art museum. In essence, guests of Sarasota hotels will watch as radical New York artists bring their talents to the traditional Ringling Museum.

Throughout the five-day festival, visitors on Florida beach vacations can choose from over 45 dance, music, and theater productions. There is also a variety of ticket packages and pricing from which guests of Sarasota hotels can select. Families on Florida beach vacations may elect to attend particular performances, or purchase the RIAF 360 package. This package allows visitors on Florida beach vacations to enjoy daily entry to the Museum of Art and the Circus Museum, as well as to many special events.

Among the performances scheduled, visitors from Sarasota hotels can take in several world and U.S. premieres. For example, guests on their Florida beach vacations may enjoy the world premiere of a new play written and directed by Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz. Guests of Sarasota hotels can also attend the U.S. premiere of a circus-music-puppetry act from the Czech Republic.

Visitors on Florida beach vacations who are interested in attending performances will need to purchase tickets soon, as event organizers anticipate a 100% sell-out. For more information, guests of Sarasota hotels such as Longboat Key Club & Resort can visit http://ringlingartsfestival.org.

For families on Florida beach vacations who are looking for activities that are not only fun but educational, the Sarasota Bay Explorers has just what you need. In partnership with the Mote Marine Laboratory, this organization offers guests from Sarasota hotels a variety of hands-on experiences in the water. Visitors on their Florida beach vacations can choose from several exciting eco-tours.

On the Sea Life Encounter Cruise, guests from Sarasota hotels will join a marine biologist on a tour through the Sarasota and Roberts Bays. On this tour, visitors on Florida beach vacations will also participate in a short nature walk. Throughout the excursion, families are likely to see a variety of indigenous animals, including manatees, dolphins, herons, and pelicans. The day concludes with guests from Sarasota hotels collecting samples of local marine life in a trawl net.

On the Nature Safari, visitors on Florida beach vacations will get an in-depth look at south Florida’s eco-system. Guests staying in Sarasota hotels will enjoy a boat ride, a walk along the beach, and hands-on discoveries in grass flats. Families on Florida beach vacations may find creatures such as sea stars, seahorses, sand dollars and sand crabs.

Finally, guided kayak tours are also available to guests of Sarasota hotels. Previous experience is not required. This tour takes visitors on Florida beach vacations through the tunnels of the mangrove forests for an up-close view of the beautiful flora and fauna.

To make reservations, contact the concierge at Longboat Key Club & Resort, or visit www.sarasotabayexplorers.com.

For guests staying in Sarasota hotels, summer is a great time to visit the Sarasota Classic Car Museum. Located across from the Ringling Museum of Art, families on Florida beach vacations will have no trouble finding their way. The Classic Car Museum has been entertaining guests from Sarasota hotels since the late 1950s, and the tradition continues today.

When visitors on their Florida beach vacations visit the museum, they are stepping foot inside the second oldest antique car museum in America. Guests from Sarasota hotels will see truly amazing cars and one-of-a-kind classics. Among the museum’s 100+ automobiles, visitors on Florida beach vacations will find treasures from the collections of John Ringling, John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

In addition, families from Sarasota hotels can browse through some of the most exotic cars made by some big-name manufacturers. The museum’s rotating displays will treat guests on Florida beach vacations to cars from makers such as Bentley, Cadillac and Ferrari. After visitors from Sarasota hotels cruise past the cars, the next stops are the antique game arcade and the antique camera exhibit.

This summer, the museum also has several special events planned for guests on Florida beach vacations. On August 13 and 14, the “One Night with Elvis” concert takes place with two shows each day. Award-winning impersonator Billy Elvis Lindsey puts on a show that guests from Sarasota hotels will not soon forget. Plus, mark your calendars for August 28, when the Ricky and Franky Rockin’ Oldies Show takes the stage.

For more information, visitors on Florida beach vacations who are planning to stay at Longboat Key Club & Resort can contact their concierge or visit www.sarasotacarmuseum.org.

Summer is here, and that means the G.WIZ science museum in Sarasota, Florida is ready to welcome lots of visitors on their Florida beach vacations. G.WIZ—the Gulfcoast Wonder & Imagination Zone—has been educating and entertaining visitors from Sarasota hotels since the early 1990s, and continues today to provide adventures in science to guests on Florida beach vacations.

This year, visitors from Sarasota hotels will find new and exciting exhibits and areas to explore at G.WIZ. New this year, guests on their Florida beach vacations will enjoy the Deborah Ann Naiditch Tot Zone. This indoor play and discovery space was designed for children ages 12 months to 4 years, and lets kids from Sarasota hotels play in an Everglades-themed environment. In the Tot Zone, guests on Florida beach vacations will find soft mats, ramps for climbing, and a critter matching game—designed to help little ones learn about Florida’s flora and fauna.

Summer time also means that guests of Sarasota hotels have a chance to participate in the G.WIZ summer camp program. G.WIZ offers camps opportunities to visitors on their Florida beach vacations who range in ages from pre-school all the way up through high school. Programs are offered on a weekly basis, and kids from Sarasota hotels will enjoy the different themes offered each week.

Visitors on Florida beach vacations can visit G.WIZ Tuesdays through Sundays. Admission to the center is reasonably priced—perfect for families from Sarasota hotels on a budget. For more information, guests enjoying their Florida beach vacations at Longboat Key Club & Resort may contact their concierge or visit www.gwiz.org.

It’s time once again for guests of Sarasota hotels to flock to the shores as the Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix returns for its 26th year. As part of the Suncoast Charities for Children, the Super Boat Grand Prix serves as one of the main fundraisers for the organization. This year, when guests on Florida beach vacations attend the annual festival, they will be contributing to the Florida Center for Child & Family Services.

Guests from Sarasota hotels can attend the Super Boat Grand Prix from June 26 through July 4, 2010. The event schedule features a variety of fun activities, ensuring that everyone on their Florida beach vacations will find something to do. Of course, the main events center on the boat races, which guests from Sarasota hotels will find at Sarasota’s Lido Beach. Guests on Florida beach vacations will see the Grand Prix race on July 4th, but the Kilo World Speed Record Event is expected to be especially exciting as well.

Visitors from Sarasota hotels also have plenty of other festival events from which to choose. On Sunday, June 27, visitors on Florida beach vacations may enjoy the Car Show & Expo. On Thursday, July 1, guests from Sarasota hotels may take part in the “Friendliest Catch” fishing tournament. That evening, many families on Florida beach vacations will attend the block party and powerboats event in downtown Sarasota. Several “meet and greet” events are planned also, where visitors from Sarasota hotels can meet boat drivers and see the crafts up close.

The Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix event is so jam-packed with things to do, guests on Florida beach vacations will have no trouble finding something for the whole family to enjoy.

For more information, visitors to Sarasota hotels like Longboat Key Club & Resort may visit www.suncoastoffshore.org or contact their concierge.

There are plenty of things for guests of Sarasota hotels to do during their Florida beach vacations, but The Player Theatre offers a unique way to enjoy Sarasota’s booming arts scene. This non-professional community theatre has been entertaining visitors from Sarasota hotels since 1936. Now, guests on their Florida beach vacations watch the productions in the building that was erected in the 1970s and renovated in 2000.

The majority of the performances are staffed by volunteers, many of whom were paid professional actors at one time. Guests of Sarasota hotels often visit the city because of its rich arts culture, and the same is true for many retired professionals—they enjoy Sarasota for the same reason. In fact, visitors on their Florida beach vacations will learn that even The Players Theatre artistic director is a classically trained actor.

Guests of Sarasota hotels have many options¬ when it comes to choosing a show to see. In the Broadway Series, visitors on their Florida beach vacations can see shows such as Oklahoma, The Fantasticks, The Producers, Victor Victoria, and others during the season. During the SNAP (Something New at Players) Series, families from Sarasota hotels can see a variety of performances—including stand-up comedians, improv troupes, dance companies, and the annual playwright contest productions.

Visitors on Florida beach vacations will find that ticket prices for all of these shows are quite reasonable. In fact, many guests of Sarasota hotels time their visits specifically for the season, and book ahead for a number of shows.

For additional information about upcoming shows at The Players Theatre during your Florida beach vacation, visit www.theplayers.org.

Sarasota’s beautiful bayside location makes it an ideal place for guests on Florida beach vacations to see plenty of unique flora and fauna. In fact, the Sarasota Succulent Society has perfected the art of unique gardening, to the delight of many horticulture enthusiasts from Sarasota hotels. Visitors on Florida beach vacations can find the Society’s property on 38th Street south to Myrtle.

When guests of Sarasota hotels visit the Society’s property, they will be setting foot on more than 50 years of history. Today, the Society aims to teach visitors on Florida beach vacations about succulent plants—plants that retain water and are generally adapted to live in arid climates or soil conditions. Cactus is the type of succulent plant with which most guests of Sarasota hotels are familiar.

The Sarasota Succulent Society grounds are open to the public and guests on their Florida beach vacations all year long. Visiting hours are extremely limited though – from just 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays, and on the third Saturday of each month, weather permitting limited. Groups staying at Sarasota hotels can also arrange for private tours.

In addition to providing guests of Sarasota hotels with a unique look at some non-native plants, the Sarasota Succulent Society also holds several sales throughout the year – Christmas, Easter and Memorial Day, to name but a few. Admission is free and the events generally include educational programs and holiday displays.

Visitors from Sarasota hotels, such as Longboat Key Club & Resort, can find out more about the Sarasota Succulent Society from the hotel’s concierge, or by visiting www.sarasotasucculentsociety.org.

At Longboat Key Club & Resort, guests on their Florida beach vacations won’t need to venture far to find dining options that satisfy any palate. With a variety of restaurants right on property, guests of this Sarasota hotel can find something to eat morning, noon, night and any time in between.

In the Resort Center, guests on Florida beach vacations will find Sands Pointe, a beautiful restaurant with a view of the sparkling Gulf of Mexico. Open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sands Pointe offers visitors from Sarasota hotels a selection of fresh seafood and other contemporary dishes. Visitors enjoying Florida beach vacations can choose from any of the house specialties, including sea scallops, yellow fin tuna, and a New York Strip Steak. Plus, Sands Pointe features a wide selection of spirits, wines and desserts.

For those visitors from Sarasota hotels who would prefer something a little different, the Portofino Ristorante & Bar in the Marina Village is the perfect choice. Guests on Florida beach vacations can dine indoors or alfresco alongside the harbor as they indulge in classically inspired Northern Italian cuisine. Guests of Sarasota hotels can choose from menu items including pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and fresh seafood. Next door, the L’Ancora Lounge treats visitors on Florida beach vacations to handmade cocktails and live music on the weekends.

For those guests of our Sarasota hotel looking for lighter fare, several options are available. Golfers on Florida beach vacations can grab a quick lunch or breakfast at Spike ‘n Tees by the Islandside Golf Course. For those visitors from Sarasota hotels who enjoy a visit to the pool, Barefoot’s is open daily for afternoon snacks and tropical cocktails.

At Longboat Key Club & Resort, guests on their Florida beach vacations never go hungry. To make reservations or inquire about hours of service, simply contact your concierge or visit www.longboatkeyclub.com.

Beginning in May, guests of Sarasota hotels like Longboat Key Club & Resort can experience a special photography exhibition at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. At HEYDAY: Photographs of Frederick W. Glasier, visitors on Florida beach vacations can see more than 60 photographs and a dozen lithographic posters from the circus in the 20th century.

Guests from Sarasota hotels will find a variety of images throughout the exhibit. Glasier, who spent more than 35 years photographing the circus, had a knack for capturing the true essence and spectacle of the show, a feature that will delight visitors on their Florida beach vacations. Because of his unrestricted access to performances and backstage life, guests of Sarasota hotels will see images that many people in the early 1900s never knew existed.

Visitors on Florida beach vacations will be amazed at the moments Glasier was able to capture. Guests from Sarasota hotels will see images of the circus performers caught mid-air during trapeze acts, clowns who appear melancholy rather than jovial, and snake charmers whose sensuality challenged the times. Families on Florida beach vacations will see that Glasier’s strength was in his portraits, as a wide range of characters are on display.

When visitors from Sarasota hotels explore the photographs, they will find the sequence to be chronologically arranged. This allows for guests on Florida beach vacations to get a sense of the circus from beginning to end. Guests of Sarasota hotels will take a journey from the time the circus arrives, to the acts that took place under the big top, to life behind the scenes.

For families spending their Florida beach vacations at Longboat Key Club & Resort, more information about HEYDAY: Photographs of Frederick W. Glasier can be found by visiting your concierge.