Sarasota Entertainment

Sarasota has a busy night scene with something to cover the tastes of most visitors. The Main Street area of the downtown district is one of the best places to head in the evening on account of its extensive selection of restaurants, bars and nightclubs as well as a 20-screen cinema complex. The Quay area is also very popular at night, especially with those looking for the city's trendier venues.

Eating out

The city of Sarasota boasts over 900 restaurants, among which are traditional American eateries and restaurants representing all of the worlds most popular cuisines. Popular areas to head for eating out include Sarasota Quay, the downtown district, Bradenton and Venice Florida. For seafood restaurants, the Tamiami Trail is perhaps the best place to head for.

Local cuisine

Local cuisine in Sarasota tends towards the style of food that is typical of the entire state, which means that seafood comes high up on the popularity list. Restaurants offer a variety of marine cuisine, with tasty crustaceans such as crab and lobster commonly featuring on the menu. Fish dishes with seas bass, flounder and cod can also be found at most seafood venues.

Theatre and music

For live music, Main street is a good place to head, with venues such as the Gator Club and C d'Zan Lounge drawing large crowds. Other live music venues can be found at the Quay and on the Tamiami Trail. For theatre, the city has venues such as the Florida Studio Theater and the Asolo Repertory Theater, offering a wide selection of live theatrical performances.

Shopping

Sarasotas shopping scene is not quite the big mall experience that some of the states larger cities offer and shopaholics may find it a little disappointing. There are however areas such as the historic St Armands Circle and Westfield Shopping Town that offer a good selection of outlets and will satisfy those feeling in need of a touch of retail therapy after having exhausted the citys main attractions.