My Heart and Soul

Being from Ohio is nothing short of boring. I have never been a person to like the cold or any state that isn't surrounded by beautiful ocean water. And I fully blame my dad. Ever since I was three years old my dad has lived in Florida. So, multiple times a year I went down to visit him. As I got older, the visits became shorter and less frequent. But once I was about to graduate high school I realized Ohio isn't the place for me, I made the best decision ever to transfer to Florida Gulf Coast University. Located in the prime location of Fort Myers, I was surrounded by the beautiful city of Naples, only half an hour from the beach and only an hour and a half south of my favorite city- Sarasota. I've made excuse after excuse to make my way back to Sarasota as often as possible. The heat, the beauty, the relaxing vibes, the smell of fresh sea water, the palm trees and the outstanding food are just the tip of the iceberg. Intriguing right? Yes I know- so let me get more into detail about this amazing place.

If you've ever been to southern Florida you know their sunsets are unmatched. This is just one amazing picture I was able to capture over the years.

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The Stellar Food Scene

Sarasota is filled with restaurants only locals would know about. But if you're not a local the first thing you'll probably be driven to- and the very first place I would recommend to go to is called St. Armands Circle. It's been around for decades and connects to one of the most beautiful beaches in Florida. If you're not from Florida you probably know what a round-a-bout is, well St. Armands is just a huge round-a-bout.

• Crab and Fin: My favorite place. It's fancy, but most of the places on the circle are. First come first serve seating outdoors with a person playing the piano at all times. Its peak relaxation on top of a one of a kind experience with outstanding food (and wine).

• Venezia: A wonderful place that has a multitude of options to chose from. Authentic Italian that is unmatched. Things you've never heard of pop up on this menu. This is definitely a place to expand on what you thought was classic Italian.

• Cha Cha Coconuts: An option that isn't so fancy but is just as good as the upscale restaurants in St. Armands. Serving a-typical tropical food that makes you feel like you're on the beach. Don't go there without trying their conch fritters.

Marina Jack's is my next stop in the food scene. Located in the biggest marina in the Sarastoa-Bradenton area, there are boats worth well over a million dollars docked here at all times. There are technically three restaurants all in one at this place. Inside is fancy, stay downstairs if you'd like the fine dining experience with a causal feel and go upstairs for top tier fine dining. Outside is more of a casual dining. Either way the food is phenomenal.

Phillippi Creek Village is a oyster bar that most people wouldn't think to recommend because it is in between all of the areas stacked with restaurants. It has a beautiful view of the water and the food is always fresh. You might be deterred by their newspaper style menus and old wooden tables but this might be one of the best places to eat in Sarasota. Going to the oyster bar- I am always going to tell you to have the oysters but please don't shy away from some of the crazy things on their menu; that also tends to changes every couples months by the way.

As you can see I am highly recommending a bunch of seafood places, but when you live or are visiting a city that is right on the water, it'll all be fresh and worth your time and money. But if you're looking for something a little bit different don't forget to check out Selva Grill in downtown Sarasota or in UTC (will be mentioned later). It's a chic Peruvian restaurant that will blow your mind with their options. They have everything from ceviches to rack of lamb to whole snapper as well as marinated duck breast.

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The Beautiful Beaches

Everyone knows that Sarasota has one of the best beaches in the United States. If you haven't been to Siesta Key I'd highly suggest going there. It has beautiful white sand and clear blue water that will dazzle you for days on end. Because the sand is so white it gets super hot, just a little bit of information to keep in mind when walking along the beach, mainly in the summer. This beach is super popular, probably one of the most popular in the state of Florida os it's always a good idea to get there early, eight miles might seems like a decent size for a beach but it fills up fast.

Lido Key beach is a small beach right outside of the wonderful St. Armands Circle. No where near as busy as Siesta gets. A mere mile and a half in length, locals come here for relaxation and plenty of space. Still has the white sand and clear blue waters that Siesta also has- just happens to be nestled in the shores that isn't a main attraction for tourists. The secret for getting a good parking spot at Lido is to come at 8:30-9:00 AM or wait until 1:30-2:00 PM. People come in waves to the beach and on average only stay about four hours. Since they're locals and don't need the beach everyday- they don't stay all day. So if you time it right, you'll end up right by an entrance.

Longboat Key is long stretch of beach that gives the real tropical vibes feeling. People shop, eat, party and live regular life on this key. A long highway stretches through the key so it gets a lot of foot (and car) traffic on the daily. But with heavier traffic means more things to do and more places to hangout at. This is the beach that always gets left out of conversations when it comes to suggestions because it also doubles as a bit of a party beach out of the three. A healthy mix of locals and vacationers spend their time walking the beach with a beer in their hand way more often than seen on Siesta and Lido. If you're looking for a place to "enjoy your time" in multiple other ways than laying on the beach the entire time, Longboat Key is right place for you.

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Things To Do

St. Armands Circle- I talked about this place earlier in the food section, but it has way more to offer than food. There are plenty of shops in the circle that can be explored. If you're into art, there's statues on every corner. Don't forget about the bakeries and ice cream parlors for dessert!

Aquarium- This is pretty self explanatory, I love sea animals so any chance I get I am taking a look at the aquarium to see if its worth my while. It's also right by the water and located right next to the marina where it's easy to stop and get a bite to eat and check out yachts afterwards.

UTC- Also knows as University Town Center. This is a huge strip mall in North Sarasota that I could spend hours checking out. Restaurants, boutiques, shops, book stores, spas, super stores- all located in one convenient area to give you a day full of fun.

Downtown- Sarasota isn't really known for their downtown~ it doesn't have the skyscrapers or hustle and bustle of a NYC or Miami downtown. It has a couple little streets that have locally owned stores and cafes, way more of a chill vibe. One that makes you want to sit down at a coffee shop and read a book. Most people walk around but if you prefer to drive, there is plenty of parking.

Anna Marie Island- Not technically located in Sarasota. Very much so considered Bradenton area, but I had to include it because it's a little bit of a (not so secret) escape. From it's white sand beaches and blue gulf waters to the diverse wildlife surrounding the islands because of the array of reefs and sanctuaries, this island is really one of a kind and MUST visit.

Cooper's Hawk- If you love wine then this is the place to go. This isn't some locally owned winery, Cooper's Hawk is located in multiple different states. Their wine is absolutely fabulous- I'm assuming that's why they've been able to branch out. It's fairly new too Sarasota so the building is beautiful. They also have a restaurant attached that has food to die for as well as great views from their outdoor seating.

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If you have the chance to visit Sarasota please do so. You'll truly understand why I'm so attached and why I love this place with my whole heart and soul.