Neighborhoods

The city and county of Sarasota, which includes most of the nearby barrier islands, is bordered by Sarasota Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and an abundance of spectacular beaches. This delightful stretch of Central West Florida is known as “The Cultural Coast,” for its many contributions to the visual and performing arts. Serving as the winter home for The Ringling Brothers Circus from 1927 to 1959, Sarasota became synonymous with The Greatest Show on Earth. Today, the circus spirit lives on through the collections at The Ringling Museum of Art, the students at Ringling College of Art + Design, and through exuberant mementos everywhere, like a circus train car diner and a ring of plaques honoring circus greats. The city was also the birthplace of Sarasota Modern, a term coined for the mid-century modern architects who designed iconic houses with clean, geometric lines that were tailored for the tropical climate.