Family-Friendly Activities
The kids will enjoy Sarasota's fun and educational offerings
As a vibrant cultural hub brimming with fantastic entertainment opportunities, Sarasota gives residents and visitors alike the chance to partake in an abundance of family-friendly activities.
The Beach
One of the main attractions of Sarasota is its beautiful, pristine beaches. Siesta Key, in particular, has recently been ranked as the #1 best beach in the country. It offers unparalleled cool, quartz sand which will never feel hot on your children's feet while they run around on the beach. Siesta Beach has a newly built concession area, along with two age appropriate playground areas. Lido Beach, located near St. Armands Circle, offers families access to a 25-meter public lap swimming pool, along with concessions at Lido Island Grill. After enjoying its beautiful white sands, families can cool off by strolling over to nearby St. Armands Circle for yummy ice-cream and chocolates at Kilwin's. Settimi's Gelato is another option for delicious homemade Italian treats, including the gelato infused cappuccinos for mom and dad. While some find the sand not as pristine as Siesta Beach, Turtle Beach is another popular option just south of Siesta Beach, where children will enjoy seeing sea turtles nesting in their natural habitat.
Sarasota Children’s Garden
One of Sarasota's best-kept secrets for family fun, the Children's Garden, was created in 2003 for children to leave the world behind and embark on creative, imaginative adventures within the natural world. It is a place for creative play enshrouded in lush, natural foliage in an Alice in Wonderland-inspired space including a Pirate Ship, rain forest and butterfly gardens.
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
Children can experience the wonders of seaside exploration at the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. They can examine more than 100 species native to Florida and beyond through touch pools, fascinating exhibitions, working laboratories, and high-tech interactive exhibits. Along with the aquarium, Mote has a world-renowned research facility that offers educational programs for families interested in learning more about the deep blue ocean.
Selby Gardens
Marie Selby Gardens is a stunning 15-acre sanctuary on the bay and a living museum with a collection of more than 6,000 orchids. It is the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the study of epiphytic orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads and ferns, among other tropical plants. The Ann Goldstein’s Children’s Rainforest Garden is a favorite spot for children to explore nature. Selby Spooktacular is a favorite Halloween event that attracts families of all ages, and Lights in Bloom is an annual open-air holiday light show that illuminates the spectacular gardens in December each year.
Ringling Museum
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is one of Sarasota's most popular attractions. It offers a variety of family-friendly oriented activities including art-making, educational exhibits, story time programs, art camps and more. It's a beautiful location that is ideal for the entire family to enjoy.
Big Cat Habitat
Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary is an evolving large-animal rescue founded in 1987 by Kay Rosaire. It is a non-profit sanctuary that has become the permanent home for numerous exotic animals including tigers, lions, and even ligers!
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
Sarasota Jungle Gardens opened in 1939 and is one of the most popular tourist attractions for families in Sarasota. Known for its free-roaming flamingoes, which guests are always happy to walk amongst, the gardens sprawl across 10 acres of botanical gardens. Guests are invited to learn through many interactive exhibits with butterflies, reptiles, parrots, and other mammals.
Fruit Farm Picking
Fruit picking is a great way to engage with all of your senses and give your children a taste of what it is like to find for their own food. Plus, it is hard to argue with the taste of a freshly plucked strawberry. They just taste better when you pick them yourself!
Sarasota has several options for local fruit picking farms. Brown’s Grove is a wonderful orange grove, while Albritton Fruit Farms is ideal for picking blueberries and strawberries when they are in season.
Mini Golf
Skip the championship golf courses for an afternoon at the Fish Hole miniature golf course with two locations: Bradenton Beach and Lakewood Ranch. Each area boasts unique and creative attractions to make your experience equally fun and challenging.
PopStroke
Or... Eat, putt, and drink at PopStroke, a hybrid golf/ mini golf and casual dining dynamic with two technologically advanced competitive golf courses, designed and owned by Tiger Woods. The Sarasota location opened in April, 2022 and has become a family favorite. Beyond golf, it offers families other activities including an outdoor gaming area with corn hole, foosball, and a full-sized child playground area. Each child also receives a special PopStroke Bridgestone commemorative golf ball with their round of golf.
Playgrounds
If you are interested in a more low-key outdoor experience where you can soak in the Sarasota sunshine, you will want to check out one of the many top-notch playgrounds, such as Nathan Benderson Park, Bayfront Park, Payne Park (the Circus Park), the Siesta Beach playground, Glebe Park (where fall soccer is regularly played), Potter Park, Red Rock Park, and Phillippi Estate Park.
Digital
Families enjoy kivity.com, a locally-owned website that provides users a one-stop-shop for children's activities and programming in Sarasota.