Mini-golf gets an upgrade when Tiger Woods and his team design two 18-hole courses with all the high-end features of a traditional golf course: bunkers, lush fairways and synthetic turfs.
Yoga with tigers? Yep, it happens at Big Cat Habitat, a large-animal rescue center founded in 1987 and now home to lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, and birds. Look online for yoga class times as well as the schedules for bird shows and live animal demos.
This ice cream shop on Siesta Key serves 24 flavors slow-churned right in the store, swirling real bourbon into its Kentucky honey bourbon, crumbling homemade key lime pie into the Key Lime Pie treat, and baking fresh brownies for the Ooey Gooey Brownie. The only ingredient missing: Superman, for the eponymous flavor that will send you flying on a sugar high.
Visitors at this multifaceted facility can see more than 100 marine species, including sea turtles, sharks and manatees while peering in on some of the world’s top research. Check out the open water Shark Zone, ogle the otters, and hop on a boat for an eco tour of the area.
The up-and-coming Rosemary District is also well worth a visit, thanks to its beautiful location and inspiring selection of unique boutiques, galleries, and eateries. And don’t miss the Sarasota Farmers Market, which takes place every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in downtown Sarasota, luring visitors to dozens of vendors selling everything from apples to zebra-striped prints.
In addition to UTC, Sarasota teems with retail opportunities, including St. Armand’s Circle, which is an island shopping center featuring Alexander Fine Jewelers, Alvin’s Island souvenir store, the Met Day Spa, Les Ciseaux salon and Michael Saunders & Co. real estate, among other fine and fun destinations. Top dining spots on St. Armand’s include Cafe L’Europe, Tommy Bahama, Columbia, and Crab & Fin. Sports fans will love the poster selection at Stadium Gallery, while Wyland Gallery is the place for tropical art and much more.
Split between the 30-acre Historic Spanish Point campus and the 15-acre site in downtown Sarasota, the Selby Gardens was founded by women to celebrate, showcase and study the area’s tropical plants and archeological history. Head to the downtown site to immerse yourself in an array of orchids, bromeliads, and ferns.