There’s never been a better time to give yourself a little—or big—treat. So we’re embracing luxurious excess on these pages, from a romantic picnic to a private jet, a buzzed-about facial, a deep-sea fishing excursion and a personal butler. Yes, they’re all available right here in Sarasota-Manatee.

And because we know the most luxurious experience is spending our precious free time doing what we love, we have a variety of free experiences we can all enjoy—a reminder to treat ourselves well, no matter our resources. Permission to splurge: granted.

The Outdoor Aficionado

Get Your Glamp On

Sneak away to nearby Oscar Scherer State Park for the ultimate in glamping luxury, where a thick (and bug-proof) canvas safari tent covers two queen beds or a king-sized bed, each with high-thread count linens, a stocked mini fridge and even an air conditioner. Timberline Glamping’s five glampsites cost around $200 per night on the weekends and come with a fire pit and picnic table, too. Don’t forget to bring the fixings for s’mores for an extra sweet stay. (941) 777-3114, sarasota.tlglamping.com 

Chartered Waters

No outdoorsy weekend is complete without time in open waters, ideally while catching something delicious for dinner. If you’ve got your own boat, have at it, but it’s more fun to charter a vessel with a captain who knows where the best fish congregate and who will also bait your hook. Sarasota Offshore Fishing Charters offers several packages ranging from $950 for four hours for six people to $2,500 for 12 hours for six guests. We can’t promise you a catch, but we bet they can. 2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, (833) 347-4777, sarasotaoffshorefishingcharters.com

Beachy Feast

 Are you sick of the sun yet? Of course not. Snag a bespoke picnic reservation from Sun Served, whose staff will set up cushy seating around a beautiful tablescape that will make you wonder if Martha Stewart is hiding around the corner. The $415 romantic picnic includes a charcuterie grazing box, a small cake and 30-minute photo session to document a special occasion or just a day’s fun in the sun. (609) 947-5237, sunserved.com

Recovery Sesh

Sweated out all your electrolytes in the summer heat? Now  it’s time to recover. Order an in-home (or glampsite) mobile IV therapy from Mobile IV Medics. A licensed clinician will come to you with a $200 hydration pack delivered straight to your system. Who needs Gatorade when you can get the goods directly into your bloodstream? (833) 483-7477, mobileivmedics.com

Free!

Walk or Bike the Ringling Bridge

The John Ringling Causeway is the perfect venue for exercise with the extra bonus of a panoramic view of downtown Sarasota, Bird Key, Sarasota Bay and Longboat Key. Park at Island Park and do the 1.2-mile roundtrip on foot or two wheels. You’ll remember why you love living here.

The Wellness Obsessive

Stretch Splurge

Are you a Pilates girlie? We get it—those cute matching workout sets and sculpted arms speak for themselves. At Ember Pilates, opening this summer on Links Avenue in downtown Sarasota, owner Kimm Kerr plans on bringing mat, reformer and heated classes to local devotees. In the meantime, she’s teaching pop-up classes all over town and—in a uniquely Sarasota offering—hosting paddleboard Pilates classes ($55) at Overlook Park on Longboat Key. Follow @emberpilatessrq to stay up to date.

Longevity Workout

If you’re a wellness obsessive who’s tracking your sleep, wearing your red light mask, sipping your creatine powder and wouldn’t dream of skipping a workout, you’ll find your people at Jefferson Fit in downtown Sarasota. The luxury gym has a whole suite of “longevity offerings,” including salt therapy and red light therapy, an infrared sauna, cold plunge, oxygen therapy and aromatherapy, massage, assisted stretching and traditional group classes and personal training services. Also on the menu: custom IV therapy, which delivers cocktails of vitamins via IV drip based on your needs; vitamin, mineral and amino acid shots; and blood tests that measure everything from food allergies to cell health. (Those last three are provided by Shine IV Drip Spa, whose downtown location is nestled inside Jefferson Fit.) Memberships range from $79.99 per month to $249.99 per month. 1800 Second St., Suite 100,  Sarasota, (941) 217-0180, jeffersonfit.com    

Free!

Bliss Out at Siesta Key Drum Circle

A Sarasota classic that still feels strange, communal and theatrical. Go near sunset on Sunday, bring a blanket and let the whole thing be exactly as odd and beautiful as it is. It’s group therapy at its best.

The Jetsetter

Fly Like Royalty 

Time is the ultimate luxury, so why not preserve your precious hours and charter one of Aircraft Services Group’s Embraer Phenom luxury jets at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport and head to Miami for a day trip? Flying time, at 520 mph, is 40 minutes, and if you leave early morning, you’ll be able to fit in a few hours at the beach, skip over to the Art Deco District to shop or take a tour of architecture, have a drink at a club, enjoy dinner at a Michelin-star restaurant and still make it back to SRQ before the clock strikes midnight. The cost starts at $5,000 per hour of flying, but you can take the company’s “bargain” eight-seater Cessna Citation Bravo for $4,500 per hour. Since both planes seat eight, bring some friends and split the cost. Aircraft Services Group, jetasg.com

Learn to Fly

If learning to fly has been a lifelong dream, VistaFlight at SRQ airport offers lessons to help you earn your pilot’s wings. For $650, you get an hour in the cockpit with an instructor in the Cirrus SR20 G7+, a luxurious, high-performance aircraft. You’ll skim along the coast and get a chance at the controls to decide whether you want to take the next step towards a pilot’s license. As a partner of Cirrus, the luxury aircraft manufacturer, the school can also help you purchase your own. Only $694,900 for the one you trained in or upgrade to the turbo SR22T for just over $1 million. Both come equipped with a parachute (not for you—for the plane itself) and an emergency autoland system in case the lessons didn’t fully sink in. vista-flight.com, (941) 424-6928. On a budget? Cirrus Aviation (not affiliated with the aircraft maker) offers a lesson ($249) that includes an hour in a flight simulator and an hour in the cockpit. cirrusaviation.com, (941) 360-9074. 

Take a Bird's-Eye Tour

For a thrilling bird’s-eye view of Sarasota without a drone, take an intimate helicopter ride with Sarasota Helicopter Tours. Owner and pilot Mark Montgomery says helicopter flying feels different from other types of flying. “People describe it as spiritual, an out-of-body experience and magical,” he says. Book for marriage proposals, birthdays and, well, just because. The helicopter has room for the pilot and three passengers. Most passengers—and he’s had them as young as 1 year old and as old as 99—want the doors off for the full experience. Montgomery takes off from Ascension Aviation (formerly Dolphin Aviation) at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. A 20-minute flight, which includes downtown Sarasota, Siesta and Lido keys, is $400; the 60-minute flight is $800 and takes you up to the Skyway Bridge, over Fort DeSoto and down to Venice. Sunset is a favorite time to fly, but Montgomery says every hour of the day is beautiful; night flights available, too. (941) 800-1515, sarasotahelicoptertour.com

Free!

Take the Siesta Key Breeze Trolley and Do Some Beach-Hopping

No luxury jet required to enjoy one of America’s best beaches. Use the free trolley to and from Siesta Key and avoid the stress of looking for a parking spot. Then make a day of beach walking, village browsing and sunset watching. breezetransit.net/breezerider

The Gourmand

Liquid Luxury

We’ve said it before, but if a cocktail is your one indulgence this summer, then make it the $400 “Caroline 400” at CW Prime's Spirit Room at the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort. The drink is an extravagant riff on a French 75, made with Hennessy Paradis cognac (which sells for thousands of dollars) instead of gin and Krug Grand Cuvée Champagne, which retails for several hundred dollars. 1601 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, (941) 231-1000, marriott.com

Buy the Cheese

It’s challenging to leave Artisan Cheese Company in the Rosemary District without spending at least $100 on some of Sarasota’s finest dairy imports, but it’s worth it. After all, why settle for two or three Publix cheeses when you can have specialty fromage cut to exactly the size you want? Artisan Cheese owner Louise Converse and her team guide guests through their extensive offerings—in the summer between 50 to 60 cheeses, almost half from Europe, revealing tasty tidbits about every dairy delicacy. Try the Essex Comté, a cave-aged French cheese with a rich, creamy texture and notes of toasty hazelnuts and brown butter ($38 a pound at press time). Don’t forget to toss in a bottle of wine. 550 Central Ave, Sarasota, (941) 951-7860, artisancheesecompany.com

Sugar Swagger

At Sugar Champagne Bar, a dedicated chauffeur picks up diners in a rosé-hued Rolls-Royce and whisks them to the maximalist downtown Sarasota Champagne lounge, where all things pink dominate. The unpopular $150 minimum spend was thankfully nixed, but it’s a pricey experience—canapes start around $30, while some Champagnes will run you as much as $76 a glass and up to $1,900 a bottle (that’s for Perrier-Jouët’s 2014 Belle Époque). Reservations are recommended for outdoor seating and required indoors. The Champagne menu is extensive, as it should be, and the accompanying canapès are a balance of savory, crispy, acidic, rich and always covered in caviar. 27 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, (941) 233-9133, sugarbarsrq.com  

At-Home Maitre D’

Sometimes you just need a private chef and butler. The Coastal Concierge has you covered. They can turn your home into a five-star dining experience, bringing a chef, butler, bartender, even a musician. No shopping, no setup, no cleaning. Just a multicourse meal with white-glove service that suits any occasion. Private chef dinners run $150 to $200 per person before wine; bartenders and butlers are about $150 an hour; add in a musician for $200 an hour. (941) 786-0697, thecoastalconcierge.com  

Free!

Visit The Bay

Pack your own gourmet picnic and head to the 53-acre Bay Park in downtown Sarasota for free, community-driven events, including live music; meditation, yoga and dance classes; movies; and nature-focused programs, all situated right next to sparkly Sarasota Bay. thebaysarasota.org

The Big, Big Spender

Tee Off

If your preferred flavor of luxury comes with a caddy, Sarasota has no shortage. Our region’s private golf clubs, with ample, pristine fairways and resort-level amenities, come paired with initiation and membership fees that can rival the price of a home. There’s The Founders Golf Club, Laurel Oak Golf and Country Club, The Concession Golf Club and The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, just to name a few. At The Resort at Longboat Key Club, the hotel guest rate runs $272 for 18 holes for the day. But the real spender doesn’t stop at a tee time. For a longer-term commitment, Longboat Key Club’s Beach and Golf membership comes with a $185,000 initiation fee, plus annual dues of $18,170 for families or $14,764 for singles. In exchange, members get unlimited access to 45 holes of golf, two driving ranges, tennis courts, restaurants, lounges, beach and poolside privileges, spa and fitness access, marina amenities and belonging to a place that treats leisure like a full-time occupation. Got more money to blow? Bring a wad of patience, too. Despite its $200,000 initiation fee, The Concession Golf Club—like many of the other high-profile clubs—has a wait list.  

Join a Private Club

Club 23 makes discretion feel like part of the dues. Hidden above DD Coffee Roasters, behind a secret door in Kira Lee’s art-filled gallery, the members-only club is owned by Lee and her husband, Vic Copilla, and capped at 69 memberships. Inside, aubergine walls, Victorian sofas, antique-shop finds, family
pieces and a strict no-photos policy all add up to something between burlesque parlor, grandma’s attic and Sarasota fever dream. Members get spirit lockers, unlimited DD coffee, themed nights, pop-ups, Thursday high tea and catered meals by DaniAnnie Baking Company. Annual dues are under $20,000. 1620 Main St., Sarasota, club23srq.com

Buy a Bentley (or Just Start Acting Like Someone Who Would)

If your idea of a splurge comes with a hand-stitched interior and a grille that looks vaguely aristocratic, Bentley now has a downtown Sarasota showroom. Go straight to the top shelf with a 2026 Bentley Continental GTC—a Jetstream II convertible with a linen interior listed at $406,960—or opt for a used 2014 Bentley Continental GT Speed W12 convertible for $81,466 to enter the fantasy at a slightly less terrifying price point. 1518 State St., Sarasota, (941) 419-2892, bentleysarasota.com

Next-Generation Investment

For lasting value, invest in kids. A $100,000 gift to Take Stock in Children (TSIC) of Sarasota County will last much longer than gilded travel or a facelift and provide far more satisfaction. The nonprofit’s mission is to “break the cycle of poverty through education.” One way it does this is through the Florida College Plan scholarships. A $100,000 donation will provide 25 scholarships, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation Project STARS (Scholarship Tuition for At-Risk Students), giving each low-income student a $13,685 tuition benefit that can be used at a university, state college or technical school. Your $100,000 turns into $342,125. Chances are, that’s a much better return than you’ll get on the S&P Index or Nasdaq. (941) 270-385, takestocksarasota.org

Cruise in Style

Nothing says “I’m doing well” like chartering a yacht and forgetting what time it is. And if you’d like to do that as extravagantly as possible, Kokomo Charters’ 112-foot Superstar is the move. The full-day rate is $9,995, with six-hour charters from $7,995 and half-day outings from $5,995. The boat sleeps up to eight guests overnight and comes with amenities like spacious salons, a dedicated dining area and enough polished glamour to feel like living on land was always a little beneath you. No one argues that Sarasota Bay looks better when viewed from a superyacht. 505 Quay Commons, Sarasota, (941) 304-5789, kokomocharters.com

Free!

Consider the Cosmos at Manatee County Astronomy Nights

Here’s a legitimate splurge on a priceless view: a guided look at the sky. Manatee County periodically offers free astronomy programs with local astronomers and telescopes, including Starry Night Astronomy at Robinson Preserve. mymanatee.org 

The Pampered Prince or Princess

Body Indulgence

When the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort came to town, our area’s spa culture got a major glow up. The resort’s spa, which is open to locals as well as hotel guests, has 14 treatment rooms for services like massage, facials and full-body scrubs, as well as a “thermal experience” with a eucalyptus steam room, a Finnish sauna, and even a snow shower where, yes, snowflakes actually fall from the ceiling. For a head-to-toe pampering sesh, opt for a package like the Well-Being Sea Voyage ($490), which includes sound therapy, breathwork, a body scrub, a seaweed bath, massage, a wrap, face and scalp massage and a closing visualization sequence, or the Key Escape ($710), in which you’ll receive a massage, facial, manicure and pedicure over the course of four glorious hours. No matter what, end the day at the spa’s infinity pool, which overlooks the turquoise waters of the Gulf. 1601 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, (941) 231-1000, marriott.com

The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, wrote the book on what local spa experiences could aspire to when it opened in 2001. Twenty- five years later, it’s still a top destination for residents and visitors—especially because the spa got a head-to-toe facelift in 2024. For glowy skin, make an appointment for a 100-minute Platinum hydrafacial ($520), which resurfaces the skin by cleansing, exfoliating, extracting impurities and infusing moisture. The treatment also includes LED red-light therapy and lymph drainage. Prefer a full-body experience? Tranquility by the Bay—so named for the Ritz’s proximity to Sarasota Bay—includes full-body exfoliation, a seaweed soak and a full body massage ($400). 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Sarasota, (941) 309-2000, ritzcarlton.com

Fish Face

One of the biggest trends in skincare right now is PDRN—a.k.a., salmon sperm. No, really. A well-known treatment in Korea—the country is ground zero for cutting-edge skincare treatments—it’s now making a splash in the U.S. (We thought simply ingesting cooked salmon was the way to take advantage of its benefits—apparently, we were wrong.) At Sirius Spa, Salon & Med Spa in Lakewood Ranch, the VAMP Salmon Sperm Facial combines microneedling—a procedure that uses super-fine needles to create tiny punctures in the skin to trigger collagen and elastin production and improve skin texture—with a topical application of PDRN serum, which devotees claim reduces inflammation, hydrates and improves texture. Microneedling treatments start at $299; salmon sperm add-on is $150. Sirius Spa, Salon & Med Spa, 11585 SR 70 E., Lakewood Ranch; 551 Lakefront Drive Suite 101, Lakewood Ranch, (941) 357-4611, siriusdayspas.com

Poolside Peacock

Whether it’s your birthday, an anniversary or just a Tuesday, shell out for a day pass at a number of the region’s best resorts. With the online platform ResortPass, you can choose from pool access, spa access, a room for a day or all of the above at hotels like The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota; The Sarasota Modern; Westin Sarasota; Art Ovation; Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa; Bali Hai Beach Resort; and more. Prices start at $15; a day pass at the Ritz costs $75. What’s better than a frozen drink served poolside? resortpass.com 

Free!

Watch the Sunset on Lido Beach via Bay Runner

You don’t need to perspire. Take the open-air Bay Runner trolley between downtown Sarasota, St. Armands Circle and Lido Key, and time the ride around sunset. It turns a simple beach walk into something closer to a mini vacation, especially if you make the loop from downtown to the Circle to the Gulf. The trolley runs a complimentary service seven days a week. sarasotabayrunner.com

The Cultural Guru

Culture Club

Why settle for one night out when you can claim an entire season of having somewhere to be? On the cultural coast, life isn’t well-lived without a standing subscription to your evening of choice. Lock in a package at Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota Orchestra, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota Ballet, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Sarasota Opera or the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, where season tickets—often including up to 30 percent savings, priority seating and invitations to members-only lounges and opening-night galas—run from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on how you like your culture served.      

The Party Trolley

Book a private expedition with Discover Sarasota Tours and round up to 30 of your favorite people—be they friends, family, coworkers, whoever’s in the group chat—and take over an air-conditioned trolley, where nighttime tours come with complimentary wine and beer before you board. From sing-alongs and sunset cabarets to murder mysteries and holiday outings, the experience can be shaped around your group’s pace, personality and tendency towards theatrics. Take it a step further and get the “Lunch Bunch” option, ensuring an all-expenses-paid, post-tour meal at a partner restaurant like Clasico or Der Dutchman’s. Expect the cost to land somewhere in the $1,500 to $3,000 range, depending on how you style it, but split among two dozen-plus people, it quickly turns into a surprisingly reasonable splurge per head. 1826 Fourth St, Sarasota, (941) 260-9818, discoversarasotatours.com

Art You Keep Forever

Maybe you’ve checked off the experiences, done the dinners, taken the trips and now you’re looking for something that survives the season. In a city so deeply rooted in the arts, the urban core’s high-quality galleries offer an opportunity to purchase a piece of standout art, one of the rare splurges that keeps giving back long after the funds have left your account. The scene here rewards both those who know exactly what they want and those willing to be shown what they didn’t yet realize they need. Start with 502 Gallery, Chasen Galleries or State of the Arts—or simply take a 10-minute stroll downtown or on St. Armands Circle and step into whichever door pulls you in first.

Free!

Museum Deal

Every Second Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, enjoy hours of art and free family fun —performances, live music, art-making—at Sarasota Art Museum. Check the schedule for details. sarasotaartmuseum.org

The Adrenaline Seeker

Get Your Teeth in the Gulf

Head offshore into the Gulf for a face-to-face encounter with some of Florida’s most iconic predators. Yes, you can dive with sharks for $195 per person right off our sandy shores—no experience required, just a willingness to slip into open water, guided by pros who handle everything from gear to safety, as tiger, bull, hammerhead, and lemon sharks circle nearby. tampasharkdiving.com/shark-diving-trips

Wake Chaser

The shoreline is stunning from a beach chair, but it’s even better at 30 knots with the salt spray in your face. If you prefer your vitamin D with a side of adrenaline, consider commanding the bay in a high-speed boat. Pilot a two-person power catamaran from Hydrocats for $145 per seat and sit just inches above the tide, zipping along open stretches of glittering bay. If luck’s on your side, dolphins might even pace you along the way. hydrocats.com 

Sky High Summer

This summer, skip the poolside lounging and opt for a view that only comes with a parachute. For a real thrill, take a cue from Sarasota’s Mennonite community—who, according to staff, are particularly fond of this brand of rush—a 120-mph freefall through the Florida blue. Enter your next high-altitude indulgence: a tandem skydiving jump complete with a video package, because if you’re going to flirt with gravity, you might as well make it cinematic. At upwards of $400, it’s a small price to pay for that split second where fear dissolves into euphoria 13,000 feet above town. The footage captures every wind-whipped moment, edited into a highlight reel you’ll absolutely want to watch more than once (and, yes, post everywhere). Once you’ve touched down, keep the high going with a celebratory toast. You’ve earned the bragging rights. Leaves from Punta Gorda. (888) 447-JUMP (5867), skydiveswflorida.com

Life in the Fast Lane

 For those who prefer their thrills on four wheels, Sarasota Motor Club offers a membership that’s a backstage pass to the most enviable drives around. Membership tiers, ranging from about $15,000 to $26,000 annually, unlock a revolving door to a world-class fleet—think Lamborghini Urus, Corvette Z06s and Porsche 911 GTs. Beyond the keys to these knockout machines, you can gain entry to a private downtown lounge, influencer-hosted social mixers and high-octane road rallies. It’s more than just a drive—it’s about joining a community that understands life is better in the fast lane. sarasotamotorclub.com

Old Florida, Full Throttle

 Double up on adventure at Myakka River Trail Rides with a combo experience that blends horsepower and actual horses. Start by kicking up dust on a guided ATV ride through open fields and rugged Old Florida trails, then slow things down with a scenic horseback ride where wild turkeys—and even the occasional
fox—make an appearance. It’s a full-spectrum ranch escape with the rare chance to encounter the farm’s striking Akhal-Teke horses. The combination is $220 per person—make that $500 if you want to make a night of it with onsite camping in a two-bedroom, 40-foot camper. myakkatrailrides.com

Free!

Take Advantage of Free Eco-Programs Through Manatee County

Manatee County’s Natural Resources staff offer hundreds of free programs each year, from guided hikes and birding walks to paddling, fishing and archery programs. Some require registration, but the vibe is “expensive nature camp” without the bill. mymanatee.org