More Travel & Outdoors

Life's a Beach

Siesta Beach Named No. 1 Beach in the U.S., No. 4 in the World by Tripadvisor

Beloved for its powdery quartz sand and clear Gulf waters, Sarasota’s Siesta Beach was named the best beach in the U.S. and ranks No. 4 in the world, according to Tripadvisor.

02/19/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Fighting Fire With Fire

Florida Is Burning, Too. But It's on Purpose.

“We set good fires, or else we get bad ones."

01/17/2025 By Isaac Eger

No Wake Zone

Sarasota's Powerboat Grand Prix Canceled for 2025

Organizers cite budgetary and safety concerns as the reasons why and say that a scaled-down event wouldn't do justice to the race's 40-year legacy.

01/14/2025 By Staff

Let It Flow

Hurricanes Milton and Helene Reopened Midnight Pass

Now the question is: Should it stay open?

01/13/2025 By Megan McDonald

Up, Up and Away

Allegiant Adds Eight New Nonstop Flights From SRQ

Plus, SRQ's new Concourse A will open on Jan. 15, and the airport's longtime leader Rick Piccolo will retire next June.

11/20/2024 By Megan McDonald

Sand-tastic!

Some Sarasota Beaches Will Reopen This Weekend

Siesta, Nokomis, North and South Brohard and Maxine Barrit beaches will reopen on Saturday, Oct. 26.

10/24/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Hurricane Season

Do You Know Your Evacuation Zone?

Use Sarasota and Manatee counties' interactive tools to find evacuation levels and routes, shelters and more.

09/24/2024 By Megan McDonald

Head Above Water

Miracle Swimming Focuses on Mindfulness, Comfort and Confidence to Teach Adults How to Swim

“I was born to teach people how to swim,” says Miracle Swimming owner Melon Dash.

09/01/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Beach Bound

Siesta Key Beach, Anna Maria Island Named Best Beaches in Florida by U.S. News & World Report

Both spots were recognized for their soft sand and overall beauty.

07/17/2024 By Megan McDonald

Preserving Paradise

The Environmental Conservancy of North Port Secures Land to Keep It Wild

"It's disturbing how much nature we’re losing by the year," says Barbara Lockhart, the nonprofit's volunteer president.

07/02/2024 By Matthew Gutierrez

Only in Sarasota

Beat the Summer Heat at Lido Beach

John Pirman sketches the colorful umbrella and powdery white sand.

07/01/2024 Illustrations by John Pirman

Snake Hunter

Dusty Crum’s Mission Is to Save the Everglades, One Python at a Time

Between 87 and 99 percent of the Everglades’ mammal populations have disappeared because of the invasive snakes, which now number nearly 300,000 in southern Florida

05/30/2024 By Isaac Eger

What Lies Beneath

Something Is Blooming on the Suncoast, and It's Not Pretty

If it's not red tide, what's that awful smell? The answer is dapis pleousa, another type of algae.

05/29/2024 By Emma Moneuse

Hot Host

If You See Birds or Other Wildlife in Your Pool, Let Them Use It

It's hot outside, and your chlorinated pool water is safe for wildlife who are at risk of becoming dehydrated.

05/22/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Beachy Keen

Kids' Summer Beach Runs Return Next Month

Kids and their families can participate in one-mile runs at Siesta and North Brohard beaches. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

05/20/2024 By Staff

Just Keep Swimming

The First Sea Turtle Nests of 2024 Have Arrived

The first documented nest was laid by a loggerhead sea turtle, a threatened species protected under federal law.

04/29/2024 By Staff

Taking Root

Arbor Day Reminds Us of Majestic Beauty and Vital Role of Trees

Writer Stephanie Churn Lubow pays homage to her three favorite trees in Sarasota.

04/26/2024 By Stephanie Churn Lubow

You Steal My Sunshine

How to Watch the Solar Eclipse in Sarasota

Will the weather cooperate? What percentage of totality—if any—will we get in Sarasota? What time does it all begin? We've got answers.

04/07/2024 By Megan McDonald

Q & A

Friends of Myakka River Executive Director Miri Hardy on the Future of Myakka River State Park

"We want to find new, meaningful ways of engaging people."

03/11/2024 By Stephanie Churn Lubow

IYKYK

Siesta Key Beach Voted Best Beach in Florida by Tripadvisor

It was also recognized as the second-best beach in the United States and ranked in the top 10 for best in the world.

03/01/2024 By Megan McDonald