Sandy toes, postcard sunsets and piña coladas may not spike your adrenaline—but on the flip side, hurricanes, alligators and Florida Man are also part of Sarasota’s landscape. Amid the laid-back masses, there’s room for those nurturing their wild sides. Water sports, wildlife and the great outdoors are front and center and, from up high to down low, Sarasota can pack the punch thrillseekers crave.

Day One

Head to Buttermilk Handcrafted Food for local, homemade Southern fare and baked goods that change with the seasons. Give in to the Southern vibe and try the fried chicken on a biscuit or a buttermilk cookie.

Then head over to Big Cat Habitat for yoga with tigers, lemurs or foxes. Follow up with a full tour of the grounds, where you’ll spy bears, ligers (yes, they do exist), lions, tigers, lemurs, capuchin monkeys, goats and more.

If you aren’t hungry just yet, stop at the Celery Fields for the steepest uphill hike in town and take in the view, then head over to nearby Cooper’s Hawk for lunch. The menu is an eclectic crowd-pleaser, with everything from vegetable enchiladas to burgers, but we recommend the pistachio grouper and wasabi-buttered mashed potatoes. Although it has an extensive wine list, keep it light, because you’re about to get high.

Sarasota may be known for electric sunsets that inspire applause, but thrill seekers would rather get a front-row seat up in the sky. Book a ride with Sarasota Helicopter Tours for up to three passengers—we dare you to go with the sans-doors option—and take in the coastline from Venice to Anna Maria Island. Look down and you’ll see all manner of marine wildlife beneath the Gulf’s surface. You can also explore up to 25 miles inland.

Once you’re back on land, head downtown for sushi and east Asian fusion at Tsunami Sushi & Hibachi Grill. Worried about the yoga attire you’re still wearing? Don’t. Sarasota is known first and foremost for its beaches, and dress codes are seldom enforced—many tourists knock sand off their flip-flops before heading out to dinner after a day at the beach. Once you’re inside the restaurant, explore the full bar to calm that helicopter-induced adrenaline. We love an Iwate Kura—a stout brewed with oysters—or a Florida-crafted Key lime wheat ale. Order the “climax” or the “one-night stand” sushi roll—or, if you’d rather not blush while you order, trust the sushi chef to surprise you with a sampler.

After dinner, take a stroll down Main Street, the heart of the city, for people-watching. Have room for a nightcap? Head to the highest rooftop bar in town on the 18th floor of The Westin for an amazing night view of Sarasota and the bayfront.

Day Two

Put on your bathing suit under your clothes and pack beach essentials, like sunscreen. Then fuel up for the day by heading over to the Southern comfort diner Silver Star East and ordering the rich and ultra-satisfying biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. You’ll need it to conquer your next stop: TreeUmph! Adventure Course. There, clip in and climb, swing and zip through more than 10 football fields of forest terrain and hundreds of aerial adventure games. Each course gets steadily higher and more challenging than the one before. See if you can finish the whole course.

With water everywhere, thrill seekers can also find their rush by parasailing, Jet Skiing or learning how to use the latest high-tech water toys, like the SeaBob and the eFoil. SeaBobs are like a diving scooter that propels you up to 40 meters below the water’s surface and up to 14 miles per hour on the surface. An eFoil, meanwhile, is like a surfboard with a battery-powered propeller that makes you hover a foot above the water, giving access to the action of surfing without having to catch a wave.

Once you’ve completed your chosen water adventure, relax on the renowned powdery sands of Siesta Key and take in the sunset, then head to Siesta Key Village for dinner. At The Hub Baja Grill, sit outside so you can enjoy the beachy vibes and live music while chowing down on grouper tacos. After two days of nonstop action, go ahead and get a pitcher of the spicy strawberry margarita with muddled jalapeños, too. You’ve earned it.

Insider's Tip

Make sure to check out the Siesta Key drum circle right around sunset at 948 Beach Road, between lifeguard posts three and four. The anything-goes social gathering attracts dancers and people beating everything from buckets to bongos.