Yellow lifeguard station on Siesta Key Beach with soft pink colored ocean sunset, courtesy of Visit Sarasota
 

Around the Landings

Nature: Parks, Trails, Beaches & Attractions

 
 

Nature is woven into everyday life in Sarasota, offering an extraordinary range of outdoor experiences from pristine beaches to protected preserves and beautifully curated gardens. Residents of The Landings enjoy easy access to both coastal and inland natural spaces, creating endless opportunities to explore, relax, and reconnect with the outdoors.

 
Watercolor illustration of a Spoonbill wading in water
 

Parks & Trails

Bayfront Park provides a scenic waterfront setting in downtown Sarasota, where walking paths, open green spaces, and sweeping views of Sarasota Bay create a peaceful urban escape. For those drawn to open landscapes and wildlife, the Celery Fields offer a striking contrast of wide skies, wetlands, and rolling hills that have become a haven for birdwatchers, walkers, and cyclists. Nearby, the Legacy Trail extends for miles through Sarasota County, providing a paved, car-free path ideal for biking, walking, and enjoying native Florida scenery along a former railway corridor.

Sarasota’s natural beauty continues inland at Myakka River State Park, one of Florida’s largest and most diverse state parks. Here, visitors encounter expansive prairies, wetlands, and forests filled with wildlife, including alligators, birds, and deer, offering a glimpse into Florida’s untamed landscape. Closer to home, Phillippi Estate Park blends natural beauty with historic charm, featuring waterfront views, open lawns, walking paths, and preserved mangroves along Phillippi Creek.

 
 
End of boardwalk bridge leading into edge of forest next to Upper Myakka Lake, courtesy of Visit Sarasota
 

Myakka River State Park

Legacy Trail

 
Aerial view of Legacy Trail bridge over Roberts Bay, courtesy of Visit Sarasota
Park benches along Bayfront Park shoreline with sailboats in the distance, courtesy of Sarasota County
 

Bayfront Park

Celery Fields

 
Shelf cloud reflecting in Celery Fields Park wetlands, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox
Spanish moss on live oak tree in Oscar Scherer Sate Park, courtesy of Visit Sarasota
 

Oscar Scherer State Park

Selby Gardens

 
Banyan Trees and pathway at edge of cactus garden at Selby Gardens, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox
Phillippi Creek overlook at Phillippi Estate Park, courtesy of Sarasota County
 

Phillippi Estate Park

The Bay Park

 
Climbable, larger than life Ibis sculptures at The Bay Park, courtesy of Visit Sarasota
Start of the bike and walking lane of the Ringling Bridge Causeway at sunset, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox
 

Ringling Bridge Causeway

 
 
Crowd of people enjoying sunset at Siesta Key Beach, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox

Siesta Key Beach

Sarasota’s beaches are among the most celebrated in the country, with Siesta Key standing out for its world-renowned quartz-crystal sand, gentle turquoise Gulf waters, and breathtaking sunsets. Ranked the #1 Beach in the U.S. and #4 in the World in 2025 by Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards™, it has a large parking area, concession stands, and a free trolley to get around the island and to downtown Sarasota.

Aerial view of Siesta Key Beach with white sand and turquoise water, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox Yellow lifeguard station shading sitting couple sitting looking out over the ocean, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox The cantilevered Siesta Key Beach Pavilion with warm sunlight reflecting in the windows, courtesy of Visit Sarasota

Other Beaches in the area include: Crescent Beach, Turtle Beach, Lido Key Beaches, and Longboat Key Beaches.

Sand path through vegetation and lifeguard station at Lido Key Beach during sunset, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox
 
Lilly pond garden in front of welcome center at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
 

Selby Gardens & Spanish Point

Gardens and historic landscapes add another dimension to Sarasota’s connection with nature. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, located on Sarasota Bay, showcases lush tropical plants, orchids, and waterfront walking paths in a setting that feels both serene and inspiring.

Further south, Spanish Point offers a unique blend of history and nature, with preserved coastal habitats, archaeological sites, and scenic trails that trace Sarasota’s early settlement along Little Sarasota Bay.

 
Watercolor illustration of a pink orchid stem
Two people walking through glass flower gazebo built for Tiffany exhibition at Selby Gardens, courtesy of Visit Sarasota Conservatory with stone window wall display with lush plants and Bonsai at Selby Gardens, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox Entrance to fern garden going under stone archway aqueduct at Historic Spanish Point campus of Selby Gardens, courtesy of Sarasota County Koi pond with Buddha sculpture and lush vegetation at Selby Gardens, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox
 

Mote Aquarium

Exterior of Mote Aquarium entrance, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox

Dive into the wonders of the ocean at Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA) at Nathan Benderson Park, where science is the attraction. Discover three levels of marine life, explore interactive exhibits, and immerse yourself in marine research. From hands-on activities for kids to awe-inspiring habitats for all ages, Mote SEA is more than an aquarium – it’s an experience that inspires curiosity, sparks imagination, and deepens our connection to the sea.

Otter up close looking at camera through glass wall of tank, courtesy of Visit Sarasota
 
Wildflower meadow with sunset at Myakka River State Park, courtesy of Dylon Jon Wade Cox
 

Myakka River State Park

One of Florida’s oldest and largest parks, Myakka River State Park is 58 square miles of unspoiled wetlands, wildflower covered prairies, oak and palm hammocks, and pinelands. The Myakka River, Florida’s first state-designated wild and scenic river, offers activities such as boating, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, while hikers and bicyclists can explore miles of trails and backroads.

Numorous other parks, preserves, creeks, and even mineral springs, can be found surrounding Myakka River State Park. Together they make up a broader ecological system known for its biodiversity, supporting large polulations of birds, reptiles, mammals, and endangered species such as manatees.

 
The Birdwalk wooden boardwalk trail over the Upper Myakka Lake marshlands, courtesy of Visit Sarasota Canopy Walkway treetop overlook view with telescope and railing in the foreground, courtesy of Visit Sarasota Family walking through wide path through large moss covered live oak trees, courtesy of Visit Sarasota Lilly pad covered section of Upper Myakka Lake, courtesy of Sarasota County
Watercolor illustration of a Manatee peeking above water