There are beach towns, and then there’s Sarasota. Framed by Gulf Coast sunsets and bursting with unexpected culture, this once-sleepy circus outpost has grown into one of Florida’s most captivating destinations. It’s where high art meets high tides, and you can go from feeding flamingos to sipping champagne at a rooftop restaurant, all before lunch.
At the center of it all is Lido Key, a barrier island that’s home to Cirque St. Armands Beachside, the newest boutique hotel from the Opal Collection. Just steps from the sand and around the corner from the shops and cafés of St. Armands Circle, Cirque doesn’t just nod to Sarasota’s circus heritage; it embraces it, spins it into gold and hangs it from a chandelier.
Thank John Ringling for Sarasota’s flair. The circus magnate brought his performers, trainers and elephants here in the 1920s to escape harsh Northern winters. His legacy is everywhere: from his opulent Ca’ d’Zan mansion to the sprawling Ringling Museum of Art, where visitors can wander among Rubens paintings, Baroque sculptures and contemporary exhibitions. There’s even a Circus Museum, with vintage posters, parade wagons and a scale model of the original traveling show.
Today, that eccentric, artistic spirit still runs through the city. Sarasota is a magnet for creatives and culture lovers, offering a steady stream of ballet, opera, theater and art. The Florida Studio Theatre downtown puts on sharp, original productions. Local galleries buzz during art walks. And Saturday mornings at the Sarasota Farmers Market overload the senses in the best way with live music, sunflowers, fresh pastries and kombucha on tap.
The real joy of Sarasota is how easily it shifts from gallery to beach towel. South Lido County Park offers kayak trails and mangrove tunnels to explore. Animal lovers can head to Sarasota Jungle Gardens, a throwback attraction where you can hand-feed flamingos and hold a parrot like it’s 1987. Nearby, the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium offers an up-close look at manatees, sea turtles and a rotating cast of marine life.
And then there’s St. Armands Circle, Ringling’s original retail vision come to life with upscale boutiques, sidewalk bistros and people-watching galore. Pick up a hand-painted silk scarf, grab a scoop of coconut gelato or relax with oysters and wine under the banyan trees. It’s vacation mode, elevated.
As for Cirque St. Armands Beachside, this isn’t just a place to sleep; it’s part of the story. Circus meets Moulin Rouge in pin-striped columns, velvet drapes, feather chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows with Gulf views. Each of the 135 guest rooms is dressed in sandy tones, bronze accents and vintage circus photos that pay homage to Ringling’s traveling days and Sarasota’s own colorful past.
Dining at Ringside, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is a full production. Expect char-grilled octopus, Gulf seafood with bright local flavors and dramatic murals of trapeze artists overhead. Midway, the lobby lounge, serves cocktails so creative they’re basically dessert in disguise. And at the pool, designed to have front row seats to views of the beach, you can sip a frozen cocktail while watching the sun drop into the Gulf.
Guests also have access to Lido Beach Resort, Cirque’s sister property just half a mile away. Two more pools, private beachfront cabanas and Drift Kitchen & Bar (a rooftop restaurant with 180-degree views) round out the experience.
Cirque may be new, but it feels like it belongs, like everything in Sarasota that blurs the line between spectacle and sophistication. You come for the beaches, sure. But you stay for the art, the energy and the sense that even the most ordinary moments could turn into something spectacular.
5 Things to Do in Sarasota (Beyond the Beach)
Make time for more than the shoreline because Sarasota’s got surprises up its sleeve.
1. The Ringling
Art, architecture and circus history come together at this 66-acre campus featuring the State Art Museum of Florida, the Circus Museum, Ca’ d’Zan mansion and bayfront gardens.
2. St. Armands Circle
A walkable mix of upscale shops, sidewalk cafés, galleries and live music, just steps from Cirque St. Armands Beachside.
3. Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
Explore interactive exhibits, shark tanks, sea turtles and behind-the-scenes tours at this world-renowned marine research center.
4. Sarasota Jungle Gardens
Old-school Florida fun. Hand-feed flamingos, snap a selfie with a parrot and let your inner child run wild.
5. South Lido County Park
Enjoy kayaking, paddleboarding or a quiet beach picnic surrounded by mangroves and nature trails.
