As great as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando are, among a select few other notable names like Jacksonville, there's plenty left to be discovered in Florida.
You may be aware of the yearly battle between two of Florida's most beautiful paradises, gleaming with white sand like that of the Caribbean.
But, these highly beloved beach towns are actually on Florida's Gulf side rather than the Atlantic, but we'll let you decide this record-breaking city lies along the shores of ‘America' or Mexico' nowadays…
That's right, the underrated city of Sarasota is breaking all-time visitor records this spring — and largely due to the fact that the aforementioned duel for the crown of ‘best beach' is drawing more vacationers to one of the nearest airports.
Rather than flying into Tampa, sun-seekers have sought out Sarasota's small, yet convenient, airport to reach the vibrant cluster of coastal communities such as Siesta Key, Clearwater, Bradenton, and yes, Sarasota itself.
Sarasota: Florida's Surging City Between America's ‘Best Beaches‘
Year after year, Clearwater and Siesta Key duke it out for the crown. Although one of these days, TripAdvisor will finally discover my secret spot nearby.
This year, Siesta Key is wearing the crown yet again, but who knows for 2026?
Any way you slice it, there's no denying this side of Florida is jam-packed with incredible coastlines, whether it be local favorites undiscovered by the masses or stunning islands making a major comeback from Mother Nature's wrath.
Sarasota is a delightful city to visit, but many use it as a gateway to neighboring beach towns. Reigning champ Siesta Key, for example, is only 20 minutes from the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) compared to an hour and 10 minutes from Tampa (TPA).
This region is a haven of paradisal beach spots, and it appears more travelers are realizing the ease of access by flying into a smaller airport, since over 600,000 passengers alone traveled here in March of this year.
The second half of the name, Bradenton, is nestled along the Manatee River rather than the Gulf, but still offers a charming townscape with a scenic “Riverwalk”, and of course, all the local seafood fixin's imaginable.
For the record, Clearwater is further away, but still doable at just an hour away.
Why Visit Sarasota?
As a first-time visitor to Siesta Key last year, I highly recommend going. It's hard to imagine a prettier beach in mainland America, but with that comes crowds, especially in the summertime.
Since it's in such close reach, it's easy to make a day trip and always best to arrive as early as possible to score a good paring spot.
Ironically, dragging a cooler of beer across powdery sand is the best way to deserve a beer, but front row parking sure helps the cause.
That being said, Sarasota makes for a great base at the very least. Known as “Florida's Cultural Coast“, you'll find a surprising mix of museums in within the city limits like the Ringling Museum of Art, as well as numerous art galleries, performance venues, and an array of international eateries ranging from top-rated Jamaican, Turkish, Greek, or even authentic Italian restaurants, such as Osteria 500, overlooking a scenic waterfront.
Plus, tiki bars. That counts as “cultural”, right?
Sarasota's Best Resorts Along Quieter Shores
Ironically, Siesta Key may be not be the best place for a nap with so many people flocking here.
Directly across from Sarasota's skyline lies lesser-known ‘Keys' that still draw a crowd but not to the magnitude of a beach claimed to be the best.
Longboat Key and Lido Key run together along a truly gorgeous barrier island speckled with luxe resorts.
If you didn't spend your whole paycheck at Whole Foods, save a little extra to splurge St. Regis Longboat Key Resort or take it down a notch to 4-star luxury at The Resort at Longboat Key Club or Zota Beach Resort for the best value at just $207 per night in July.
New Budget Flights To Sarasota
They say all that matters is the bottom line, right? Well, if you want to max out spending on a boujee resort, you can certainly do so with the amount of cheap flights SRQ has to offer.
Florida favorite Allegiant Airlines not only owns and operates a nearby resort in Punta Gorda, but also launched a massive network expansion last fall, including Sarasota.
These are the newest flights to SRQ offered by low-cost carrier, Allegiant:
- Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina
- Moline, Illinois
- Albany, New York
- Elmira/Corning, New York
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Roanoke, Virginia
- Knoxville, Tennessee
You'd be surprised how many airlines serve this small airport, including America's newest airlines, Breeze and Avelo.
To view a full list of airlines serving SRQ, click here.
Ready For Your Trip? Check The Latest Entry Requirements For Your Destination Here
↓ Elevate Your Travel↓
Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!
✈️Join Our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like-minded travel buddies!
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path's latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.