SARASOTA, Fla., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Sarasota & Her Islands (www.sarasotafl.org), on the central west coast of Florida, is often recognized as a luxury vacation destination, but this high-end experience need not scare away those traveling on a budget this summer as the Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau announces its Free & Cheap Dozen list.
The list was created to highlight opportunities for vacationers to enjoy at little to no cost. "We realize that so many families still want to take a vacation, but may need to scale back their spending while enjoying some much deserved R and R," said SCVB President Virginia Haley. "While they may need to scale back on spending, they don't have to scale back on fun, quality time and memorable experiences because we've compiled at least a dozen things families can do to achieve it all."
The Free & Cheap Dozen:
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Feel the sand through your toes. - Sarasota & Her Islands have miles of white-sand beaches including Siesta Key beach, which was Dr. Beach's number two beach in the country in 2009. Public beach access and parking are free. (www.sarasotafl.org)
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Run away with the circus. - The circus is a dominate social and economic force that has evolved for more than a half-century in Sarasota County. The many sites and symbols of that long-standing and vibrant presence is available in a free Circus Heritage Guide. The Guide is a journey to discovering what makes Sarasota & Her Islands unique.(www.sarasotacircushistory.com)
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Reward your science whiz. - Mote Aquarium is an institution dedicated to advancing the science of the sea and is therefore proud to acknowledge students interested in science. Any student in Kindergarten through 12th grade who received an "A" in science on his or her final report card receives free admission with a paying adult, June 1 - July 31, 2009. (www.mote.org)
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Stroll the estate of a Circus King. - The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is an estate befitting the circus king, John Ringling. The Estate offers a Museum of Art, the Ca d'Zan Mansion, two Circus Museums, the Historic Asolo Theater and 66 -acres of grounds and gardens on Sarasota Bay. The Museum of Art is free on Mondays, 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and includes special exhibitions (tickets to all venues just $20 on Mondays, and throughout the week). Stroll the grounds and gardens for free any day, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (www.ringling.org)
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Touch the tooth of a shark. - Venice Beach is famous for offering visitors a chance to play archaeologist in the sand. Prehistoric shark's teeth and fossils of other marine life surface in this area as a reminder of their presence here long ago. Findings serve as one-of-a-kind, free souvenirs.
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Party on Snooty's behalf. - The world's most recognized manatee, Snooty is turning 61 years old on July 18th and the South Florida Museum is throwing him a Birthday Bash & Wildlife Awareness Festival with cookies, punch, games, crafts and more. The party is a free event. (www.southfloridamuseum.org)
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Drive to architectural gems. - Sarasota's architecture has been attracting world wide attention since the early 1900s and played a key role is defining the cities identity rooted in art, culture and design. Take a two-hour driving tour to some of the best examples of these architectural gems. The Architecture Tour map is available for $10 through the SCVB. (www.toursarasota.com)
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Flutter with the butterflies at sunrise. - The best time to view one of the largest butterfly gardens in the area is right after sunrise. Historic Spanish Point opens its doors at 7 - 9 a.m. in June for just $5 to allow visitors a chance to discover the serene beauty of the nature trails during the cooler morning hours. (www.historicspanishpoint.org)
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Head downtown. - You don't have to be a local to enjoy Sarasota's Downtown Farmers' Market. This free, Saturday morning market is a potpourri of fresh produce, food, flowers and plants, fine artisanship, friends and fun. (www.downtownsarasotafarmersmarket.com)
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Revel in the festivities. - Festivals scheduled throughout the summer in Sarasota County with no entry fees include: 8th Annual St. Armands Craft Festival, June 13 - 14 (www.starmandscircleassoc.com); 17th Annual Downtown Venice Craft Festival, June 20 - 21 (www.artfestival.com); 2009 Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix Festival, June 27 - July 5 (fee for some events, www.suncoastoffshore.org); Downtown Venice Labor Day Weekend Craft Festival, Sept. 5 - 6 (www.artfestival.com).
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Stretch your mind. - Beginning Yoga is offered for free on Siesta Key beach every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. (yogaonsiesatabeach@yahoo.com)
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Canoe through nature. - Ranger-guided canoe rides on South Creek at Oscar Sherer State Park are available every Wednesday for $4 park fee plus canoe rental with limited space. (941-485-5956)
Sarasota and her string of eight islands are located along Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast between Tampa and Ft. Myers. Sarasota and Her Islands is comprised of Sarasota, Longboat Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key, Manasota Key, Siesta Key, Casey Key, Englewood, Nokomis, North Port, Osprey and Venice. In addition to sandy beaches, Sarasota and Her Islands also offer numerous cultural and ecological attractions. For more information on saving and discovering in Sarasota, call the Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 522-9799 or visit www.sarasotafl.org.
Website: http://www.sarasotafl.org
