Beach Sun & Fun in Sarasota and Longboat Key

Saturdays are Family Day at Ringling Museum of Art (www.ringling.org)  in Sarasota. They are offering hands-on art making activities related to an exhibition or theme at different locations as well as family friendly docent led tours with more interactivity. Kids can be a star at the Circus Museum's Wagon Room where they can create a circus banner, juggle balls, dress up and clown around in a clown costume. Step Right Up through October 2, 2010. From Oct. 23 - Dec. 12, Family Friendly activities include weaving threads of gold on their own loom!
The G.Wiz Science Museum offers more hands-on fun for kids and families with a race track, mindball, with a visit to their Critter Habitat or in the Illusion room. A new exhibit will keep you both green, with Renewable Energy Exhibits. Visit their site for current activities, camps and events; www.gwiz.org.
    Want to spend some time outdoors? Go bike riding or kayaking. Rent a bike, canoe, kayak or charter a boat to go fishing. Fishing charters will provide your tackle and bait. Kayak on your own, or take a guided eco-tour through some of Florida's beautiful ecosystems such as mangrove trees and see how many of the 200 species of birds you can identify. Visit www.AdventureKayakOutfitters.com and explore away. Family friendly and upclose with nature. Looking for more? Try kiteboarding, windsurfing and Island Style Water sports. (www.islandstylesports.com). Scuba and snorkeling are also available for training to professionals. See Sarasota through different lenses.
    Go hiking in Myakka River State Park. They offer numerous trails for hiking and biking; guided boat tours, kayak rentals and camping. (another blog talks about their canopy bridge). For a bird's eye view, climb up the tower, 75 feet high, to the observation deck to see the vast habitat. A suspension bridge is 85 feet long and only 25 feet off the ground. Walk through the treetops to see how our tropical ecosystem thrives and survives. (www.myakkariver.org)

  
Kids and adults can go behind-the-scenes, and aquariums, at Mote Aquarium and Marine Laboratory on Longboat Key. Go on tour with the staff as they make their rounds and clean and feed a variety of fish! See how new exhibits come in (fish), then go through quarantine before being introduced to their new habitat. (Below) Matt looks at scales and fins from fish to check their health. Mote is involved in  many research projects around Florida from rescuing turtles from the oil spill to tagging and tracking snook! Eco boat tours are also available.

A few great places to stay include: Cypress Bed & Breakfast (www.cypressbb.com) on the Bay in Sarasota, Sandpiper Inn (www.sandpiperinn.com) on Longboat Key to camping at RV resorts and state park campgrounds. (Sun and Fun or Myakka River, to name a few). There are even pet-friendly accommodations: Best Western Midtown in Sarasota, Captiva Beach Resort on Siesta Key and the Comfort Inn to name a few. 

Dining in? Try Mar Vista Dockside (Longboat Key) or Beachhouse (Bradenton) or the Sandbar on Anna Maria Island, Libby's in Sarasota, to numerous seafood establishments where the food is fresh and the service is friendly! History, tropical music and great atmosphere. (www.groupersandwich.com)