Sponsorhips are now available for our popular Auto Tours.
To set up a Sponsorship Click HERE.
$1200/year for all 9 tours OR sponsor one tour for $500/year.
“We took the Englewood tour Saturday afternoon. It was great. Easy to follow, and even though I represented Englewood on the Commission for over a decade, I still learned some new things. A wonderful way to spend an hour on a beautiful afternoon in a beautiful area. Hope to take some of the other tours (Philippi, Bee Ridge and Fruitville-Miakka, etc) . Great job to you and the wonderful volunteer committee.”
Shannon Staub
Founding Pres. Library Foundation for Sarasota Cty.
Learn about Sarasota’s County’s fascinating history in a fun and entertaining way!
This app is FREE thanks to our generous sponsors.
Explore Sarasota County’s notable landmarks and places of interest.
As you travel from place to place we’ll take you back in time. Hear the stories and see the sights that are part of the colorful history of Sarasota County, Florida.
Audio narration and travel directions will trigger automatically as you drive (with GPS location services enabled on your phone).
THE APP IS AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE.
TO DOWNLOAD CLICK THE LINKS BELOW:
There are 9 Auto Tours:
BAYFRONT, BEE RIDGE, COURTHOUSE AREA
DOWNTOWN/5 POINTS, ENGLEWOOD
FRUITVILLE to MIAKKA, PHILLIPPI
VAMO to LAUREL, VENICE
The BAYFRONT TOUR
Stops include:
- Bidwell-Wood House & Crocker Church:
Daughters of American Revolution
Pioneer Park
Rosemary Cemetery
Overtown-First African American Community - Municipal Auditorium:
Lawn Bowling
Hazzard Fountain
Art Center
Chidsey Building
Pagoda Building
Garden Club
Belle Haven - Island Park
Golden Gate Point
The BEE RIDGE TOUR
Stops include:
- Urfer Family Park
- Albritton Fruit Company
- Gillespie School
- Bee Ridge Baptist Church
- Bee Ridge Presbyterian Church
- Bee Ridge Woman’s Club
- Phillippi Crest Club
The COURTHOUSE AREA TOUR
Stops include:
- Payne Park:
Sarasota Mobile Home Park
Sarasota Terrace Hotel
First Golf Course - Courthouse
- Atlantic Coastline Railroad Station
- Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
- Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot (park in City Hall lot):
Gator Club
Kress Building
First United Methodist Church - Burns Court:
Williams Parker, Attorneys at Law
The DOWNTOWN/5 POINTS TOUR
Stops include:
- Gulfstream Ave.:
Hover Arcade
Scots Landing
Dough Boy/War Memorial
Halton Sanitarium
Church of Redeemer
Mira Mar
Halton Residence - St Martha’s Church
- Five Points:
Historic 5 Points Clock
Edwards Theatre
Halton Hospital
Sarasota Women’s Club
The ENGLEWOOD TOUR
Stops Include:
- Decagon Buildings
- Buchan Airport
- Yale Street
- Englewood Museum/Lampp House
- Veterans Memorial
- Buchans Landing
- Dearborn Street/Zeigler’s Hardware
- Indian Mound Park
- Green Street Church Museum and Lemon Bay Cemetery
The VENICE TOUR
Stops Include:
- Venice Historic Train Depot
- Hotel Venice
- Venice Municipal Mobile Home Park
- Site of the Greatest Show on Earth
- The Venice Museum
The FRUITVILLE to MIAKKA TOUR
Stops include:
- Sarasota County Fairgrounds
- Pinecraft Park
- Fruitville School
- Original Friendship Baptist Church
- Current Friendship Baptist Church
- Sarasota County Historical Resources and Archives Center
- Celery Fields and Audubon Nature Center
- Old Miakka School
- Old Miakka United Methodist Church and Cemetery
The PHILLIPPI TOUR
Stops include:
- Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar
- Richard Capes Art Studio
- St John’s Chapel Cemetery
- Sarasota High School (currently Ringling College Museum Campus)
- Nora Patterson Bay Island Park (portable restroom)
- Phillippi Estate Park (restrooms)
The VAMO to LAUREL TOUR
Stops include:
- Vamo Park
- Marie Selby Botanical Garden Historic Spanish Point Campus
- Blackburn Point Park, 421 Blackburn Point Rd (there are two parks & this one is on the left before crossing the bridge) (restrooms)
- Bay Point Church
- Point O’ Palms
- Venice Nokomis Bank/Hotel Villa
- Ice House & Nokomis Groves
- Sandra Sims Terry Community Center at Laurel Park
- Johnson Chapel
