Dolphin & Eco Tours
Recommended
Blue Shark Adventures
Lido Key
Locally operated guided kayak tours offering signature LED night adventures, evening paddles, and morning mangrove experiences in Sarasota waterways.
Insider tip: The signature LED night kayak tour offers a distinctive way to experience Sarasota's waterways after dark.
Boat Rentals
Recommended
CB's Saltwater Outfitters
Siesta Key
A long-established Siesta Key waterfront outfitter offering boat and jet ski rentals, parasailing, fishing charters, tiki tours, golf carts, and tackle.
Insider tip: This is a convenient one-stop option for groups with different interests because rentals, parasailing, fishing, and tackle are all available in one place.
Private Charters
Recommended
Four Keys Charters
Sarasota Bay / Multiple Pickup Areas
Locally owned private boat charters offering customizable sunset, dolphin, nature, sandbar, brunch, fishing, and group experiences around Sarasota Bay and nearby barrier islands.
Insider tip: Ask about the most convenient pickup point, options include Sarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, and Anna Maria Island.
Dolphin & Eco Tours
Recommended
Fun Boat Tours – Siesta Key
Siesta Key · $$
Daily Siesta Key boat tours featuring dolphins, sunsets, sandbar adventures, wildlife, and private custom charters.
Insider tip: Choose Dolphins & Donuts for a family-friendly morning or the evening cruise for sunset and a livelier atmosphere.
Marina
Recommended
Ingman Marine at Cannons Marina
Longboat Key
Longboat Key marina and marine dealership offering boat rentals, sales, brokerage and Yamaha service from a longtime Gulf of Mexico Drive location.
Dolphin & Eco Tours
Recommended
LeBarge Tropical Cruises
Downtown Sarasota · $$
A distinctive floating-island cruise boat offering sunset, sightseeing, dolphin and manatee, live-music, and private charter experiences on Sarasota Bay.
Insider tip: Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure; reservations open three weeks in advance.
Dolphin & Eco Tours
Recommended
Sarasota Bay Explorers
Lido Key
Marine-biologist-led eco cruises exploring Sarasota Bay wildlife, ecology, dolphins, seasonal manatees, and coastal history.
Insider tip: Choose the Sea Life Encounter Cruise for the most hands-on educational experience.
Parasailing
Recommended
Siesta Key Watersports
South Sarasota / Gulf Gate
A longtime Sarasota watersports operator offering parasailing, jet skis, boat rentals, dolphin and eco tours, banana boat rides, and private charters.
Insider tip: The operator moved to this new waterfront location in May 2026; use the Tamiami Trail address rather than older Stickney Point listings.
Tastings & Beverage Experiences
Recommended
The Whisky Attic
Sarasota
Bespoke whisky tasting and private-event company creating curated, educational tasting experiences for intimate groups, celebrations and corporate events.
Insider tip: FGCVR knows the operator personally; a strong option for guests wanting a private, elevated whisky experience. Sarasota presence is confirmed directly by FGCVR.
Florida Fishing Fleet
Bradenton
Cortez Fishing Village fleet offering party-boat, split and private inshore, nearshore and offshore fishing trips, including options for larger groups.
Dolphin & Eco Tours
AMI Dolphin Tours
Anna Maria Island
Holmes Beach tour operator offering dolphin and wildlife cruises plus shelling, snorkeling, pontoon rentals and guided jet-ski adventures.
Charter Fishing
Anna Maria Charters
Anna Maria Island
Holmes Beach charter operation offering inshore, nearshore, offshore, tarpon and fly fishing plus snorkeling and private boat excursions.
Jet Ski Rentals
Anna Maria Jet Skis
Bradenton
Jet-ski rental operator serving the Anna Maria Island area with guided access to designated riding waters around Palma Sola Bay.
Private Charters
Barefoot Tiki Tours
Sarasota
Sarasota tiki-boat operator offering private charters and shared dolphin, sunset and sightseeing cruises for groups of up to 16.
Marina
Bradenton Beach Marina
Anna Maria Island · $$$
Full-service resort marina just off the Intracoastal Waterway on Bradenton Beach with dockage, storage, marine service, boat rentals and visitor boating activities.
Private Charters
Chasing the Sun Charters
Sarasota Bay / Multiple Pickup Areas
Private Sarasota boat charters for sunsets, dolphins, sandbars, swimming, shelling and custom island-hopping adventures with a licensed local captain.
Private Charters
Gulf Water Tours
Sarasota Bay / Multiple Pickup Areas
Custom private boat charters around Sarasota Bay and nearby barrier islands with dolphin watching, sandbar stops, beach exploring and sunset cruising.
Kayak & Paddleboard
Happy Paddler
Sarasota Bay / Multiple Pickup Areas
Naturalist-led kayak and paddleboard tours and rentals serving Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Lido Key and Sarasota.
Dolphin & Eco Tours
Island Boat Tours & Adventures
Anna Maria Island
Bradenton Beach boat-tour operator offering wildlife eco tours, private charters, snorkeling, shelling, sandbars, Egmont Key trips and sunset cruises.
Boat Rentals
NL Boat & Jet Ski Rentals Sarasota
Sarasota
Sarasota boat and jet-ski rental company offering self-drive rentals, tours and delivery throughout Sarasota County and nearby barrier islands.
Golf Cart Rentals
Robinhood Rentals - Siesta Key
Siesta Key
Siesta Key Village rental shop offering golf carts, scooters, e-bikes, bicycles, paddleboards and kayaks with delivery available on many rentals.
Insider tip: Located in Siesta Key Village; free delivery is offered on most items on Siesta Key.
Kayak & Paddleboard
Sarasota Kayak Rentals
Lido Key
Guided kayak tours and rentals exploring Lido Key mangrove tunnels and Sarasota's protected coastal waterways.
Kayak & Paddleboard
Sarasota Paddleboard Company
Sarasota Bay / Multiple Pickup Areas
Full-service SUP and kayak outfitter offering rentals, tours, lessons and deliveries around Lido Key, Longboat Key and Sarasota.
Jet Ski Rentals
Siesta Skis
South Sarasota / Gulf Gate
Jet-ski rental and tour operator near Siesta Key offering free-ride rentals, dolphin tours, sunset tours and private excursions.
Boat Rentals
Venice Boat Rental
Venice
Venice waterfront outfitter offering pontoon rentals, private sunset cruises, banana-boat rides and kayak paddles from Fisherman's Wharf Marina.
Charter Fishing
Venice Reef Charters
Osprey / Nokomis
Nokomis/Venice fishing charter offering Intracoastal, nearshore and offshore trips for families and serious anglers across Sarasota County waters.
Multi-Activity & Specialty Tours
Anna Maria Island Tours
Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island experience operator combining boat, dolphin, sunset, kayak, paddleboard, bicycle and walking tours from a Pine Avenue base.
Insider tip: Useful for guests who want one local operator for several different island experiences rather than booking separate companies.
Architecture & Art Tours
Architecture Sarasota
Downtown Sarasota
Architecture and design organization offering exhibitions, programs and guided opportunities focused on Sarasota's internationally significant modern architectural legacy.
Insider tip: Guided access can be limited or event-based, so architecture-focused guests should check the current program calendar before their stay.
Sightseeing & Trolley Tours
Discover Sarasota Tours
Downtown Sarasota
Guided Sarasota trolley tours covering city highlights, architecture, public art, circus history and local stories from a downtown tour center.
Insider tip: A strong orientation experience early in a Sarasota stay; public-tour availability is seasonal, while private groups may be available outside the public schedule.
Food & Culinary Tours
Key Culinary Tours
Sarasota
Small-group culinary walking tours pairing local restaurants and tastings with neighborhood history across Sarasota and surrounding Gulf Coast communities.
Insider tip: A good choice for guests who want both a meal and an orientation to a neighborhood; allow about three hours and arrive hungry.
Multi-Activity & Specialty Tours
Myakka River Trail Rides
East Sarasota
Myakka City ranch offering guided horseback trail rides and ATV farm tours through rural Old Florida landscapes, with options for beginners, families and groups.
Insider tip: A very different Sarasota-area experience from the beaches: rural ranch scenery, guided riding and off-road farm tours in Myakka City.
Bike & E-Bike Tours
Sarasota Bike Tours
Sarasota
Long-running Sarasota bicycle and e-bike operator offering guided local rides, custom tours and bike rentals/delivery.
Insider tip: Guided-tour inventory is more limited than rentals in 2026, so reserve the guided experience before building a day around it.
Nature & Eco Tours
Sarasota Vortex Tours
Sarasota
Guided small-group mindful nature walks in Sarasota County state parks combining easy hiking, forest bathing, meditation and interpretation of the local landscape.
Insider tip: This is a slower, reflective nature experience rather than a conventional sightseeing tour; morning/evening departures help avoid peak heat.
Multi-Activity & Specialty Tours
Venice Florida Tours
Venice
Guided Venice history company offering downtown and neighborhood walking tours, bicycle tours, golf-cart history tours, haunted-history experiences and private tours.
Insider tip: A particularly good way to understand why Venice looks different from other Gulf Coast communities; choose walking, bicycle or golf-cart format based on mobility and weather.
Just Reel Fishing Charters
Anna Maria Island
Family-friendly Anna Maria Island fishing charter specializing in inshore and nearshore live-bait trips around Tampa Bay and nearby waters.
Sarasota Segway / Fun Florida Tours
Sarasota
Guided electric-mobility tours using Segways, e-boards, e-trikes and electric bikes across Sarasota and nearby Gulf Coast communities.
Insider tip: The roughly 90-minute format makes this easier to combine with lunch, shopping or a beach stop than a full half-day excursion.
Sarasota Suncoast Tours
Downtown Sarasota
Local guided-tour company offering Sarasota history, architecture, ghost and walking experiences, plus private narrated and trolley-style tours.
Insider tip: Choose the tour theme first, history, architecture and evening/ghost experiences can feel very different even when they cover the same downtown streets.
Hours, prices, and details change. Call ahead to confirm before you go. Know a place we should add? Use the form below.