Free Things to Do in Sarasota
By Carson B. · Updated November 6, 2026
Go to Siesta Beach, which has free parking, then walk The Bay downtown or look for birds at the Celery Fields. On Mondays the art museum galleries at The Ringling have free admission, and Saturday mornings mean the Sarasota Farmers Market downtown.
Beaches
Siesta Beach has free public parking. Lido Beach and Nokomis Beach give you more Gulf, and Caspersen Beach in Venice costs nothing but patience while you hunt shark teeth. See our beach guide.
Parks and preserves
The Bay gives downtown a waterfront park, with free programs through the year. The Celery Fields is the birder's pick, Bobby Jones Nature Park turned a golf course back to nature, and Robinson Preserve in Bradenton has more than 600 acres of coastal trails. Joan M. Durante Park on Longboat Key is a quiet restored wetland.
Sarasota's premier birding hotspot on 400+ acres of restored wetlands
600+ acres of coastal trails, kayak launches, and canopy walks in NW Bradenton
Art and history
The Ringling's art museum galleries have free admission on Mondays. Art Center Sarasota is a century-old visual arts hub on the bayfront, and Manatee Village Historical Park is a free living-history park in Bradenton. Check the sites first, since free days and hours can change.
Markets
The Sarasota Farmers Market runs Saturdays year-round downtown. The Lakewood Ranch Farmers' Market is a lakeside Sunday with 100-plus vendors, and the Bradenton Public Market runs Saturdays in season.
Free events coming up
Ride and Paddle at The Bay (Guided Kayak Tour)
Fri, Nov 6 · 9:00 AM · 4 dates
Kayak Launch at The Bay Park · Sarasota
Free; registration required
ex•plore: Nature at Night —Sleeping Turtles Preserve North
Fri, Nov 6 · 5:30 PM
Sleeping Turtles Preserve North · Venice
Free
Wellen Park Night Market & Dueling Pianos
Thu, Nov 12 · 6:00 PM · 2 dates
Downtown Wellen Park · Venice
Free
Trey Wanvig & Detroit Mike at Pop's Sunset Grill
Fri, Nov 13 · 6:00 PM
Pop's Sunset Grill · Nokomis
Free
Questions
Is The Ringling free on Mondays?
The art museum galleries have free admission on Mondays. Other parts of the campus may need a ticket, so check The Ringling's site.
What's free to do in Sarasota with kids?
The beaches, The Bay, Robinson Preserve, and Manatee Village Historical Park are all good free outings.