From museums to state parks and botanical gardens, many destinations are accessible from your home base at Casa del Mar. You can learn about our tropical plants or reptiles, as well as programs dedicated to protecting and preserving our habitats and their wild inhabitants. You can even feed a flamingo from your hand or pet a stingray! We offer just a few examples of fun things to do close-by to get you started with your own explorations.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
The 9.5 acre bay front Selby Gardens property is an open-air and under-glass museum of more than 20,000 tropical plants, including epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) a collection of over 6,000 orchids.
811 S. Palm Ave. Sarasota 941-366-5731 www.selby.org
At Mote Aquarium you can explore touch pools, viewable-working labs and high-tech interactive exhibits that showcase research of Mote Marine Laboratory. See sharks, dolphins, manatees and sea turtles along with more than 100 other species of marine life.
1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy 941-388-4441 www.mote.org
SJG features 10 acres of tropical vegetation, winding trails, educational bird and reptile shows. Also featured are American Flamingos that will eat from the palm of your hand.
3701 Bay Shore Rd. Sarasota 941-355-5305 www.sarasotajunglegardens.com
The Myakka River flows through 58 square miles of wetlands, prairies, hammocks, and pinelands. Guests can enjoy a boardwalk that stretches out over the Upper Myakka Lake, a canopy walkway, and tours on the world’s largest airboat.
13208 State Rd 72 Sarasota 941-361-6511 www.myakkariver.org
South Florida Museum, Parker Manatee Aquarium & Bishop Planetarium
The Museum presents history of the region from prehistoric to present times. The Manatee Aquarium is a rehabilitation facility for manatees that will be released back into the wild. The Bishop Planetarium is a domed theater, with an advanced all digital projection system.
201 10th St. W. Bradenton 941-746-4131 www.southfloridamuseum.org
Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training
The Pirates play at historic McKechnie Field in Bradenton.
1611 9th Ave. W. Bradenton 941-748-4610 www.springtrainingonline.com
Baltimore Orioles Spring Training
The Baltimore Orioles play at the Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.
2700 12th Street Sarasota, 941-893-6300 www.springtrainingonline.com