Sarasota Bayfront Park -
So Much to Enjoy Plus a Spectacular
360 Degree View.

Our Sarasota Bayfront Park is the park that travelers through Sarasota on U.S. Route 41 first see.

It sits right on Sarasota Bay in between the bay and the city marina which is filled with boats and yachts and sailing ships, just off of downtown.

To the east side of Bayfront Park you can see the sparkling Sarasota downtown skyline as well as the city marina.

On the bay side of the park you can look out over boats anchored in the bay, upon what’s known as Golden Point and the John Ringling Causeway Bridge.

The Ringling Bridge connects Sarasota to St. Armand’s Key; this is a beautiful sight upon which to gaze while seated on a Bayfront Park bench.

The view across the bay of the Ringling Bridge is just spectacular from the west side of the Sarasota Bayfront Park.

Bayfront Park is also a great place to go for a morning walk or jog while taking in the scenery and enjoying its natural setting with Palm Trees, shrubbery and flowering plants all adding to the ambiance.

On your walk out to the northern point of Bayfront Park, along the marina side of the pathway, you’ll come upon the picturesque Dolphin Fountain, where you can stand, or sit, and watch the boaters pass by on the way into or out of Sarasota City Marina.

On a sunlit day the water spouting up from the fountain shimmers and sparkles against The Dolphins in the fountain, which are posed in perpetual, statuesque form leaping upward from the water and skyward.

If the wind is just right you’ll pick up some cool spray from the fountain across your face. This feels terrific on an especially hot Sarasota summer day.

The park is really one of the jewels of Sarasota and many locals and visitors freely enjoy its treasures.

In addition to the natural beauty of Bayfront Park the amenities include fishing, picnicking, a great fitness walk path and a children’s play fountain within the park where parents bring their children, from tots to teens, to enjoy.

A new playground and splash pad at Bayfront Park opened on February 1, 2024 featuring a pirate and sea adventure theme.

The entire play area has been redesigned from the ground up with fun, safety, and accessibility in mind. The new playground features a variety of climbing structures, plenty of seating, and large shade sails covering the entire area.

The new splash pad system allows children to control the flow of water, and the entire area has been raised level, which provides better sight lines for parents (including an incredible view of the bay!).

The new playground and splash pad were designed with ADA accessibility in mind, and thoughtful details will inspire hours of imaginative play for the kids.

There are also nearby restaurants for you to enjoy including O'Leary's right next door on the bayfront and Marina Jacks, just a short way from the park.

Sarasota Bayfront Park is a wonderful place not only for a walk or jog along the fitness path but also a great setting to bring a book by your favorite author along with a blanket and cooler of refreshments and find a place in the shaded grass to spread out your blanket, sit back and read…and just enjoy being outdoors in such a beautiful, picturesque setting. It's mostly peaceful here, except for maybe for a welcomed breeze or a few squawking birds nearby.

This is one of the best places in Sarasota for a spectacular 360 degree view.

Sarasota Bayfront Park is one of my favorite Sarasota Parks for its natural beauty, scenic setting, and peacefulness along Sarasota’s Bayfront and downtown area.

I hope, if you're visiting Sarasota, you get to enjoy this wonderful little slice or paradise.

Location: U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Avenue, downtown Sarasota Bayfront. Admission is free and there’s lots of free parking as well.

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