Sarasota-Bradentongulf coast getaway

Be prepared to spend an entire day exploring the beauty of this historic compound that circus magnate John Ringling bequeathed to the state of Florida in 1936. Make sure to tour The Ca’ d’Zan (which means “House of John”) mansion, a romantic Venetian palace with 41 rooms and 15 bathrooms that was one of the last of the Gilded Age mansions built in America. The Ringling Circus Museum celebrates the American circus, its history and its unique relationship to Sarasota, while the Ringling Museum of Art features paintings and sculptures by the great Old Masters including Rubens, van Dyck, Velázquez, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, El Greco, Gainsborough and more. There’s also the historic Asolo Theater where programs, performances and guest speakers and lectures take place throughout the year.