Sarasota

Located along Florida’s Suncoast, the City of Sarasota is about an hour south of Tampa and equally loved by tourists, retirees, and families. And with 35 miles of gleaming white-sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico, it’s not hard to see why. Of course, the price for these advantages is high temps in the summer and the occasional hurricane.

Sarasota is an eclectic town, which contains everything from the world’s largest collection of works by Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens to Ca’ d’Zan Mansion, a 56-room Venetian Gothic palace that also happens to be the former home of the founders of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. The city is a golfing haven, and was the first in the state to get a course in 1906. 

It’s also a thriving cultural center with opera, ballet, and contemporary dance. The Towles Court Artist Colony is brimming with galleries, studios, cafés, and more. 

Unlike many Florida cities, Sarasota is not just for retirees. It has seen an influx of younger residents over the past few years, bringing down the average age and sending home prices higher. (Between 2010 and 2020, the growth rate was nearly twice the national average.) There is also a flourishing LGBTQ+ community, which hosts the Harvey Milk Festival each year, supporting independent music and civil rights. —Chris Morris