Alison & Raul Elizalde

Sarasota Realtors

Alison and Raul Elizalde understand the Sarasota real estate market like nobody else. Their unique understanding comes from experience, specialized research, and deep community involvement. Their commitment to client service earned them the prestigious 5-Star Award given to the best real estate agents in Sarasota. Click here to learn more about Alison and Raul.

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Sarasota City proper has a population of 53,000 (325,000 in Sarasota County) but a variety that puts bigger cities to shame. One of its beaches, Siesta Beach, is regularly recognized as one of the "top-ten beaches in the United States", although Lido Beach or Longboat Key are just as nice. For the nature-lover, the Myakka River State Park offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to see the abundant wildlife that is quintessential Wild Florida. And for the arts-oriented crowd, the choices are certainly endless in what has been called "the cultural capital of Florida" - including the International Film Festival, the outdoor Season of Sculpture exhibits, and numerous classical music, opera and ballet events.

The Arts

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Set along Sarasota's beautiful bayfront, the landmark Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has been entertaining audiences with a variety of music, dance, theater and comedy for more than 33 years. From David Copperfield to Itzhak Perlman, the Van Wezel is one of the main venues for the performing arts in Sarasota.

Sarasota International Film Festival. Now eight years in, the Sarasota Film Festival continues to establish itself as a regional fest worth checking out. And don't forget the Sarasota Film Society,a non-profit arts organization committed to bringing the best art, foreign and independent films to Sarasota at Burns Court Cinemas.

Sarasota Opera. The Sarasota Opera is an internationally respected producer of the highest quality professional opera. It fosters artistic excellence, diversity, and vitality in the Sarasota area.

Asolo Theatre. The mission of the Asolo Theatre Company is to engage and entertain audiences of all ages, celebrating the actor-artist by producing exceptional theatre in rotating repertory with a resident professional company, and nurturing FSU graduate student actors.

Ringling Museum. Recognized as the official State Art Museum of Florida, the Museum of Art offers 21 galleries of European paintings as well as Cypriot antiquities, Asian Art, American paintings, and contemporary art. The estate features the spectacular Cà d'Zan ("House of John"), a waterfront mansion that was restored in 2002. So much more!Florida Studio Theatre, Florida West Coast Symphony, The Players Theatre... the list goes on.

And for all the intense arts activity in Sarasota, there is no better place to check than Anything Arts, an online site by artists for artists, to promote everything from the funky avant garde to high brow mainstream art.

The Schools

Sarasotans care deeply about the education of our children. Sarasota Public Schools score among the best rated in the state of Florida. If you have a school in mind, here are links to the elementary, middle and high school zone maps. Many colleges are based in Sarasota, including the New College of Florida, ranked by the U.S. News & World Report as #3 among Public Liberal Arts Colleges, and by the Princeton Review as the Nation's #6 Best Value in Higher Ed. The highly regarded Ringling School of Art and Design is a private, not-for-profit, fully accredited college offering the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree [BFA] in six disciplines: Computer Animation, Fine Arts, Graphic & Interactive Communication, Illustration, Interior Design, and Photography & Digital Imaging. University of South Florida (USF Sarasota-Manatee) is an upper-division, regional campus that provides junior, senior, and graduate course work leading to baccalaureate and master's  degrees along with certificate programs. The campus serves more than 3,400 students annually with 39 academic programs.

The Wild Side

For the outdoor enthusiast, the opportunities are endless. Myakka River State Park is one of Florida's oldest and largest state parks. The "Florida Wild and Scenic Myakka River" flows through 45 square miles of wetlands, prairies and woodlands. Myakka is popular for hiking, fishing, camping, and wildlife observation. The Oscar Scherer State Park is officially designated as part of Florida’s Statewide System of Greenways and Trails. This park is located just outside of Sarasota and offers several miles of recreational opportunities for hikers and bikers, campers and canoe enthusiasts. Those interested in marine life will find the 10.5-acre campus of the Mote Marine Laboratory a fascinating platform of marine research conducted in the nearshore environment. Originally focused on shark research, Mote Marine offers unique exhibits of manatees, sharks, turtles and many other marine animals. Working in conjuction with Mote Marine, Sarasota Bay Explorers offer several types of eco-tours including the renowned Sea Life Encounter Cruise, Guided Kayak Tours, Nature Safari and private charters. Runners will be interested in knowing that Sarasota has just hosted its first marathon. Running and biking will be enhanced by a projected 12.8 miles scenic corridor purchased by the Trust for Public Land.