Sarasota attractions offering special prices for Florida residents

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE JOHN AND MABLE RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART. The courtyard of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota. During September many Sarasota attractions are offering "buy one, get one free" on admission. Sarasota, renowned for being Florida's cultural coast, is offering its second annual "30 Days of Discovery" promotion. The promotion invites Florida residents to experience eight of Sarasota's attractions in September and enjoy substantial savings through a special "buy one, get one free" offer on admission.

"Over the past two years, the promotion has gained momentum and has had a major impact on attendance at all participating attractions during September—traditionally the slowest month for tourism," said Virginia Haley, president of the Sarasota Con- vention and Visitors Bureau. "This year we are taking it to the next level by offering additional savings at each attraction and forming partnerships with local tourism-related businesses. We hope all local residents will discover the treasures in their own backyards."

Visitors will have the opportunity to get 30 days extra on memberships when purchased during September. Hotel packages designed around the attractions are also being planned.

Eight attractions will participate in the promotion.

Participating attractions include the following:

• Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (www.selby.org) is a 9 1/2-acre bayfront property including an open-air and under-glass museum of more than 20,000 colorful plants, many collected in the wild on more than 150 scientific expeditions to tropical rainforests. Children will enjoy the indoor "rainforest," captivating dart frog collection and colorful koi pond, while adults can delight in Selby's living collection of over 6,000 orchids.

• The newly renovated and expanded state art museum of Florida, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (www.ringling.org), is located on a 66-acre estate on Sarasota Bay, and was established in 1927 as the legacy of John Ringling. The Ringling campus includes the Museum of Art; the Ca d'Zan winter mansion of John and Mable Ringling; the Circus Museum depicting the history of the circus; the Tibbal's Learning center featuring the world's largest miniature circus; the 18th-century Historic Asolo Theater and beautifully manicured grounds and gardens.

• Crowley Museum and Nature Center (www.crowleymuseumnaturectr. org) is where Southwest Florida history and nature meet. A wildlife sanctuary and education center for Southwest Florida's fauna and flora, visitors walk leisurely through five distinct natural habitats and a pioneer history area, enjoying the sights and sounds of native Florida.

• Mote Aquarium (www.mote.org) invites visitors to explore the secrets of the sea with touch pools, shark, dolphin, manatee and sea turtle exhibits and over 100 other species of marine life. Viewable working labs and hightech interactive exhibits showcase recent discoveries in marine science and the world-renowned research of Mote Marine Laboratory.

• Historic Spanish Point (www. historicspanishpoint.org), features exhibitions interpreting 5,000 years of Florida history, plus a pioneer homestead, formal gardens, and nature trails.

• G. WIZ, The Hands-On Science Museum (www.gwiz.org), strives to make science relevant, technology understandable, and learning an interactive adventure for people of all ages. Exhibits allow guests to make a bolt of lightning, build bridges with magnets, float a beach-ball in mid-air, design a robot and create an animated video.

• South Florida Museum (www. southfloridamuseum.org) is the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida's Gulf Coast, and includes the Bishop Planetarium and Parker Manatee Aquarium.

• Sarasota Jungle Gardens (www. sarasotajunglegardens.com) is the oldest continuously operating attraction in the state of Florida. Sarasota Jungle Gardens features 10 acres of lush tropical vegetation, winding jungle trails and entertaining, educational bird and reptile shows twice daily.

For more information on saving and discovering in Sarasota, call the Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 522-9799 or visit www.sarasotafl. org.