Our beloved Baltimore Orioles pitchers and catchers have reported to sunny Sarasota, Florida, for spring training 2024.
As someone who has spent a decent amount of time in Sarasota between the Orioles and family who live in the area, I offer my short guide on how to spend your time well in the Sunshine State.
Let’s start with the obvious. You’re probably in Sarasota to see the Orioles. Ed Smith Stadium is awesome. A perfect gem on the outskirts of town that lines up well with the architecture and atmosphere of Sarasota.
When you pull up onto the grassy parking lots and walk up to the gate, you get the same feeling you do at Camden Yards. Get yourself a cold beverage and maybe even some Chick-Fil-A, which, yes, they sell in the concourse. Enjoy the days and nights you have at the ballpark.
We all know baseball only consumes a few hours of your day. So, what to do otherwise? Hopefully that’s where these next few paragraphs will help.
There are the obvious Florida things: the beach, the theme parks. Around Sarasota, you’ll find what have been labeled ‘the best beaches in the world,’ and I don’t have an argument against that.
If this is your first time visiting Sarasota, I’d recommend hitting the ‘famous’ spots. There’s St. Armands Circle, a shopper’s dream, located right up the sand from Lido Beach. There’s the Ringling Museum of Art. Yes, it’s named after the circus family. There’s the famous Yoder’s Amish Market, which I’d recommend stopping by for a pie.
If you’re looking for some quality eats, you don’t have to go far. From a Marylander’s perspective, there are the simple fast food places we just don’t have at home. Save those for late nights.
If breakfast is your thing, check out The Original Egg or The Blue Dolphin. You’ll probably have to get up early and wait at both, but you’ll thank me later. I’m not one for fancy dining, but if you are, you can turn in any direction and find something you like.
If you’re looking to kill an entire day, I have three letters for you: UTC (University Town Center). This is probably the largest collection of stores and dining you’ve ever encountered. You can quite literally spend an entire day there.
There is so much more to see and do in Sarasota. In my experience, it’s a city and county full of perspective and culture not present in Maryland. It’s pretty hard to replicate the sunshine and beaches in Maryland, after all.
If you’re headed down to Sarasota this year, spend as much time as you can at the ballpark. It’s an experience like no other. However, I fully recommend taking in the city, and all it has to offer anytime the Orioles are not on the field.
What’s your favorite place to visit in Sarasota? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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