Whether you’re discovering Southwest Florida for the first time or returning to a familiar location, Sarasota offers the perfect blend of coastal charm and vibrant culture. Imagine spending your off-hours on miles of white-sand beaches, soaking in breathtaking sunsets, or exploring the city’s lively calendar of galas and philanthropic events. Craving a taste of Sarasota’s culinary and arts scene? Indulge in world-class dining, enjoy captivating performances at the theater, or lose yourself in the sounds of the symphony. Prefer to stay active? You’ll find endless opportunities for boating, fishing, kayaking, tennis, golf, and even pickleball—all under Florida’s sunny winter skies. Other key attractions include the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, which provides 45 acres of bayfront sanctuaries connecting people with air plants of the world, native nature, and our regional history. The downtown campus on Sarasota Bay is the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the display and study of epiphytic orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads, ferns, and other tropical plants. Be sure to visit The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art while you’re in town, too. It is one of the preeminent arts institutions in the country, with unusually diverse collections. They include art, circus, history, architecture, performance, gardens — all reflecting the facility’s unique origin story. At the heart of that story is circus impresario John Ringling and his wife Mable, and their shared desire to make Sarasota a world-class destination. Bottom line? This December, you can make the most of your time at our “hometown” Symposium by pairing it with everything Sarasota has to offer. Paradise is waiting.