SIESTA KEY VACATION RENTALS, FLORIDA

Recognized as the official State Art Museum of Florida, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota Bay must be a part of any art aficionado’s holiday itinerary to Siesta Key and the Sarasota Bay area. Situated on a 66-acre estate, the museum features 21 galleries of European paintings, Cypriot antiquities, Asian Art, American paintings and contemporary art. There is also a Circus Museum within the estate that preserves and showcases the history of the circus through costumes, wagons, performance equipment and other kinds of artifacts and memorabilia. The estate also possesses beautifully landscaped grounds including the Mable Ringling’s famous Rose Garden. The museum is open 7 days a week from 10 AM to 5:30 PM except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. The admission fee to the museum is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $5 for students with ID and free for children under the age of 5.

Furnished as a mid-19th century plantation, the Gamble Plantation and Mansion was once the home of Major Robert Gamble and is the only surviving plantation house in South Florida. Find out intriguing facts about the site through guided tours that are conducted six times a day from Thursday through Monday. The estate’s visitor center is open from 8AM-4:30 PM, Thursday through Monday. The tours are priced at $5 for adults and $3 for children. The plantation is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The admission to the park is free and the park is open from 8 AM to sunset.

The De Soto National Memorial in Bradenton is the site through which the first Spanish explorers set foot in Florida. Learn about the intriguing tales of warfare conspiracies and theories from the interpreters dressed in 16th century costumes exhibit various presentations including crossbow and firing the arquebus between late December and early April. To get a sense of the era and the whole setting, you can even watch a film on it, browse through different exhibits or even enjoy a stroll on the wildered nature trail through the mangroves. The admission to the park is free and the visitor center is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Though the park is open from dawn to dusk, the parking lot gates close at 5 PM.

The deadly sharks, the friendly dolphins, the conspicuous sea horses and the bright and colorful school of fishes will enchant and mesmerize you with their fascinating traits and an almost mystical characteristic at the Mote Marine Aquarium. The River to the Seas exhibit showcases a number of freshwater marine creatures such as apple snails, crawfish and stingrays that live in fresh water while Florida Bay Habitats gives you a glimpse of the fishes who call estuaries their home such as cow fish, filefish and puffers. Come face to face with the colorful breed of fishes including spotfin butterfly fish and hogfish at the Creatures from the Reef display or get acquainted with the special inhabitants of the aquarium – the sea turtles and manatees. The cost of the tickets is $15 for adults, $10 for children between the age of 4 and 12 and free admission for children aged 3 and under.

The Sarasota Classic Car Museum is located on US 41. The 60,000 square foot facility features a collection of over 100 classic vehicles from 100 years of auto production. The collection’s highlights include a Cadillac station wagon, John Lennon’s Mercedes Roadster and Paul McCartney’s Mini Cooper. The museum also features an Antique Game Arcade and an Antique Camera and Photograph display. Rates for entry are $8.50 for adults, $7.65 for seniors 65 and older, $5.75 for teens 13-17 years and $4.00 for children 6-12. Children under 6 are admitted free.

The South Florida Museum is the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida's Gulf Coast. Home to the Parker Manatee Aquarium and the Bishop Planetarium, the facility is the residence of Snooty the manatee. The planetarium features a digital full dome theater where you can see astronomy presentations, sound and light shows and wide-screen large format programming. The museum features over 15,000 diverse and unusual objects that are scheduled for exhibit rotation throughout the year. The museum is open 7 days a week from January through April and in the month of July. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sundays from Noon to 5 PM. All other months the museum is open 6 days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 AM to 5 PM and on Sundays from Noon to 5 PM. It is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days, as well as in the first two weeks of September.