St Armands Circle is a feast for the senses...and the power-shopper in you!Whether it’s day or night St Armands Circle “jumps” and is filled with music, piped in from outside speakers all over the Circle, along with wonderful aromas in the open air from the numerous sidewalk cafes and restaurants. "The Circle," as it is affectionately called by locals, is truly a feast for the senses; eyes, nose, ears and heart. It's a landmark gathering place for things to do for Sarasota locals, visitors and snowbirds alike. With about 150 stores and shops, what will be your goal; shopping at one of the quaint shops, one of the designer shops, one of the souvenir shops, an art gallery, partaking in a drink, a snack, or a meal at one of the hard to choose from indoor/outdoor gourmet restaurants, cafes or bistros and sandwich shops? Hmmm. Tough choices, all! The best way to enjoy St. Armands Circle is to just set out on your adventure, unplanned, and let the day or night unfold and lead you where it may!
And, if you need to cool your heels while strolling around, there are conveniently placed park benches all around "The Circle’s" sidewalks. So you can set a spell and just do some crowd watching.   If your timing is good you may even find a weekend arts and crafts fair, a custom classic car show or "4th Friday with Style" which features free, live, Smooth Jazz music in St Armands Circle Park, in the middle of The Circle, October through May on the fourth Friday of the month from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. It seems like there's always a special event of some kind going on and once a year, in January, the circus comes to St Armands Circle as it plays host to the annual induction ceremony for the "Circle's" Ring of Fame, complete with bleachers stands for the audience and a live circus band, all out doors, weather permitting.
My personal favorite restaurants to eat at on St Armands Circle include: The Columbia Restaurant, Cha Cha Coconuts and upstairs at Tommy Bahamas. But take your pick; there are lots of tasty places to grab a simple snack or a gourmet meal, inside or at an outdoor or open air cafe. There's even an old fashioned ice cream shop called "Scoop Daddy," a confectionery where they make candy and chocolates right before your eyes and an old fashioned Irish Pub.  
Tips for enjoying St Armands Circle: If you’re coming to St Armands in the daytime during the warmer months, May – October, make sure to wear sunscreen, cool clothes, comfortable walking shoes and a hat or sun visor, as our Florida sunshine will toast you on the Circle quite quickly! But you’re never far from someplace to duck into for some cool air conditioning and shade.
 From St Armands Circle to Sarasota Attractions
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