About the Sarasota-Manatee Area
Close your eyes and imagine a place where a dream vacation destination meets a hub of arts, culture, education and business.
Now open them and take a look at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus…
Our place in the world
The USF Sarasota-Manatee campus is located on the Gulf Coast of Florida in Sarasota just south of Bradenton. To the east, just a stone’s throw away, is the Sarasota-Bradenton Area International Airport, and just miles to the west sits Siesta Key, which was designated the No.1 beach in the United States in 2011.
Did we mention that the major metropolitan cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando and Miami are all within driving distance?
Good company
Throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties, there are thousands of businesses that acknowledge the significance of USF being in the area. Each year, local business leaders reach out to find the brightest and best USF students to help elevate their businesses to the next level.
A buzzing tourism industry thrives on our local beaches, entertainment, restaurants, shops, museums, eco-attractions and world-class venues like Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, Selby Gardens and more.
At the Sarasota-Manatee campus, you will experience the right mix of business and pleasure to allow you to enjoy your time here, while accessing the real-world experience needed to land a career.
Staying busy
There is certainly no lack of fun and exciting things to do as a student at the Sarasota-Manatee campus. Whether you are interested in the arts, history, science, sports, the outdoors or you just like to enjoy the spectacular restaurants and nightlife, Sarasota and Bradenton have it all. Here are just a few of the things you can do when you’re not studying, thinking, making, learning, doing, cramming, daydreaming, writing or sleeping.
Go art hopping. Galleries, studios and cafes are housed in a colorful collection of “Old Florida” bungalows in the artist communities of Burns Court, Towles Court, and Village of the Arts.
Take in the action. Catch a spring training game with the Baltimore Orioles or the Pittsburgh Pirates, or cheer on the local minor league team, the Bradenton Marauders. Or head up to Tampa to see the Rays, the Bucs or the Lightning take on the top competition from the MLB, the NFL and the NHL.
Get some sun. Siesta Key Beach, voted #1 beach in America in 2011, is 15 minutes from the university. Go camping at Turtle Beach, just a few miles south. If you’ve always wanted to try horse surfing, check out Bradenton Beach. Or go back in time and stroll the Old-Florida beach towns of Anna Maria Island and the quaint Cortez fishing village.
Get some culture. Enjoy the Circus Museum at the Ringling, or go up the road to the South Florida Museum to see woolly mammoths, planets and stars.
See a show. The Asolo Rep Theatre, The Players, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Manatee Players, Sarasota Opera, Florida Studio Theatre, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Circus Sarasota… Take your pick!
Cheer on the USF Bulls. Football, volleyball, baseball, basketball, softball, soccer, sailing: if you’re into big-time college athletics, there’s a USF team that needs your spirit! Cheer on our very own local rowing club, or grab some friends and head up to Tampa.
Be one with nature. Find your inner gardener at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens or brave the 25-foot-high tree canopy walkway in Myakka River State Park. Grab a paddleboard or a kayak and hit Sarasota Bay or one of the many beaches in the area.
Go for a bike ride. The Legacy Bike Trail is a 10-mile trail built on the old CSX railroad corridor, and stretches along a scenic route from Sarasota to Venice. Or bike over the Ringling Causeway, past St. Armandsand on up to Holmes Beach (18 miles).
Learn more about the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus firsthand by scheduling a campus visit now.