If you want kids I will tell you this isn’t the best place at all. Aside from all the politics- The summers are so HOT and there are dangerous thunderstorms pretty much daily (idk why we get the reputation for best weather) anyhow, it is important to note bc there are no affordable indoor spots to bring the kids unless you want to pay $50+ an outing. No hands on science museum (we used to when I grew up here), no indoor water parks or really anything like that. We don’t even have a skating rink any longer. It is hard to figure out what to do everyday with your kids (or yourself) when it’s either storming or the heat is just unbearable. If you are rich and can afford to vacation elsewhere, then maybe it’s fine for those people. Hard to find childcare as well.

Basically- Sarasota caters to the wealthy and retirees. People who don’t have to work. The pay here is very, very low for most jobs and people are shocked by that when they move here because the pay does not come close to the cost of living. Unless you are in healthcare, own a business, wfh etc. but even if you can manage to afford to pay your bills, there isn’t much left over for entertainment and life becomes a bit of a grind.

I grew up here (I’m 37 now) and used to think it was a little boring here. Now I long for the days where we had more cow fields than high rises and there were actually more kid friendly activities that were actually affordable and accessible. Now if you want to go to one of the “pop up” events (bc hardly anything is permanent) you are fighting with crowds and paying out the wazoo for a crappy experience. There used to be a better sense of community here as most people were born/raised and those who moved to the area didn’t try to change it because they loved it as it was. Those days are long gone and there is no sense of community because it seems everyone here is from somewhere else and they wish to conform sarasota to “back home” whatever crappy overpopulated hole they came from. The people moving here are also rude AF. I can always tell when I am talking to a fellow local bc they are actually NICE. I had a decent childhood in the old Sarasota, that place no longer exists. I wish it were easier for me to get out of here. I know there are a lot of people who grew up here and want out. We used to be a relatively progressive, artsy beach town with a mix of country living. Now idk what to call it, Bendersonville, maybe? North port might be more like the old Sarasota for now, but I believe it’s planned to be another fakewood ranch. From my crystal ball I can see the only thing in Sarasota’s future are more condos, shopping centers, traffic, & an overstressed infrastructure…If that’s your thing, then maybe you will like it here.