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Sarasota named one of CNN's America's Best Towns to Visit 2026
By WGCU Staff
July 1, 2026 at 1:23 PM EDT
Sarasota is one of ten U.S. locations included on CNN's America's Best Towns to Visit 2026 list, released Wednesday.
The Southwest Florida city shares the top ten spotlight with Roanoke, Virginia, Lawrence, Kansas, Iowa City, Iowa, Juneau, Alaska, Burlington, Vermont, Fort Collins, Colorado, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Greenville, South Carolina, and New Haven, Connecticut.
To develop this year's list, CNN considered hundreds of destinations across the country before selecting 10 standout towns based on factors including attractions, food and drink, arts and culture, local identity, accessibility, proximity to other notable destinations, and overall visitor experience.
SARASOTA
High scores: Arts and culture, beaches and gardens, intriguing history
This Gulf Coast city goes all-in on artistic excellence with a cultural compound that grew from the fortunes of a circus magnate, and other visual and performing arts attractions. Circus lore and a population of Amish snowbirds add to this town’s intriguing history. Throw in rare gardens and beautiful beaches, and you have a sophisticated cultural getaway that delivers sun and surf, too.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
The Southwest Florida city shares the top ten spotlight with Roanoke, Virginia, Lawrence, Kansas, Iowa City, Iowa, Juneau, Alaska, Burlington, Vermont, Fort Collins, Colorado, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Greenville, South Carolina, and New Haven, Connecticut.
To develop this year's list, CNN considered hundreds of destinations across the country before selecting 10 standout towns based on factors including attractions, food and drink, arts and culture, local identity, accessibility, proximity to other notable destinations, and overall visitor experience.
SARASOTA
High scores: Arts and culture, beaches and gardens, intriguing history
This Gulf Coast city goes all-in on artistic excellence with a cultural compound that grew from the fortunes of a circus magnate, and other visual and performing arts attractions. Circus lore and a population of Amish snowbirds add to this town’s intriguing history. Throw in rare gardens and beautiful beaches, and you have a sophisticated cultural getaway that delivers sun and surf, too.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.