Sarasota: quartz sand and the American circus

Chosen as the winter headquarters of the famous Ringling Bros circus, Sarasota preserves a museum dedicated to American circus alongside beaches of pure white quartzite sand.

A car is useful for reaching the quartzite beaches and circus museums.

The Ringling Museum of Art, founded by circus magnate John Ringling, brings under one roof a collection of European art and an entire museum dedicated to the history of the American circus.

Just steps away, Ca' d'Zan, a Venetian-style villa built by Ringling himself on the bay, remains one of Florida's most opulent structures.

Heading down to the sea, one reaches Siesta Key Beach, whose sand, composed almost entirely of quartz, remains cool to the touch even under Florida's scorching sun.

As evening falls, downtown Sarasota, with its vibrant art and theater scene, closes the day among galleries and outdoor venues.

Unlike the limestone sand typical of many Florida beaches, the quartz sand of Siesta Key never gets excessively hot—a detail that made this beach one of America's most decorated shores.

John Ringling invested part of his circus fortune in European art, building one of America's most significant private collections right here in this small Florida town.