Indian Beach | Sapphire Shores

Indian Beach and Sapphire Shores are immediately South of the area referred to as “The Museum District” with rich cultural attractions as neighbors. The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, The Historic Asolo Theatre, The Circus Museum, the Asolo Theatre and FSU Conservatory, New College, the University of South Florida-Sarasota Manatee, Ringling College of Art and Design and The Powell Crosley Mansion.

Indian Beach and Sapphire Shores are linked by exquisite mansions on Bayshore Road overlooking Sarasota Bay. The side streets are lined with mature shade trees, cottages, bungalows, Florida ranches of the 1950’s and local modern vernacular architecture. Just across the Tamiami Trail is the world-famous Ringling College of Art and Design and the restaurants and shops that support a college lifestyle.

 

Nearby Whitfield Estates is the oldest planned community in Manatee and Sarasota counties. It was also the first residential golfing community in Sarasota opening in 1926 with Tommy Armour, known better as “The Silver Scot” as head professional and Robert “Bobby” Jones was the sales manager for the real estate featuring half an acre lots. Whitfield Estates has evolved over the last century into approximately 1,400 homes in twelve neighborhoods reaching from Magellan Drive on the north to Braden Avenue on the south end. Architecture is diverse including sleek modernist homes on the water, original 1920’s Mediterranean revival style homes and 1950’s Florida ranch homes.

 

East of Whitfield lies one of the oldest neighborhoods outside the City of Sarasota. Desoto Acres offers “Country Estates in The Heart of Town” where owners can keep horses and still be just 30 minutes from the beach. There are 350 houses and the lots are all two acres or larger. Homes built in the 1940’s have neighbors with newly constructed homes.

Neighborhoods east of the cultural corridor include Newtown, one of the first African American communities dating back to the mid 1900’s, and beyond the city limits east to the Lockwood Ridge area you’ll find older homes on large lots in Sarasota Golf Club Colony near Rolling Green Golf Club and the non-deed restricted neighborhood of Desoto Acres.