Is Sarasota close to Tampa bay?

About ⅓ or a third of the way, you can stop at North Ruskin, FL. This is about half an hour south of Tampa.

About ⅔ or two thirds of the way, you can stop at Fullers Earth, FL. This is almost an hour south of Tampa, or about half an hour north of Sarasota.

Nonstop driving from Tampa to Sarasota

If you drive straight through without stopping at all, the total distance is 60 miles. The distances shown above don't include local roads to get into each town, so if you're planning a long road trip, make sure you factor in traffic and road conditions, rest stop breaks, and interesting detours along the way. If you're in a rush, you can do the trip with zero stops, and your total travel time would be around 1 hour.

The cities Sarasota and Tampa are located in Florida. The primary means of transport to these cities include traveling by road and air. If you are visiting Sarasota/Tampa for a quick vacation, then you may want to travel by road trips or non-stop drives. Since these cities are also thriving business centers, entrepreneurs can also hold/attend their work meetings here. In this case, these businessmen can choose to travel by commercial or private flights. Thus, the freedom of choice of transport can help in the completion of the distance from Sarasota to Tampa.

The time taken to complete your journey can also be of importance when structuring your travel plan. Knowing the directions from Sarasota to Tampa can also be useful to first-time visitors. All of this essential information can be found out in the guide.

Driving Non-stop from Sarasota to Tampa

Driving Distance

61 miles or 98 km

Driving Time

1 hours

Planning a trip in a short time can be stress-free when you prefer non-stop driving. The driving distance from Sarasota, FL, to Tampa, FL, being relatively less, further aids in the convenience of non-stop driving. Moreover, driving a car in this way can be especially favorable for tourists and vacationers as they may want to explore more in less time.

Estimated Driving Time from Sarasota to Tampa

Average SpeedTravel Time30 mph (48 km/h)02 hours, 2 minutes40 mph (64 km/h)01 hours, 31 minutes50 mph (80 km/h)01 hours, 13 minutes60 mph (97 km/h)01 hours, 1 minutes70 mph (112 km/h)00 hours, 52 minutes75 mph (120 km/h)00 hours, 48 minutes

Sarasota to Tampa drive time can be reduced by a considerable amount when the following route is taken:

  • I-75 N: Bordering Canada in the north and Miami Lakes in the south, I-75 N runs through a length of 1,786 miles. Some major routes like I-4 and I-10 also merge with this highway. After merging with I-75 N at Fruitvale Rd., you can take the FL-618 exit. You can then turn right at N E St. from Downtown E. Next, you may take the left onto E Twiggs ST. and cross the N Morgan S. You will arrive in Tampa after taking the left at E Zack ST.

Note: In accordance with your exact start location, I-275 can be an alternative route for you to travel the miles from Sarasota to Tampa.

Road Trip from Sarasota to Tampa

To tourists, road trips can prove to be the ultimate and most exciting mode of transportation from Sarasota to Tampa. These trips can help in bringing families and friends together for a lovely vacation. Some other benefits of road trips can include short breaks from driving and havoc-free travel.

Along the distance from Sarasota, FL, to Tampa, FL, you can make stops at the following locations during your road trip:

  • World of Beer
  • Ellenton
  • Sun City Center
  • Brandon
  • Ybor City

How far is Sarasota to Tampa via a road trip can be found here:

Road Trip Time

1 day

Travel Time

2 hours

We have drafted a simple road trip itinerary that includes all the above-mentioned locations. This itinerary can be helpful to travelers visiting Tampa/Sarasota.

  • Starting your drive in Sarasota, you will have to drive for about 15 minutes to reach World of Beer.
  • World of Beer offers a great selection of beer from around the world. Some hotels nearby to this location can include Fairfield Inn, Country Inn, and Wingate Lakewood Ranch.
  • You can then drive for roughly 20 minutes to get to Ellenton. Located in Manatee County, Ellenton is famous for Manatee Historical Park, Ice Sports Complex, and Felts Audubon Preserve.
  • A short drive of about 25 minutes from Ellenton will get you to Sun City Center. Here, you can visit Outdoor Camp Bayou, Vance Vogel Park, and Manatee River State Park.
  • Next, to reach Brandon, you can drive for approximately 30 minutes. Brandon is a place with several attractions that can include Dinosaur World, Cracker Country, and Showmen’s Museum.
  • From here, keep moving your car or vehicle for about 20 minutes to get to Ybor City. Known for being home to the largest number of immigrants, Ybor City can offer sites like Tampa Baseball Museum, Jose Marti Park, and Centennial Park.
  • At last, drive for 5 minutes to arrive in Tampa, Florida.

Note: Adding new locations to your plan may result in slight changes in your overall travel time.

Taking a road trip from Tampa can be truly a great experience. You can travel from Tampa to Jacksonville or from Tampa to Orlando. Click here to find out the travel details to both these cities.

Flying Non-stop between Tampa and Sarasota

Assuming that you are traveling for business meetings, you would want to cover the distance between these cities in the shortest possible time. In such a situation, moving with non-stop flights from Tampa to Sarasota can be the best option. However, other tourists who prefer short journeys can also prefer this mode.

How far is it from Tampa to Sarasota, Florida, via direct flights is given below:

Flying Distance

42 miles or 68 km

Flying Time

35 minutes

When flying non-stop from Tampa to Sarasota, FL, you can choose private jets for a deluxe flight experience. On the other hand, helicopters and public planes can offer non-stop flying services at affordable prices. Therefore, you can make an informed decision while choosing from these options to traverse the distance from Sarasota to Tampa.

Non-stop flying services are provided to various other tourist destinations in Florida including Miami. To know about these flights and other transport modes from Tampa to Miami, you can click here.

Traveling by Bus between Tampa and Sarasota

Public transportation can be an environment-friendly travel choice when visiting cities. Hence, you can take a bus from Tampa to Sarasota if you prefer public means of travel. Moreover, the bus tickets, being available at low prices, can make this mode more accessible to the general public.

How close is Sarasota to Tampa by bus travel can be known below:

Driving Distance

43 miles/69 km

Driving Time

1 hour and 35 minutes

Route: Buses between Tampa and Sarasota usually take the Westbound route at the East Ave. They pass through the Ringling BLVD. road.

The main stops that you may come across while covering the distance from Tampa to Sarasota by bus can include:

  • Cattlemen Station
  • Fix Bus Station
  • Greyhound Station

Note: You can book your bus tickets online to avoid the last-minute hassle.

In a Nutshell

The important factors affecting the travel time and the distance from Sarasota to Tampa were discussed in this post. Travel options like non-stop drives and road trips were elaborated upon. Flying conditions and various options were briefly seen. Expensive to affordable travel choices, all the means were also covered in this guide to help you travel on a budget.

You can visit our page to know the distance between major cities of the U.S. Our most recent post explains how far Kissimmee is from Orlando. The distance from Charlotte to Ashville has also been described by us. Click here to avail of these details.

Is Sarasota near Tampa Bay?

The city is located in the southern end of the Greater Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Its official limits include Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

How far is Sarasota from Tampa?

There are 42.68 miles from Sarasota to Tampa in north direction and 61 miles (98.17 kilometers) by car, following the I-75 N route. Sarasota and Tampa are 58 minutes far apart, if you drive non-stop .

Where is Sarasota in relationship to Tampa?

Perched along the Gulf of Mexico about an hour south of Tampa, the city of Sarasota covers around 15 square miles of land in Sarasota County.

What other cities are near Sarasota?

2021 Best Suburbs Surrounding Sarasota, Florida.
Bradenton. Population: 59,439. ... .
Port Charlotte. Population: 54,392. ... .
Longboat Key. Population: 7,323. ... .
North Port. Population: 68,628. ... .
Gulf Gate Estates. Population: 10,911. ... .
South Venice. Population: 13,949. ... .
Englewood. Population: 14,863. ... .
Sarasota Springs. Population: 14,395..