Four Date-Night Dinner Drives in Sarasota by Exotic Car

The best dinner with an exotic car starts with the route, not the restaurant. Here are four Sarasota options, each with a different mood, and what to think about for parking and timing.

Downtown Sarasota

The easiest option. Downtown has a walkable grid of restaurants and bars near Main Street, and it is a short drive from the bayfront. Leave time to find parking, and ask the restaurant about valet before you arrive.

St. Armands Circle

Cross the Ringling Bridge for a dinner on the Circle. The bridge itself is part of the drive, and the Circle is compact, so you can park once and walk. It gets busy in the evening, so aim to arrive before the peak.

Siesta Key Village

A casual, beachy dinner. Drive the length of Siesta Key with the top down if the weather allows, and expect slow traffic and a lot of pedestrians. It suits a convertible well.

Longboat Key

The quieter, more upscale option. Gulf of Mexico Drive is a longer, calmer drive, and the dining tends to be resort and club oriented. It is the right route for a Rolls-Royce.

Planning tips

Book the car for a 4-hour block that covers the drive and the dinner, tell us the address and the time, and ask the restaurant where to leave the car. If anyone will be drinking, plan a sober driver or a ride home.