Sarasota earns honors as top Southern city

It’s up for debate whether Florida truly qualifies as part of “the South,” but local leaders are definitely excited about a new ranking that lists Sarasota as one of the gems of the region.

Readers of Southern Living magazine voted Sarasota No. 9 on its list of “The South’s Best Cities.” Sarasota did even better on the magazine’s ranking of “The South’s Prettiest Cities,” placing fifth on that list.

In both cases, Sarasota was the top-ranked city in Florida. City Manager Tom Barwin and Visit Sarasota County President Virginia Haley said they were happy to see the city land on the magazine’s lists.  

The lists are the latest in an ongoing series of accolades Sarasota has earned in various rankings. Previous honors have recognized local beaches, quality of life, walkability and more.