Sarasota, Florida not only has beautiful beaches, it is also home to Ca’ d’Zan, meaning “House of John”, a Venetian-style mansion built-in the 1920s by John Ringling, of the Ringling Brothers Circus, and his wife, Mable.  The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and Circus Museums are also located on the 20 acre waterfront property.  My friend Deanna and I drove 45 minutes North of Cape Coral to explore the complex.

The massive terrace has gorgeous views of the water…

I should begin at the beginning of our day.  Our agenda included a brief stop at one of Florida’s most beautiful beaches…Siesta Key.  Walking barefoot along the wide white sandy beach our feet were cold in the morning sand.

Now…we’re back at the Ringling complex.  Walking the grounds, we came upon a playground and I captured Deanna having a bit of fun on the slide…

The gardens are filled with sun-kissed fragrant flowers and regal statues…

I asked Deanna if she had stopped to smell the roses, to which she replied “No”, so with the guidance of the resident gardener, we gave our noses a treat inhaling an assortment of delicious sweet scents…

 Spanish moss hung from low-lying branches…

Emotion laden statues beckoned to be photographed…

 A different perspective…

The blue skies, green palm trees, coral colored architecture, and manicured gardens created a breathtaking landscape…

Urns overflowing with colorful flowers lined the porticos…

Walking closer, the view is even more beautiful…

Deanna couldn’t resist having her favorite statue take a selfie.  His look of infatuation is evident!

The Circus museums are fascinating!  Here’s the original human cannon used by the Ringling Brother’s Circus!

You’ll find original costumes and the train cars the circus used to travel to their destinations…

The Art Museum displays predominately Baroque style paintings, along with some rotating exhibits.  For lunch we dined at one of their on-site restaurants…Treviso’s, savoring a beefy burger and fries.  Give yourself at least 3-4 hours to check out everything.

Our final visit was the Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy.  Accepting donations rather than charging an entrance fee, it features a small interior with an array of “whimsical” and interesting pieces.  The outdoor courtyard is special…

Once back in Cape Coral, we ended the day watching the sunset at Cape Coral Yacht Club…

Another fun and beautiful day trip in sunny Florida!