Sarasota Circus Secrets: Historian-Led Cultural Tour

Discover the hidden secrets of Sarasota’s circus history on a historian-led cultural tour. Uncover the fascinating stories behind the Big Top and its influence on the city’s arts and culture scene. Book now!

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • St. Armands Circle - Discover the circus heritage of Sarasota with tour guide Bob Collins. Visit significant city landmarks and listen to tales of the vibrant circus personalities, showmen, and performers who made Sarasota their home.
  • Indian Beach/Sapphire Shores - Indian Beach/Sapphire Shores is a lush bayside neighborhood featuring the John…
What's Included
  • Bottled water
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
Additional Information

Embark on an unforgettable journey through Circus City USA, uncovering its hidden gems and delightful tales! This tour delves into the circus history of Sarasota, offering a fascinating historical insight into the circus’s influence on the region.
Visit iconic circus landmarks with your captivating tour guide, Bob Collins, a former marketing executive…

Location
1826 4th St
4th Street
Off Fruitville, behind the Breakfast House
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(73 Ratings)
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7057lbn
Feb 17, 2025
Fascinating and fun - What a fascinating tour. Bob is so knowledgeable and has such a clear and good-humored delivery. Even though I live in Sarasota, those circus secrets were a surprise. A really nice way to spend time, and Michael gave is a good ride.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
668stephana
Jan 26, 2025
A Very Fun and Informative Tour - Excellent! - What a great tour with guide Bob Collins. The area was the home of the Ringling Brothers Circus, and their is so much history locally that was tied to the circus operations and the people who were involved. Bob has a wealth of knowledge that he shares and he made the tour fun and very interesting!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Betsymacomber
Jan 26, 2025
Exciting tour - Always the highlight of our Winters here Do yourself a huge favor and get in this tour Sarasota still embraces so many of the circus families to this day so the excitement never ends
Review provided by Tripadvisor
167kristinas
Dec 1, 2024
Absolutely worth it! - Fantastic! We are locals and though we knew some of the information, we both learned a lot! Bob's presentation style was smooth and mellow yet he talked the tire time so lots and lots of great info.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cheryllm9096hc
Sep 22, 2024
Circus Secrets 2024 - This the tour to take to learn all about Sarasota and Circus people. I didn't realize how much the Circus was a big part of the Arts and Cultural world. I have much more of appreciation for the Circus.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jjiskm
Apr 16, 2024
Fun and Informative Trolley Tour - We booked this tour for an Art Association activity and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We were all over the City from The Ringling to Payne Park. Bob was excellent at sharing his knowledge and experience with the Ringling Circus. Gretchen was an excellent driver. It was a fun and knowledgeable experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pioneer00859711041
Mar 11, 2024
Wonderful Tour! - Wonderful tour. Our guide Bob was phenomenal. From a very early age he dreamed of working for Ringling and for many years he did. Ringlings had so much influence on the Sarasota area and this tour really gave us a greater appreciation of their contributions. Loved the tour. Was sad when it was over.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Foxhillgirl
Mar 10, 2024
Find the hidden gems! - Excellent tour! We have done many of the circus related attractions in Sarasota. We learned a lot about the history of the circus and its impact on the development of the city. Bob is quite knowledgeable and shared information in a most inviting way.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tom
Mar 5, 2024
Ringling Museum Visit - This is an amazing display to fully appreciate what bringing the circus meant to cities across America in the early 1900
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Terimy3128vw
Feb 19, 2024
Great tour - The guide was knowledgeable and friendly. I learned a lot and the sites were fascinating. The circus history buffs in our group loved this tour. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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