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. Explore 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…
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 rich circus history of Sarasota, offering a fascinating historical insight into the circus’s influence on the region.
Join the charismatic tour guide, Bob Collins, a former marketing executive for Ringling Bros. and…

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
(79 Ratings)
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_kkobinsky
Mar 31, 2026
Sarasota city tour. - Fun and interesting, Pat is an entertaining and informative guide, this tour exceeded my expectations!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deb
Mar 7, 2026
Entertaining and Interesting Tour - Our guide, Bob, was very knowledgeable about the history of the Ringling family and the Circus. We saw many interesting sites connected to the Circus and he explained how the Ringlings helped to develop Sarasota in the early 1900's
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Suzanne_p
Mar 7, 2026
Circus Secrets Tour - The tour was very interesting and a lot of insight into the history of the Sarasota circus The tour guide was very interactive with the tourists and shared his experiences being involved in the Circus.
Review provided by Viator
Drakeandfriends
Nov 15, 2025
Great way to explore beautiful Sarasota - Discover Sarasota Tours offers several great options for exploring beautiful Sarasota and its history, including the importance of the circus to the city's development. For all of the company's tour options, the guides are engaging and knowledgeable, the drivers are skilled, and all of the staff are friendly and helpful. I'm looking forward to trying the Amish experience next.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N3497lisusans
May 10, 2025
Enjoyed it! - I've lived in Sarasota 25 years, never though I'd take a tour of Sarasota but am happy I did. Bob is an entertaining, informative speaker having worked for the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey circus. The driver John was very pleasant, check-in was cordial, all making for a delightful afternoon.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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
Buttaggi1
Apr 4, 2026
Circus secrets revealed! - Booking on line was easy…checking in either Susan felt like a concierge experience. Tour guide Bob not only knew his stuff, but his photos and stories brought the circus to life!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $86
up to 4 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).