Sarasota By Foot

The New Year’s Resolution You’ll Be Happy to Keep

By William Bradford Nichols

January 2021 — The year 2020 was, well, difficult. When it comes to years, I think it is safe to say we have all had better. 

Who will forget the massive upheaval brought by the global pandemic? Children ordered home from school—and some still have not returned. At first, my family had fun with lockdown. We set up a tent in the living room, binged ridiculous shows like The Tiger King, re-watched the entire series of The Office, stocked up board games and books, and tried to make the most of our newfound time together. Then boredom set in.

We needed something else to do. Pandemic or no, we had to get out of the house. So, my whole family started walking. All six of us. We walked on every trail we could find, from Snead Island up in Palmetto to Nathan Benderson Park here in Sarasota. When life began to return to some semblance of normalcy, we started walking in the city too. 

Now, with the arrival of 2021, it is time to ponder that pesky tradition: The New Year’s Resolution. If you are like me, you have made and broken so many of these that you perhaps have become cynical about the value of this ritual yearly pledge. However, I beg you to lay such pessimism aside and rediscover the joy of walking outside. 

Grab a comfortable pair of shoes, a bottle of water, and discover these three routes for yourself, if you have not already. And even if you have. 

The John Ringling Causeway Bridge

What you will need: comfy sneakers, some water so you can stay hydrated, and a mask.

Depending on how far you venture, this route can take about an hour to two and half hours round trip. This depends on whether you just want to cross the bridge or if you want to go all the way St. Armand’s Circle. If I go by myself it takes about an hour to get there. If I take the kids, it is about an hour and a half. For reference, I walk about 15 minutes a mile when I am by myself and I average between 18 to 20 minutes a mile if I am walking with the whole family. 

Parking: I like to park in the vicinity of Marina Jack and Island Park. Parking can be rare in the free spaces but there are plenty of parking garages in the area.  

This route is brisk, fun, and will take you 65 feet up in the air for some of the most gorgeous views of Sarasota Bay, the beach, and the city to be had. It is not a bad place to watch the sunset either. You can turn around when the bridge hits land again and by the time you get back you will have walked about 2.5 miles and burned about 100 calories depending on your speed and body type. You will also have caught some pretty cool breezes and seen some awesome sights. Keep an eye on the water too. Dolphin sightings are not as rare as you might think!

The longer route, to St. Armand’s Circle, will take you about 2.5 miles one-way and almost 5 whole miles round trip. That is between 250 – 500 calories according to my fitbit. Which is good because once you get there, you are probably going to want to reward yourself and there are lots of places there to do it. 

One thing to consider is that, even though the walkway is large enough to accommodate walkers, runners, and cyclists, it is not big enough for you to maintain six feet of distance from all of those people all of the time. Since you will not be able to properly social distance the whole time, you are probably going to want to wear a mask. At least until things get back to normal.

St. Armands Circle

What you will need: some comfortable shoes, your wallet or purse, tons of will power. 

Whether you make the circle a part of your walk across the bridge or decide to turn it into a walk itself, St. Armand’s Circle has plenty to offer. Though not as long or strenuous a route as the John Ringling Causeway, you can easily burn up some calories and walk well over a mile as you navigate the circle, its side streets, and shops. If you have just crossed the bridge and are looking for some indulgences, pick up some gelato or ice cream. 

When I happen to be there at lunch time, I stop in at The Columbian Restaurant. Their tapas are to die for—especially the Ybor City Deviled Crab Croquettes—and the mojitos will make glad you took this walk. Almost all of the eateries around the Circle have open air seating and all are upholding CDC guidelines. 

Whatever you decide, just remember that between the eating and sipping you can help burn those calories off by walking through the park at the center of the circle or skirting the edges for some shopping. And if you have already walked enough, there is always dancing. At normal times, the park is home to numerous festivals and events. Remember this place gets busy and can be crowded. You will want to wear your mask here too.

By now you must be wondering about those trailheads I mentioned earlier. Ok, let’s get out in nature.

Celery Fields

What you will need: some good running or hiking shoes, some water, a camera or binoculars (preferably both), and a mask, even though you likely will not need it. 

Situated in the westernmost area of Sarasota, Celery Fields is an area of restored wetlands sitting on about 360 acres. It boasts over 4 miles of hiking trails around its perimeter, with one more mile wrapping around the 85-foot-tall hill that juts up from the landscape and allows for impeccable sunset and bird watching. According to the Sarasota Audubon Society, winter is the best time to view some of the 246 species that have been recorded in the fields. 

The walk up the hill is not for the faint of heart, but the views are absolutely worth the toil. There is even an opportunity to have that teachable moment with your children or grandkids at the Audubon Nature Center located at the front of the park. Or, sans children, to learn a little about the area and its wildlife yourself.

Regardless of resolutions you make for 2021, you will not regret resolving to get out and walk more. After all, isn’t the beauty of the Southwest Florida outdoors part of the reason we all live here anyway? See you on the trail!