Carefully controlled growth over the years has pushed the city eastward, with wave after wave of neighborhoods coming of age. These newer developments blend with historic areas of downtown Sarasota extending the city's charming metropolitan essence inward. ... more.Move further east and you'll find spectacular Lakewood Ranch, the talk of Florida, which is a brand-new community that's become a city unto itself with its own shopping, hospital, schools and corporate centers. Naturally, there are innumerable golf courses, parks, greenways and recreational facilities. All have been painstakingly planned to exist in harmony with the natural surroundings, whose preservation lends so much to the popularity and prestige of Sarasota's eastern quarters.
Move still further eastward and you'll inhabit a world of small equestrian haciendas, gentleman farms, countryside estates and grove-side neighborhoods. Rich in history, these areas afford plenty of room to spread out in a style to suit your fancy. Pure nature, open expanses of land, and quiet countryside surroundings offer sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of city life.