OSSN Discovers the Magic of the Gulf Coast!
by Melody Fee, OSSN Vice President

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But what else is GREAT about this area of Florida? Well, let me tell you! It is a tourism paradise! Florida’s West Coast (between Tampa to the north and Ft. Myers to the south, include some of the following areas of interest--Casey Key, Englewood, Lido Key, Longboat Key, Manasota Key, Nokomis, North Port, Osprey, Siesta Key, and of course, St. Armands Key, a shopper's paradise! It's geography includes over 570 miles of land with over 35 miles of beaches to explore! And with an average high temperature of 82 degrees and average low of 61 degrees, tourists can count on lovely weather year round!

This area, also known as Florida’s "Cultural Coast" is home to TWO professional symphonies, a ballet and an opera. In addition, more than 10 theaters and 30 art galleries are located in the Sarasota area. The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art is Florida’s State Museum and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, known for its architecture and great acoustics, seats 1,700 people and features a dazzling season of music, shows and programs for all ages.

From botanical gardens to a year-round spring with 87-degree waters, Sarasota has a variety of attractions appropriate for family enjoyment. Visitors to the area can visit Mote Aquarium, G.Wiz (Gulfcoast Wonder & Imagination Zone), Historic Spanish Point, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Museum of Asian Art, Sarasota Jungle Gardens, Warm Mineral Springs, Pelican Man’s Bird Sanctuary and more.

Let's not forget to mention Myakka River State Park, with 28,875 acres of land, and Oscar Scherer State Park which are both Sarasota’s destinations for bird-watching, biking, walking, camping or just communing with Florida’s natural setting of swamps, palmetto brush and towering pine trees. Myakka State Park offers guided boat and train tours that include informative narration of the area’s wildlife and history as well as a new Canopy Walkway in the treetops. For the fishing sportsman, there are also over great fishing piers, 15 area marinas and 12 publid boat ramps from which to launch!

Florida’s “Cradle of Golf,” Sarasota was home to the first course in the state and one of America’s first golf courses built in 1905 by Sir John Hamilton Gillespie, a Scottish colonist. The nine-hole course was located in the heart of todays downtown near today’s Golf, Links and Gillespie streets. The community’s early ties to golf can still be found today at Bobby Jones Golf Complex. Designed by famed architect Donald Ross, the course opened on Sunday, February 13, 1927, and was personally dedicated by Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. In 1930 Bobby Jones won the “Grand Slam of Golf” – by sweeping the British Amateur, British Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open; he is the only golfer ever to accomplish this feat. Today, Sarasota offers more than 1,000 holes at public, semi-private and private courses. Additional information about Sports and Recreation in the Sarasota Area can be found at www.sarasotasports.org.

And the most up and coming new area that OSSN executive enjoy is the lovely LAKEWOOD RANCH area! With it's own brand new "Town Center" featuring adorable boutiques, and fabulous restaurants, Lakewood Ranch is the new trendy spot to be seen! With close proximity to all of Sarasota's attractions, LWR offers the extra pleasures of a whole different lifestyle. Home of Sarasota Polo Ranches, its serenity and "sanctuary" are a part of what makes it urban BUT still country. It's a upscale planned community that did not forget about "the country" while still incorporating the luxury that locals and tourist both require to be happy!

With an adorable handful of boutique hotels, including the ONLY Holiday Inn to be a four-time winner of the prestigious "Quality Excellence and Torch Bearer Award" for outstanding service. One of two prototypes, , this completely unique Holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch, is really an upscale hotel at a mid-scale price. I've already used it often for my clients and they LOVE its contemporary ranch style lobby accented with a southwestern motif, fireplace, and executive business center. The "Alamo" restaurant and bar located in the hotel is also always a BIG hit with my guests! In fact, when OSSN puts together our FAM for Sarasota and Manatee County next spring, you can be sure it is one of the properties OSSN members will be staying at! Its "sister property" also run by Kinzman Hospitality, is the Fairmont Inn and Suites, also in Lakewood Ranch and is a " jewel," as well. For more information about either of these hotels, you can contact their great director of sales, Ms Becky Miller at 941-772-4404 or by email at becky.miller@hilr.com As I consider future group business that I would like to bring to our new area, including Lakewood Ranch, I know it will be great for groups to be able to access the wide variety of activities in both Manatee and Sarasota counties, as well as activities north of us in St Petersburg or Tampa, by utilizing these hotel properties situated so close to interstate 75, and providing easy access to so many great areas and activities! You can reach Kelly Dixon of the Sarasota Convention Bureau also at 941.955.0991 ext. 105 kdixon@sarasotafl.org

So now you have it! Just a few of the reasons that OSSN has made the big move to the Gulf Coast of wonderful Florida! We'll be seeing you here when you come to our new "neck of the woods!" ( You can join us for some FUN "tailgating" at the Sarasota Polo matches!) AND we REALLY hope to see you at the upcoming OSSN National Conference in San Jose, CA! Our Western Regional Manager, Anita Balamane has organized an absolutely fabulous agenda for that event! The question is…."Do you know the way to San Jose?" We sure hope so! See you there!

* Photos courtesy Melody Fee, Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch