2026

Some places make family time feel easier, and Wellen Park is one of them. It has that relaxed Florida rhythm families usually hope for when they plan a stay near Sarasota County. There are places to walk, sit, eat, play, listen to music, spend time by the water, and return to a comfortable rental at the end of the day. You do not have to plan every hour to feel like the trip is working. That is what...

Owning a vacation rental in Florida can be a lovely idea at first. You have a home in a place people already want to visit, and in areas like Sarasota, Longboat Key, Wellen Park, and Siesta Key, the demand can feel promising from the start. But simply owning a property in a good location does not guarantee consistent bookings or solid returns. The gap between a property that performs well and one that...

Wellen Park has always understood that outdoor living is one of the biggest reasons people fall in love with Southwest Florida. With more than 30 miles of existing trails, a lakeside downtown, community events, paddleboarding, kayaking, and easy access to nearby beaches, it already gives residents and guests plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors. Now, that outdoor lifestyle is expanding even...

Hurricane season is just around the corner, and in Sarasota and the surrounding Gulf Coast communities, people know this time of year deserves a little extra attention. Longboat Key, Siesta Key, Casey Key, Venice, and other coastal areas are beautiful places to visit, but they are also places where tropical weather is taken seriously when conditions start to change. That does not mean you should cancel...

Is your swimsuit ready for another Florida summer? Sarasota is one of those places where a summer day can begin on the beach, continue beneath a canopy of mangroves, and end with seafood, live entertainment, or a sunset beside the Gulf. Some experiences belong on nearly every first-time visitor’s list, while others introduce you to places that are easier to overlook. Summer in Sarasota is warm and...

Most golf communities in Florida follow a predictable formula - a flat course, a pool, and a clubhouse that smells faintly of carpet cleaner. Lakewood National Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch is a different story. The two Arnold Palmer-designed courses here have ranked among GolfPass's highest-rated public courses in recent years, and the community built around them has become one of the most sought-after...

Most people associate the Legacy Trail with Venice and Sarasota. It makes sense, the trail has been running between those two cities since 2008 and has built a loyal following of cyclists, walkers, and inline skaters over the years. But there is a lesser-known entry point that not enough people talk about, and it happens to sit right here in North Port. In today’s post, we will walk you through five...

Sixty-five years ago, North Port had only a handful of residents. Today it is the largest city in Sarasota County by both land area and population, covering nearly 100 square miles and home to nearly 90,000 people. That kind of growth does not happen by accident, and it does not slow down easily either. In January 2026, U-Haul ranked North Port the second-highest growth city in the United States, and the...

Florida is one of the best-known travel hotspots in the United States, and the numbers prove it. In 2025 alone, the state welcomed more than 140 million visitors, marking another record-breaking year for tourism. From beaches and golf communities to theme parks and coastal towns, Florida continues to draw travelers from across the country and around the world. If you are planning your Florida vacation...

Downtown Wellen has been the social heart of Wellen Park since its first phase opened in 2023, and it has been busy ever since. Lakeside dining, live events on the Great Lawn, paddleboarding on Grand Lake, and a walkable streetscape that feels more like a coastal town center than a master-planned community. It set a high bar, and Phase 2 is about to raise it further. In this post, we will cover what is...