Get a head start on your New Year in Sarasota

The start of the year marks our declarations of healthy living and losing those newly gained holiday pounds. One of the perks of lovely year-round weather is the opportunity to get outside and participate in activities so enjoyable, you won’t even realize they’re technically exercise.

Many of Sarasota’s most popular yoga studios feature indoor and outdoor classes, and Siesta Key Beach makes the perfect setting for restorative yoga on one’s own. Yoga Nights at the Ringling Art Museum merges sun salutations with historic art for a unique, memorable evening.

Stand Up Paddleboarding is a fun adventure and a phenomenal workout. The combination of balancing and paddling while countering currents and waves targets your lower, upper, and middle muscles without you realizing it. Stroll down the beach or Lido Key mangrove tunnels for the added bonus of sea life interaction.

Runners can enjoy their sport year-round in Sarasota. Challenge yourself on John Ringling Bridge for an incline or trot along the coast to reach your daily step goal. The soft sand adds a level of difficulty and novelty. For advanced enthusiasts, there’s a path amongst Myakka’s 38.9 miles of trails and scout for swimming gators while crossing the suspended 100-foot long canopy walkway.

Between Sarasota and Venice spans the Legacy Bike Trail, a 12-mile route that once served as a railroad. Its off-the-road location surrounds pedal pushers with green views and nature galore. Bike rentals are available for those without their own wheels.

Jive those inches off at The Sarasota Ballet which offers drop-in adult courses to merge the culture of Sarasota with some plie bends. Or, stumble upon the Drum Circle on Siesta Key Beach, where happy bodies swivel and sway upon the sand and under the shining moon.