Volume 10 | October 2021
October Piece Of Paradise:
Ghost Tour
Sarasota County celebrated its Centennial Anniversary this summer. With one hundred plus years of history under its belt, we thought this Halloween season would be a perfect time to delve into the county's spooky past. A quick internet search for "Sarasota ghost tours" yielded several results. We ended up on the Ghosts and Gruesomes Walking Tour.
Tour guide Troy set the mood.
Worth noting: we stopped at Brewster's Tavern and Gastropub prior to the tour and enjoyed a killer Bloody Mary.

Our tour guide, Troy, delivered the perfect mix of local trivia and sordid history with a dry, tongue-in-cheek persona and special effects. We'll respect his craft by not spoiling all the surprises of our first few minutes - but suffice it to say we felt "protected" from any mean-spirited ghosts who might have been inclined to join us.

The walking tour started in Five Points Park and stayed within a roughly eight block radius. There were plenty of pauses and even an indoor air conditioning/restroom break.
There were stories about well-known venues like the Sarasota Opera House, and opportunities to explore paranormal activities in inconspicuous dark alleys.
Part of the fun was hearing a different perspective on popular venues, like the Sarasota Opera House and Florida Studio Theatre. Our favorite story involved John Ringling and a secret passage to the ultimate hangout space, but we were also intrigued by the tale of a young actress who met an untimely death on her way to a party...

The tour website encourages attendees to bring a camera. There were several stops on the tour at which we were invited to take pictures to test our orb-capturing skills/luck (bad luck?). We ended up going back to some of those spots after the tour for a little extra orb-catching adventure.
Electromagnetic Field (EMF) readers are a common ghost hunting tool.
The Selby Library was our last stop of the tour. Instead of fireworks for a grand finale, we got some unexplainable activity on the EMF reader, and a very finicky flickering ceiling light above our heads. OooooOOOoOOOoOOohhhhhh...

Despite being a far cry from professional (or even amateur) ghost hunters, our group had lots of fun with this uniquely Sarasota experience.
Nearby Considerations
Metal rail sculpture as we exited downtown
Not far from downtown Sarasota rests the historic Rosemary Cemetary. Departing from the Selby Library (where our ghost tour ended), we decided to continue indulging the Halloween spirit with a "scary" walk/jog. Our route would include passing the cemetary, traveling through Pioneer Park, and making our way through the mangroves of The Bay. For extra effect we downloaded the Zombies, Run! app to play as we went.
Rosemary Cemetary
Although the app would have been more effective in a solitary, dark setting... our group enjoyed the concept (we don't advise running alone in the dark on this route). It was easy to re-imagine some of Sarasota's most peaceful scenes as the sites of haunted playgrounds - from industrial lots to tombstones to twinkling waterfronts and grassy marshes.
Mangroves along The Bay path
Homeowner Tip
Arrange for Home Watch Up North
It's not just your Sarasota home that could benefit from Home Watch services. Before you head south for the winter, touch base with a professional Home Watch provider in your hometown. Knowing your home is in good hands will help you to fully relax and appreciate the beauty that Sarasota has to offer when you're here. We're happy to help you vet potential providers.
Coastal Haven Home Watch of Sarasota delivers peace of mind... for your piece of paradise. Share your Sarasota pieces of paradise with us! We'll include them in an upcoming newsletter for other Home Watch clients to consider during their next stay in Sarasota.