Plethora of Local Activities Available Online

From live webcams to virtual nature walks and tours, there are plenty of ways to experience popular local attractions from the comfort and safety of home this summer—and, as an added bonus, they are free.

Several of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s exhibits—manatees, North American river otters and large sharks—are available for daily digital viewing via live webcams on its website (Mote.org).

Those wanting a view of the world-famous Siesta Key sand and the turquoise waters of Florida's Gulf Coast are in luck. EarthCam serves up those award-winning Siesta Beach views daily on its website (EarthCam.com/usa/florida/sarasota/?cam=siestabeach).

Thanks to the daily live webcam from The Bay Sarasota—a community-involved redevelopment initiative—folks can watch the sunrise, experience a signature Sarasota sunset or just check out the afternoon weather across Sarasota Bay from high above downtown Sarasota. (Visit TheBaySarasota.org/live-feed.)

Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources (PRNR) offers a variety of virtual ways for online visitors to stay connected with the county’s parks system, including Stretching at Woodmere Park with the Sarasota County Wellness Team; Nature Walk at Old Miakka Preserve; Slither and Hiss: Snakes of Florida at Shamrock Park; Nesting Shorebirds at Lido Beach with Audubon Florida; as well as a tour of Dr. C.B. Wilson House at Urfer Family Park and Edson Keith Mansion at Phillippi Estate Park.

For more information about PRNR’s virtual and home programming, visit scgov.net/government/parks-recreation-and-natural-resources/things-to-do/virtual-programming.

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