Vacation Basics

Staying Safe
From sun protection to swimming, a few simple rules.

Sun protection: It’s no longer cool to broil on the beach. Just a few hours in our intense sun can result in an immediate burn—and long-term skin damage,

Protect your skin from skin cancer (and wrinkles and aging spots) by keeping sunscreen on exposed areas—and not just while you’re on the beach. You can even get too much exposure on a long drive in Florida. Apply sunscreen whenever you are outside. Look for a waterproof sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB with a SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 30 rating or higher. Apply generously 30 minutes before sun exposure; keep applying it every two hours throughout the day—despite any “all day” claims. If it’s “very water resistant,” reapply every 90 minutes when swimming. If it’s “water resistant,” reapply every 40 minutes when swimming.

Sunscreen isn’t your only protection. Clothes are your skin’s second line of defense—but only the right clothes. The Skin Cancer Foundation suggests a few rules of thumb. Generally, the darker the garment, the more skin it covers, and the more tightly woven it is, the better. And there’s a whole new world of sun-protective fabric. Look for clothing offering UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) protection. UPF indicates how much UV radiation the garment absorbs. A fabric with a rating of 50 will allow only 1/50th of the sun’s UV rays to pass through. Tip: A local store, Environeers, offers a serious selection of sun-protective clothing and accessories. It sells women’s and men’s shirts, shorts, pants, skirts, dresses and beachwear with the highest available level of UPF protection. 5373 Fruitville Road, Sarasota; (941) 371-6208.

Dehydration can also be a problem in these latitudes. Bring lots of water or sports drinks if you’re going out in the sun.

Water safety If you’re walking in the water, do the “stingray shuffle”—slowly shuffle your feet to keep the critters away. If you’re bitten by a stingray or jellyfish, don’t panic! The sting does hurt, but isn’t usually harmful. Wash the area in warm water; use a topical antiseptic if you’ve got it; wrap the wound with something clean. Then get to a doctor, walk-in clinic, or emergency room. At the very least, you may need medication to help with the inflammation, infection and pain.

The glorious Gulf of Mexico hides strong currents and rip tides. What to do if you’re caught? Don’t freak out or fight against the current. Swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, then swim diagonally back to shore.

Lifeguards: When in doubt, ask a lifeguard. They’re available at six beaches: Lido, Siesta, Nokomis, North Jetty, Venice and Manasota.

Beach Flags
Beach flags provide information on swimming conditions:

Green

Good swimming conditions

Yellow

Use caution

Red

Dangerous swimming conditions

Double Red

Beach is closed to swimming

Purple

Hazardous marine life

Getting Around
However you travel around Sarasota, we’ve got the wheels for you.

Sarasota Pedicab Company offers bike cab tours of downtown Sarasota. (941) 724-2244.

Florida Ever-Glides provides guided Segway Personal Transporters tours of downtown Sarasota. (941) 363-9556.

Sarasota Trolley features 34-seat, open-air vehicles with traditional oak wood interiors. (941) 346-3115.

SRQ Trolley provides a variety of tours and special occasion uses, including city, bar hopping and holiday tours. (941) 538-1414.

Siesta Island Trolley offers two 25-passenger, open-air trolleys, and two 34-passenger, closed-air trolleys. Extras include catered trips, tours of holiday lights and pub crawling. (941) 915-3232. 


For more standard modes of transportation

• Bus service. (941) 861-1234.

• Yellow Cab of Sarasota: Servicing areas in Sarasota County only. (941) 955-3341.

• Roxy’s Airport Transportation: Servicing airports in Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg and Miami and also offering other long-distance transportation options. (941) 906-1010.

• Regal Transportation of Sarasota: Specializing in door-to-door luxury sedans and SUVs to airports in Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg and Miami. (941) 351-2547.

• Prime Time Limousines: Offering sedans, vans and limos for transportation to regional airports and other locations. (941) 792-3400.