While Lakewood Ranch's Signature Events and regular schedule of festivals can easily keep you busy, the surrounding area offers - in addition to the world famous beaches - a wealth of things to see and do. From museums and gardens to theme and water parks; from hot air balloons to the Richard Petty Driving Experience, some of the greatest attractions, entertainment and non-stop family fun are only a short drive from your Lakewood Ranch home. Here are just a few:

Disney World, Sea World, and Universal Studios; Water Parks include Aquatica, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach and Wet & Wild.

Ringling Museum of Art, C'a d'Zan Mansion (Ringling Home), Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Sarasota Jungle Gardens, Circus Sarasota, Sarasota Classic Car Museum, Crowley Museum, Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum, South Florida Museum, Parker Manatee Aquarium, and Bishop Planetarium and G Wiz Science Museum and the Pittsburg Pirates Spring Training at McKechnie Field.

Busch Gardens, Canoe Escape, Adventure Island, Florida Aquarium, Children's Museum of Tampa, Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) and Lowery Park Zoo.

In addition, there are countless state parks such as Myakka and Oscar Scherer for sightseeing, camping, canoeing, kayaking, fishing and other outdoor activities. For more information on area attractions, visit the Sarasota and Manatee Convention and Visitor Bureaus.