In my personal estimation Clark Road East in Sarasota is one of the best locations in Sarasota!!! How do I know that? Because I’ve lived here for many years and have ‘experienced its goodness’ firsthand. Times were when Clark Rd East used to be the booneys, where only the lovers of country living moved to; you know, the folks who wanted to have their horses, cattle and acreage. But those folks knew something the rest of us took too long to find out, and which is, it is a really, really cool place to live. But now the secret is out and many people are discovering the benefits and conveniences of living in this part of Sarasota.
Where is Clark Road anyway?
Clark Road is on the I-75 East corridor of Sarasota. It is exit 205 on the I-75, and is the city of Sarasota’s first or last exit depending on which direction you are going on the interstate. Sarasota City has four I-75 exits, 213, 210, 207 and 205. Turning right on the exit ramp takes you to Clark Road West where you find your restaurants, shopping plazas, strip malls and everything you expect in anytown America. Clark Road West will also take you to Palmer Ranch, Siesta Key Beach, Downtown Sarasota and the rest of everywhere. But the left turn is what takes you eastwards to the evergreen and yet unspoiled area called Clark Road East.
Here are my 10 reasons why I believe it is one of the best places to live and thrive in Sarasota.
- Country Living close to the city. This is the main secret sauce that the early settlers knew and which I’m about to reveal to you. There is a lot of land, acreage, plenty of green forests, tall trees and more green forests to be had on Clark Road East. If you want to live a quiet country-like lifestyle and still be close to the city then this is the place for you. It affords you the best of both worlds, so to speak.
You are technically outside of city limits so you can have your cows, horses etc. if you want to. But you are super, super close to the city and can zip in and out without any issues. You have the luxury of going out to take care of business in the city, but leave all the noise behind and retreat into your oasis. I love it! If this is part of your dream of the Florida lifestyle, then be my guest!
2. Close to I-75 – Of all the great locations in Sarasota, it ranks high among those that have easiest access to the interstate I-75. Even the farthest community, which is The Forest at Hi Hat Ranch, is only 5 straight miles away from the I-75. And a close proximity to an interstate makes it easy to go everywhere and other parts of the state including Tampa and Miami.
3. Great school district – It is one of the most desirable school districts. The schools are Lakeview Elementary which has a gifted program, Sarasota Middle with its Panther Gifted Academy and Riverview High which has the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Suncoast Academy, a K-8 chartered school is also a few miles down the road.
4. Siesta Key Beach – It is close to Siesta Key Beach, the #1 beach in the USA too many times to count. Going to Siesta Key is a breeze. A straight drive on Clark Road West, one right turn and the powdery sugar-fine sands and majestic ocean await you.
5. Tamiami Trail – It is close to Tamiami Trailor Route 41 which is the North/South main road that runs from Tampa, along the entire Sarasota Manatee coastline and all the way to Miami. Hence the name Tamiami an abbreviated form of Tampa-Miami (Ta-Miami). Not many places in Sarasota have such easy access to both I-75 and Tamiami Trl.
6. Lorraine Road – Lorraine used to be the former Bee Ridge Extension. It has now been improved and gives you access to Fruitville Road East and Lakewood Ranch, with some breaks in between. It gives you access to that part of town if you do not want to get on the I-75. An easy and no-stress drive. At this time Lorraine does not connect directly to Fruitville but it’s in the plan for the future.
7. Equestrian Communities – Are you into horses? Do you dream of going into horses? There are a number of equestrian communities dotted along the road such as Saddle Oaks and Saddle Creek. These are gated, acreage communities that allow you to own a house with animals, barns, stables on large tracts of land.
8. New Construction/Communities – Clark Road East has become one of the new frontiers for new construction in Sarasota. Examples of these are Skye Ranch by Taylor Morrison, Grand Park by Neal Communities, Rivo Lakes by M/I Homes, Heron Landing by Meritage Homes, Waverley by Medallion Homes, Sandhill Lake by Heritage Builders and Forest at Hi Hat Ranch. These are all communities that are offering new construction or have just sold out.
9. Twin Lakes Park – One of foremost parks in Sarasota County, Twin Lakes is just half a mile off the exit. It is a beautiful park with picnic pavilions, and playground and a walking path along one of the ‘twin lakes” . And it is a hub for youth sports with facilities for soccer, baseball, and football. If you have school aged children who are into sports, then living close to Twin Lakes Park is a big plus.
10. Myakka State Park – Another goodie to be found on Clark Road East is the Myakka State Park, the 37,000 acre nature park which is the oldest and one of the largest parks in the entire state of Florida. It is just about 9 miles from the Clark Road exit 205. The park is a natural habitat for many of Florida’s native wild life including alligators. When next in Sarasota, plan to spend a day at this beautiful slice of paradise. Some of the enjoyable features are a canoe launch, fishing pier, canopy walkway, hiking trails, pontoon river cruise, bird and wild life (alligator) watching, picnic facilities, bicycle trails and much more. Or just buy a house, move here and enjoy many, many unforgettable days at this one-of-a-kind park.
In a nutshell, if your dream for your Florida lifestyle is a little bit of quiet away from the city but close enough, in an estate home on a large lot or acreage with open spaces, greenery and nature all around you, then consider buying or building a home on Clark Road East in Sarasota. If you want to explore this possibility or want more information about communities in the area, contact me.
Millicent Schandorf-Lartey is a realtor in Florida. She’s lived in Sarasota for more than 10 years and serves the entire Sarasota-Bradenton area. She can be reached on 941-960-3580 or visit her website https://homesbymillicent.com/
