Dst In Sun Go Magazine – October 4, 2023
Take a festive trolley tour of Sarasota
Venice Gondolier GO | www.yoursun.com | OCTBER 4, 2023
Discover Sarasota Tours is getting a jump on the holidays — “haunted” ones and “Merry” ones.
“I love the holidays, and there is no better way to celebrate than dressing up and coming on one of our fun tours to enjoy the season together,” said Discover Sarasota Tours founder and CEO Tammy Hauser.
“The BooMobile is ideal for youngsters while the Haunted Sarasota Tour is geared for older ghost hunters,” she added. “The Christmas Carol Trolley: Letters to Santa is for children of all ages.”
Unlike city tours found in large metropolitan areas with thousands of potential riders, Hauser offers daytime and nighttime tours that vary by season.
Daytime sightseeing tour themes include art, Sarasota history, Amish area, city, circus, and architecture themes. Nighttime tours include a Murder Mystery Trolley, a sunset tour, and a music and craft beer tour.
Many of the nighttime tours include beer or wine for passengers before they board the trolley, and, on some tours, stops at local nightspots.
Hauser began with a basic sightseeing tour several years ago but has added tours of various themes ever since.
The circus history tour is led by Bob Collins, who was the publicist for “The Greatest Show on Earth” for many years after graduating from college.
What sets this tour company apart is the variety of tours offered, with discounts available for those who sign up for multiple tours.
The BooMobile is a 45-minute musical adventure on the trolley for kids ages 3 and older. Children and their parents will join WitchyPOO on her search for the missing Pumpkin all around downtown Sarasota’s historic landmarks. Tours run Oct. 13-30 from 6:30-7:15 p.m. Adult ghost hunters can win prizes for the best costume if they get in the spirit during October, although popular ghost tours are held throughout the year.
The Haunted Sarasota Tours run Friday nights year-round and at 8 p.m. Oct. 13-31. Guests must be 12 and older.
The Christmas Carol Trolley Tour: Letters to Santa is designed for families and features a Christmas carol sing-along, holiday stories, jokes and lights.
Tours are scheduled for Dec. 5-30 at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. In all there are some 16 different tours. Some like the ghost tours run throughout the year while the Halloween variation is just in October.