New History Hop Trolley Tours: Englewood, Sarasota, Venice
DISCOVER SARASOTA COUNTY HISTORY
NEW History Hop Trolley Tours Offered
By Discover Sarasota Tours
During the week of March 14-16, 2023, Discover Sarasota Tours will offer three separate days of trolley tours in three Sarasota County towns: March 14 – Englewood, March 15 – Sarasota and March 16 – Venice.
Two 90-minute tours each day running at 10 AM and 1 PM will explore historic buildings, neighborhoods and communities. Each air-conditioned trolley tour will be led by a tour guide and include spots to hop off the trolley for docent-led tours.
In Englewood, guests will tour the Historic Green Street Church and the Englewood Area History Museum to learn about Lemon Bay. In Sarasota, hop-offs occur at the Bidwell-Wood House, Crocker Memorial Church and the Whittaker Cemetery. In Venice, the tour begins at the Historic Venice Train Depot and the recently restored Ringling Circus Car Museum and continues through the downtown historic district.
The Englewood tour is led by Don Bayley of the Englewood Museum; in Sarasota and Venice, Kathryn Chesley, Discover Sarasota Tours guide and resident historian will lead the tours.
The History Hop Trolley Tours grew out of the recent Sarasota County Centennial Celebration and is a partnership with the three historical societies.
Don Bayley, Vice President of Englewood Museum said: “The Englewood Museum at the Lampp House and the Lemon Bay Historical Society are looking forward to the History Hop Trolley coming to Englewood. We have lots of fascinating history to share! We thank Discover Sarasota Tours for this exciting opportunity.”
“One of the most pleasurable and instructive ways to experience the neighborhoods, the history and the culture of a city is to be part of a guided trolley tour,” said Marsha Fottler, President of the Historical Society of Sarasota County. “We love it when the Discover Sarasota Tours trolley pulls into our two heritage properties at Pioneer Park and the visitors on board get to discover us. We are delighted to participate in History Hop Week, March 14-16 because it’s good for history education and good for our city. And you don’t have to be a tourist to enjoy it. We can all learn more and have fun doing it.”
“The Venice Area Historical Society is excited to partner with Discover Sarasota Tours to offer highlight tours of the Historic Venice Depot Campus,” said George W. Miller, of the Venice Area Historical Society. “Displays in the Depot chronicle the major milestones in the City’s development and in the construction and history of the Depot. Exhibits in the nearby Circus Train Car colorfully depict Venice’s circus history and legacy. Also featured in the car are an arena miniature and rooms that illustrate how circus performers lived on the train.”
“Discover Sarasota Tours has been leading historical tours of Sarasota for the past four years. I am delighted to be able to expand our existing historical tours to the rest of Sarasota County,” said Founder and CEO Tammy Hauser. “I am also delighted to be able to support the efforts of our historical society partners by donating a portion of the net proceeds from these tours to them to continue their important work of preserving and presenting the history of these incredibly rich an interesting areas,” she added.
2023 marks the first year of History Hop Trolley which is expected to continue in future years as a weeklong Sarasota County history celebration.
Tour tickets can be booked online at DiscoverSarasotaTours.com or by calling 941-260-9818.
Each tour departs from and returns to the same starting point:
- ENGLEWOOD Tour departs from Historic Green Street Church at 510 South Indiana Avenue in Englewood on Tuesday, March 14 at 10 AM & 1 PM.
- SARASOTA Tour departs from The Trolley Cottage at 1826 4th Street in Sarasota on Wednesday, March 15 at 10 AM & 1 PM.
- VENICE Tour departs from the Historic Venice Train Depot, 303 East Venice Avenue in Venice on Thursday, March 16 at 10 AM & 1 PM.
A portion of net proceeds will be donated to each participating historical society partner to support the programs and services they provide that keep Sarasota County history alive.
ALL guests must be 12+. No children under 12 allowed except on family tours designed for children. Every guest must have a paid ticket in order to board.
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ABOUT US:
Discover Sarasota Tours is the only LOCAL tour company offering 15 different entertaining and informative daytime sightseeing tours and nighttime musical theater shows in our air-conditioned trolley or van. Tours focus on the most interesting people, intriguing places, and amazing stories that have shaped Sarasota’s rich cultural past. Discover Sarasota Tours has been recognized with a 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award from Tripadvisor and was also voted Best of Florida Arts & Entertainment 2022.
Tour tickets and information available online at DiscoverSarasotaTours.com or by calling 941-260-9818. For Groups, email Sue@DiscoverSarasotaTours.com.
IMAGES ATTACHED:
If you need higher-resolution images, please email DST Communications Manager Erin Hart at erin@discoversarasotatours.com.
- History Hop graphic for 2023
- The Englewood tour is led by Don Bayley of the Englewood Museum, starting and ending at the Historic Green Street Church.
- Discover Sarasota Tours guide Kathryn Chesley will present the March 15 Sarasota History Hop tour in costume as one of the city’s famous founders.
- The Venice History Hop Trolley Tour tour, led by guide Kathryn Chesley, begins at the Historic Venice Train Depot and the recently restored Ringling Circus Car Museum and continues through the downtown historic district.