So... you're in town for Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week, and you're looking for things to do when you're not eating. Perhaps activities that'll help work off those extra Restaurant Week calories?

Luckily, Sarasota and Her Islands have several venues perfect for leisurely après-lunch walks. Or, you can take part in more vigorous activities that'll really earn you your dinner!

Spectacular Strolls
Make your way through the lush Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, home to one of the finest orchid collections in the world, as well as to all kinds of other tropical plants. You'll understand immediately why so many couples choose to wed in this romantic, bayfront spot. Check out the museum of botany and the arts in the Selby mansion, and the gardens' poison dart frog collection.

Your walk through Osprey's Historic Spanish Point, a 30-acre site overlooking Little Sarasota Bay, will take you past pioneer structures, such as a chapel, waterfront packing house, and historic cottages. You'll pass a prehistoric Indian burial mound, a shell midden, and a breathtaking sunken garden and pergola. A footbridge over the water will bring you to more beautiful gardens, including a jungle walk through

Climb to the top of Myakka River State Park's observation tower for a breathtaking view of the area.

tropical foliage and a fern walk.

Stroll in air-conditioned comfort through the art-filled and awe-inspiring galleries of the world-class John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. When you're through, enjoy the rest of this 66-acre estate on Sarasota Bay, once the Ringlings' winter home. Check out the majestic Banyan trees and Mable Ringling's rose garden. Tour the Ringlings' mansion, called the Cà d'Zan. Also on-site: the Circus Museum, and the new Tibbals Learning Center, which houses a perfect miniature circus - the largest in the world.

Shop till you drop at St. Armands Circle, Sarasota 's famed shopping and dining district. Hitting all the one-of-a-kind boutiques and art galleries that are laid out in a circle surrounding a verdant park is sure to get your heart beating.

Active Pursuits
Hit the links at one of the more than 30 golf courses in the area. In late spring and summer, rates drop, which means some of the top-end courses become affordable. Also, warmer weather can mean smaller crowds, which makes it possible to get on some of the more exclusive layouts. Check out the golf listings for more information on area courses.

While all Sarasota-area beaches offer fantastic sunbathing, sunsets and swimming in crystal-clear, warm Gulf waters, some cater more to the active beach-goer than others. At South Lido Beach, hike a meandering nature trail past mangrove forests and over boardwalks out to the southern tip of Lido Key - the Gulf on one side, the bay on the other. This area is also believed to offer some of the best kayaking around. Further south is Nokomis Beach and its jetties - one of the Gulf coast's premier surfing spots, and also a great place to fish. At Caspersen Beach in Venice, comb the shores searching for fossilized sharks teeth.

Myakka River State Park, one of Florida's oldest and largest state parks, is a must on any trip to Sarasota. It's known for its resident alligators, which you can often see gliding through the water or sunning on the banks. Take a short nature trail to a canopy walk through the treetops that ends at a 74-foot observation tower offering a stunning panoramic view of wetlands, forests and prairie. At the concession, rent bikes, canoes or kayaks, and sample gator stew and gator jerky. Take a leisurely, scenic bike ride along seven miles of paved roads. Or hit the more challenging backcountry biking and hiking trails. Guaranteed you'll see all kinds of wildlife.

Sarasota's Bayfront Park is a peninsula that juts into the bay at the western end of town. It offers majestic views - of the sunset over the water, the shimmering Sarasota skyline, and the posh yachts lining the docks. The park, which allows dogs on leashes, is popular with walkers, joggers, rollerbladers, and bike riders.

If You Go:

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: 941-366-5731, www.selby.org
Historic Spanish Point: 941-966-5214, www.historicspanishpoint.org
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art: 941-359-5700, www.ringling.org
St. Armands Circle: 941-388-1554, www.starmandscircleassoc.com
Myakka River State Park: 941-316-8139, www.FloridaStateParks.org/MyakkaRiver