From Beaches To Baseball On Florida's Gulf Coast

You want sun, surf and sand. But you don't want the crowds.

Well, forget the traditional Florida hotspots--Miami, Daytona Beach and Ft. Lauderdale--this Spring Break.

But you can still make it to Florida. Just try one of the many retreats along the state's still relatively unkown Gulf coast, and you won't be disappointed.

With the brand-new Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport just 15 minutes from the beach, Sarasota is one of the most accessible vacation spots, not to mention one of the most laid-back.

Sarasota is known for its combination of few crowds and beautiful beaches. What most people don't know is that it is also one of Florida's cultural capitals. At the Entertainment Center--a gaudy, big, pinkish-purple hall which sticks out into the harbor--you can catch a top-run Broadway show or a classical concert.

But you're not coming to Florida to bask in the brilliance of Evitas and first-chair violinists. You're coming for the sun, so set out for Sarasota's Lido Key. With a stretch of motels and hotels and rental places all within two blocks of the Gulf of Mexico, all you have to do is get there with a bathing suit and suntan lotion--and a little cash.

Most motels will run you at least $60 to $80 per night for a room--not much when you divide it four, six, or eight ways as you crowd on to the floor. Plus, there are plenty of specials around. The Lido Motel, for instance, offers dorm-like rooms for $25 per night one block from the beach.

If you're planning on staying on Lido Key, Lido circle offers a variety of restaurants, moderate-to-expensive shops, exquisite ice cream parlors and a couple of nightspots. Bring along one or two outfits to dress up for the nightlife--Sarasota at night becomes the ritzy part of Florida.

If you're willing to rent a car, a cheaper stay in Sarasota would be along the strip which connects the airport to the city. It may not be the most classy, but it's cheap and still a five-minute drive to the beach.

Renting a car may not be e bad idea, especially if you want to travel and see the coast from Tampa, which is one hour to the north, or go to Ft. Meyers and Sanibel Island, which are one hour to the south. Sanibel is considered to be Florida's capital of natural beauty and splendor.

Of course, spring break in western Florida has an entirely different meaning to many locals and tourists alike: baseball's spring training. Barring a players' walkout, you can catch the Chicago White Sox in Sarasota, the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, or the Cincinnati Reds in Tampa, just to name a few.

So you may just have to settle for relaxing on the beach all day and hitting the nightspots at night--rough life. Beware, without the crowds of Miami, Daytona Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, Sarasota also lacks the rambuctious college spring break crowd, a big disadvantage if you're looking for a wild release from the rigors of spring semester.

Of course, given Harvard's skewed spring break schedule, you're probably not missing anything anyway.