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A down economy may mean a decline in spending, but it doesn’t have to equal a decline in fun. Sarasota has many ways for visitors to explore and make long-lasting memories, even without a lot of padding in their pockets. The Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau is unveiling its 2010 list of ways to have fun for free or nearly free despite the recession. Here are 20 things you can do with less than a 5 dollar bill.

1.Spend the day at the beach. Sarasota is home to Siesta Beach, the number 2 beach in the country, according to Dr. Beach’s 2010 list. Lido, Longboat, Nokomis and Manasota beaches all have beautiful scenery and public access and the beaches of Venice are known for their shark teeth–included free of charge.

2. Drum, dance or get a live show. Live music performances are free every Sunday night on Siesta Beach…and you can even join in. Bring a drum or just yourself and play or dance the night away or pull up a beach chair or towel and get a front row experience.

3. Be artsy. Come on a weekend to enjoy free art and live music at the first Friday Palm Avenue Art Walks or the third Friday Towles Court Art Walks. Palm Avenue is lined with galleries and Towles Court, an artists’ colony, opens its galleries and studios to the public. www.palmavenue.org, www.towlescourt.com

4. Grill out. Have a BBQ, picnic or combination of the two at Siesta Beach or Lido Beach. Both have grills and picnic areas with tables and pavilions, so bring your own food and have a scenic, waterfront lunch or dinner on a budget.

5. Go camping. Get in touch with nature on a primitive campsite at Myakka State Park. The cost is just $5 per person. While the primitive campsites are several miles away from the trailhead, that’s just an excuse to go hiking or biking before setting up camp. Don’t forget to bring supplies to make s’mores! www.myakkariver.org

6. Go to the movies with just a couple bucks. Despite movie ticket costs snaking up and the economy remaining down, Sarasota’s Parkway 8 Cinema makes it possible for you and the whole family to enjoy go to the movies for less than the price of one adult ticket at the average movie theatre. Matinees tickets are $1.50 and evening showings are just $2. www.omcinemas.com

7. Take a dip. The Lido Pool is a hidden gem of a public pool right on Lido Beach. Open seasonally (Tuesday-Friday 10:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m.; weekends noon-4:45 p.m.), the pool charges just $2 for children under 11 and seniors and just $4 for adults.

8. Go to Happy Hour. Happy Hour often means cheaper food and drinks, but rarely this cheap and this gourmet. Upscale Asian restaurant Pacific Rim has happy hour from 4:30–6:30 p.m. on weekdays and offers up its delectable cocktails and small plates for a mere $4 and sushi for just $3. www.pacificrimsarasota.com

9. Read a book. Or go online, roam around, check out the architecture outside and more at Selby Library. Its prime downtown location makes it a fun (and free) stop before or after swinging by the marina at Island Park (also free). http://suncat.co.sarasota.fl.us

10. Relax in Island Park. Located at One Marina Plaza, Island Park is home to lots of great, free things–a sprawling lawn, beautiful blue water, a fountain for children, sun, shade, massive and inventive sculptures, big boats and docks to roam on.

11. Spend Monday at the museum. The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art opens its doors free of charge every Monday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. www.ringling.org

12. Grab some fresh produce. Find fresh fruits and vegetables, plants, crafts and more at the downtown Farmers Market every Saturday morning or the Siesta Key Farmers Market on Sunday mornings. www.downtownsarasotafarmersmarket.com, www.siestafarmersmarket.com

13. Enjoy music on the bay. Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall holds Friday Fest one Friday a month. Check out the live music on the waterfront from 5-9 p.m. www.vanwezel.org

14. Play sports. It’s free to play tennis or volleyball at Siesta Beach. Bring a friend or the family or join in on a game with Sarasota’s friendly residents.

15. Go window shopping. Even in a downtrodden economy, it doesn’t hurt to look. Take a peek in the boutiques of downtown Sarasota and St. Armands Circle. After all, it’s free! You may even find a great deal.

16. Go for a walk, drive or bike ride. No matter what mode of transportation you prefer, there are many ways to see Sarasota. Drive through beautiful Casey Key and marvel at the homes, take a long walk on the beach or along Ringling Bridge or bike on the Legacy Trail.

17. Get a cupcake. Cupcakes are in right now and you can get a delectable one for just a few bucks at Heavenly Cupcakes in Gulf Gate or on Siesta Key or at Whiteberry on Main St. www.myheavenlycupcakes.com, www.whiteberryusa.com

18. Watch the sunset. Sometimes it’s hard to believe it’s possible to experience something so beautiful without spending a dime. Taking in a sunset is free and simple and you can do it from almost anywhere in Sarasota. The beaches, the marina and Ringling Bridge are favorite spots among locals.

19. Split a drink with friends. All you’ll need is a few bucks and a few straws when going in on the “Village Idiot” with a group of friends. The massive, fruity alcoholic beverage is served in a beach pail and can be found at Siesta Key Oyster Bar in Siesta Village. It’s the perfect afternoon refresher or nightcap after a long day on the beach and when you split the tab, you’re no idiot.

20. Get festive. Sarasota has a packed festival schedule year-round and all of the festivities are free and open to the public. Arts, crafts, food and music abound, from the Venice Sharks Tooth Festival to the Siesta Fiesta to the St. Armands Craft Festival. For dates and details, visit www.sarasotafl.org.

Sarasota and her string of eight islands are located along Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast between Tampa and Ft. Myers. Sarasota and Her Islands is comprised of Sarasota, Longboat Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key, Manasota Key, Siesta Key, Casey Key, Englewood, Nokomis, North Port, Osprey and Venice. In addition to sandy beaches, Sarasota and Her Islands also offer numerous cultural and ecological attractions. For more information on saving and discovering in Sarasota, call the Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 522-9799 or visit www.sarasotafl.org.

Members of The Leading Hotels of the World offer seasonal travel packages and offers.

Hotel Sacher Wien, Vienna, Austria
Leading Spa for Two

Situated in the heart of the city, directly opposite the State Opera – the privately owned Hotel Sacher Wien is an Austrian institution since its opening in 1876. The harmony of exclusive atmosphere and the unique character are incomparable and attract guests from all over the world. Ready to pamper guests in its sumptuous Sacher Spa, the hotel is offering its Leading Spa for Two package.

Rates from EUR 948 per night, single or double occupancy, include: Junior suite accommodation, Daily buffet breakfast, one 45-minute La Prairie express treatment per person, per stay, one 25-minute partial body massage per person, per stay, one 25-minute reflexology treatment per person, per stay.

Two-night minimum/maximum stay. Valid until December 27, 2010. Please refer to booking code PJA.

Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Ireland
Leading Honeymoon

Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort is one of Ireland’s leading luxury castle properties tucked into the natural seclusion of its 840-acre estate beside the picturesque village of Adare. Just a 40-minute drive from Shannon International Airport, it is the perfect base for exploring the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry, Killarney Lakes, Dingle Peninsula and Blarney Castle, or celebrating a romantic honeymoon.

Rates from EUR 1000 per night, include: private round-trip transport from Shannon airport, accommodation in a Dunraven Stateroom, Irish breakfast daily, guaranteed early check-in, hamper of Jo Malone products, private, in-room, eight-course tasting dinner with wine pairing one evening, with butler service, private riverside picnic one evening, private tour of the Manor House, rose-petal turndown each evening, chauffeur-driven car to one of the following: Cliffs of Moher, The Middleton Distillery, Killarney Castle OR Blarney Castle.

Four-night minimum stay. Valid until December 31, 2010. Please refer to booking code P2.

The Grove, Hertfordshire, England, UK
Dinner, Bed and Breakfast

Just 30 minutes from central London and Heathrow Airport, the former home of the Earls of Clarendon offers impressive grand interiors, stunning guest rooms and suites, antique furniture and modern art, all set within 300 acres or private woodland and parkland. The Grove is the perfect embodiment of urban chic in the heart of the country.

Rates from GBP 305 per night, single or double occupancy, include: breakfast daily in the Glasshouse Restaurant, dinner each evening in either the Glasshouse Restaurant or Stables Restaurant, access to leisure facilities, tax and service charge.

Two-night minimum stay. Valid until December 23, 2010. Please refer to booking code P2.

12 Apostles Hotel & Spa, Cape Town, South Africa
Delightful Little Devils

The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa’s child-friendly attitude is unique and unparalleled in South Africa, making it a must for parents who want to spoil each other and the whole family.

Rates from ZAR 6,365 per night, single or double occupancy, include: accommodation for two adults and two children up to 12 years of age sharing, children’s welcome pack, breakfast from room service or in Azure Restaurant, basket of toys for play during the stay, three hours of babysitting service once during the stay, use of Cine 12 in-house cinema, popcorn, candy, refreshments during the film, children’s guide to the best places in Cape Town, tickets to Cape Town Aquarium, children’s turndown with milk and cookies, child-sized bathrobes.

Three-night minimum stay. Valid until December 19, 2010. Please refer to booking code PY.

Fiesta American Grand Coral Beach Cancun Resort & Spa, Cancun, Mexico
Leading Spas Special Offer

Located on a beautiful beach overlooking the Caribbean Sea, the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun Resort & Spa is in the heart of Cancún’s recreational and commercial centers. The spa, comprised of eleven treatment rooms, offers state-of-the-art hydrotherapy equipment including hydromassage and hydrotone computerized systems, aromatherapy and Vichy shower therapies.

Rates from USD 270.18 per night, single or double occupancy, include: welcome drink upon arrival, fresh fruit in room upon arrival, daily champagne buffet breakfast, admission to spa one day, including fresh fruit salad for two at spa restaurant, commemorative spa gift, entrance to the gym.

Three-night stay required. Valid until December 23, 2010. Please refer to booking code P7A.

Biltmore, Coral Gables, FL, USA
Summer Sale

Miami’s classic luxury destination resort, located in the heart of Coral Gables, the Biltmore features luxury accommodations and exceptional facilities for social events and celebrations. Highlights include the 18-hole Donald Ross-designed championship golf course, ten lighted tennis courts, a new destination spa, fine restaurants and bars, private wine cellar club, and the largest hotel pool in the continental United States.

Rates from USD 199 per night, single or double occupancy, include: welcome amenity, daily breakfast. Reservations must be pre-paid and are non-refundable. Taxes and resort fee not included.

Valid until September 30, 2010. Please refer to booking code L40.

For reservations and information, visit www.lhw.com or telephone toll-free from the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, (800) 223-6800.

Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa “It’s all about the family being happy,” says Jeff Castner General Manager of the Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa and father of three, “ It’s nice that there are family packages offered by resorts, but what’s really included in those offers that really helps the family have a great time? I feel we here at the Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa have come up with a really good answer to that.” Inspired by his own families needs when traveling, “Everyone wants to think that all you need to do is get to the resort and everything will be fine, but any parent will tell you, that’s really just the beginning, it’s then that the real questions start, What specifically is there for the kids to do? Exactly where are the places for the kids to play? How can we balance our adult time with theirs? And with my own 14, 12 and 1 year olds, how can I keep all of them and my wife happy without going crazy in the process? Let’s just say, I was very motivated to make this new family services program answer all those questions and more, and I feel my team has accomplished just that”. Jeff continues, “It starts with flexibility, not every family is the same, I know that sounds obvious but our program has to be a fit for everyone. So we have different levels of activities and different times for different services, for example, Most of our weekend afternoon activities called ‘Little Loggerhead Kid’s Club’ is focused on the fun of being outdoors for the younger children, while in the evening, ‘Kid’s Night Out’ has activities that answer to a broader spectrum of ages.” With both an arcade style game room to a supervised activities room with Wii’s, group activities and crafts, “we’ll keep it diverse. Anything from hair braiding, to craft contests, games and ‘float-in’ movies, the idea is not to just distract the kids, it to add to the adventure of being at the resort.”

Jeff goes on to say, “Let’s not forget everything around the resort that the family can enjoy together as well. There is the historic Jupiter Lighthouse right next door, as is the Turtle Sanctuary and the Jon Dickerson State Park with its guided tours, all arrange-able by our concierge, often with discounts. We even have GPS’s available should you want to venture even farther.” To inaugurate these new family services the Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa has created the ‘Family Time Out’ package, which includes guaranteed room type (double beds), milk and cookies delivered to your room on your first evening, breakfast each morning of your stay, a guaranteed late checkout till 4pm on Sunday and a welcome gift bag that includes; candy / beach shoes / sunscreen / $20 in game tokens and a stuffed toy. “It’s a lot to offer, but so is organizing a family getaway, believe me, I can appreciate that,” says Jeff. To view all the details of the family services program or the new ‘Family Time Out’ package at the Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa visit us on our new website at www.jupiterbeachresort.com/family-time-out.html.

Included also in the new site are the easier sharing tools for social media like Facebook, Twitter, and RSS. “In this new world of social media, more and more guests wish to share their online discoveries and more importantly to ask the opinions of their friends. Our website is connected to so much more than just what we have on it now; it’s shared with our www.Facebook.com/jupiterbeachresort page, our www.Twitter.com/jupiterbeach our www.youtube.com/user/JupiterBeachResort or our blog http://www.jupiterbeachresort.com/blog.html as well as over 62 other social media sites.”

The Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa is located at 5 N A1A Jupiter FL, 33477 866-943-0950 with 159 rooms and suites located on the beach next to a nature preserve The AAA Four Diamond Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa represents the best of palm beach resorts, with a full service Spa, award winning restaurant Sinclair’s Grill and new family service amenities. www.jupiterbeachresort.com or follow them at www.facebook.com/jupiterbeachresort.

Waldorf Astoria® Golf Club will host the official East Coast qualifying event for the prestigious American Express Celebrity Golf Invitational, on Sept. 25, 2010.

This new event, held at the Rees Jones-designed Waldorf Astoria Golf Club in Orlando, will give participants an opportunity to compete for a chance to play in the popular California celebrity invitational, presented by Hilton Worldwide.

“We’re pleased to bring a qualifier for such an esteemed event to Orlando,” said Peter Kacheris, managing director of Waldorf Astoria Orlando. “In Los Angeles, the City of Hope event has become one of the hottest tickets in town for golfers and celebrities. We expect this new tournament to attract a similar following.”

The East Coast qualifier event will also benefit the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in Orlando.

The one-day Orlando event will feature up to 100 golfers hosted by 25 celebrities in a shamble format. The experience includes overnight accommodations at the luxurious new Waldorf Astoria Orlando, in addition to the following special activities:

* A private golf clinic
* On-course prizes
* A Pro-Am gift bag
* An evening gala, with dinner and live entertainment
* A silent auction
* A live charity auction

Celebrity participants will be announced in September.

Proceeds for the Orlando qualifier and the California invitational benefit City of Hope, a research and treatment center dedicated to the prevention, treatment and cure of cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

The California event, now in its fifth year, is played at the famed Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. A highlight of the tournament is the celebrity involvement and live concert. In 2009, Sugar Ray performed live.

Pricing for the Orlando qualifier event is $3,500 for a twosome and $6,000 for a foursome. To reserve a spot, golfers can call 310-612-6333.

About City of Hope

City of Hope is a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest honor bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope’s research and treatment protocols advance care throughout the nation. City of Hope is located in Duarte, Calif., just northeast of Los Angeles, and is ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” in cancer and urology by U.S.News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics.

About Waldorf Astoria Golf Club

The 7,108-yard Rees Jones designed championship golf course is the first and only Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, and was named Golf Digest’s 2009 best new public golf course. The course winds through a large wetland preserve and measures 7,108 yards with a Par 72, Slope 139, and 74.6 rating from its Professional Tees. Holes are visually arresting from tee to green and require intelligent management of the game. Bunkers are carved to be reminiscent of the hazards designed on courses a century ago. Majestic stands of pine and cypress trees line the fairways.

About Waldorf Astoria Orlando

An artful blend of comfort and modern elegance, Waldorf Astoria has redefined the Orlando vacation experience. The closest luxury resort to the gates of Disney® theme parks, Waldorf Astoria Orlando is nestled in a peaceful 482-acre nature preserve and conveniently accessed from inside Walt Disney World property. The hotel’s elegant setting includes fine resort amenities like the award-winning Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, the luxe Waldorf Astoria Spa by Guerlain®, and more than a dozen dining and lounge experiences, including an outpost of New York City’s famed Bull & Bear Steakhouse®. The hotel features 498 deluxe rooms and suites, and 28,000 square feet of exclusive flexible meeting space. An impeccable level of guest service is a nod to The Waldorf=Astoria in New York City, the hotel that set the standard for urbane sophistication. Deluxe guest rooms and suites feature sweeping vistas of Disney’s vacation kingdom and the Bonnet Creek nature preserve. For more information on the Waldorf Astoria Orlando, please call (407) 597-5500 or visit www.WaldorfAstoriaOrlando.com. For reservations, please call a travel professional, 1-800-HILTONS (455-8667) or book online at www.Hilton.com