Sarasota suburb near downtown and the beach
Set 4 miles northeast of downtown Sarasota, Kensington Park is a suburban community with single-family homes central to shopping, parks and schools. “It’s an amazing location—near downtown, near the beach,” says Sandra Havas Olano, a Realtor with Bright Realty and over 6 years of experience. “They have all kinds of restaurants, doggy parks and soccer fields over there.” Key amenities in the area include Ed Smith Stadium, 17th Street Park and the Northeast Plaza Shopping Center, as well as Lido Key Beach—7 miles away. “The community is very nice,” Olano says. “Nobody’s going to bother you.”
Ranch-style homes peppered with mature trees
Set along sidewalk-lined streets, Kensington Park’s single-family homes are generally ranch-style from the mid to late 20th century, but there are a handful of new traditional homes from the 21st century as well. Most homes are under 2,000 square feet with features like covered patios, attached carports or garages and the occasional private pool.
Grassy, quarter-acre lots are peppered with a mix of palm, oak and pine trees, and kids playing basketball in their driveways are a common sight. Prices typically range from $200,000 to $600,000, depending on a home’s size and features. The median price here is about $340,000, compared to $500,000 overall in Sarasota.
“For the value you get in that area, I’m surprised the prices are as good as they are,” says Jennifer Morgan, a Realtor with American Homes Realty Group who has over 16 years of experience. Most subdivisions don’t have homeowners associations, but communities like the gated Hammock Place or the 55-plus Strathmore Villas have monthly dues ranging from $150 to $450, which go toward neighborhood upkeep. “You have a lot of communities,” Olano says. “It’s a very mixed neighborhood.”
Sarasota County Schools receive high marks from Niche
Kensington Park is part of Sarasota County Schools, rated A overall by Niche. Local kids may start at Gocio Elementary, before moving on to Booker Middle—both rated B by Niche. At the A-minus-rated Booker High, students may take career and technical education courses like engineering and digital design. Private options in the area include the A-plus-rated Cardinal Mooney Catholic High and the C-minus-rated Palm Grove Mennonite School for kindergarten through Grade 12.
Getting around from Kensington Park
U.S. Route 41 is about three miles away, which travels the Florida coast up to Tampa, 58 miles away. Downtown Sarasota is about 4 miles away via 17th Street and Washington Boulevard, and neighborhood streets are typically sidewalk-lined and dotted with Breeze Transit bus stops. “It’s very easy to take the bus on 17th Street,” Olano says. Sarasota Memorial Hospital is 5 miles south, and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is 5 miles north.
Sports and recreation around Kensington Park
The 17th Street Park is just outside of the neighborhood with an archery range, dog park and fields for soccer and baseball. Nearby, the Bobby Jones Golf Club offers two public courses, one with 18 holes and the other with 9 holes. Other area highlights include the Sarasota BMX Track and Arlington Park, which includes a community pool, a half-mile walking trail and courts for basketball and tennis. Four miles away, Whitaker Gateway Park offers views of the Sarasota Bay with a playground, picnic tables and a fishing pier where folks can cast their lines for redfish and spotted seatrout. For a beach trip, Lido Key is 7 miles away. “It’s very beautiful in the mornings,” Olano says. “You can do barbecues and spend a very nice time over there.”
Shopping and dining at Northeast Plaza Shopping Center
At the Northeast Plaza Shopping Center, there are groceries at Key Food Fresh, and across the street, La Sabrosita offers specialty Hispanic ingredients, as well as fresh tortillas, sweetbreads and made-to-order street tacos. There are a handful of fast-food options here too, including Hungry Howie’s and Pizza Hut, but Popi’s Place is the spot for a homestyle bite with brunch favorites like steak n’ eggs, chicken n’ waffles and powdered sugar pancakes. For a night out, Rendezvous Lounge is a local dive and pool hall with weekly karaoke, poker and DJ sets, as well as comfort food offerings like burgers, tater tots and mozzarella sticks.
MLB spring training and local happenings
There aren’t many neighborhood-specific events here, but the Kensington Park Civic Association hosts annual community clean-ups and quarterly meetings open to residents. Two miles away, Ed Smith Stadium is the spring training home of the Baltimore Orioles, as well as an occasional concert venue. At Arlington Park, swim lessons and water aerobics are offered year-round, and 2 miles away at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, there are clubs for kids and lifestyle classes for adults.
Flood insurance and environmental concerns
FEMA designates some parts of the neighborhood as Flood Zone AE or X, which means there is an annual 0.2% to 1% chance of flooding. In 2024, Hurricane Milton impacted Sarasota, and many local businesses and beaches were closed for weeks or months. Flood insurance is optional here, but due to the risk of hurricanes, it’s recommended.
