Pinecraft, FL

Tucked away in central Sarasota, Pinecraft is one of the most distinctive neighborhoods in Florida. It got its start in the 1920s as a tourist camp along Phillippi Creek, but it quickly evolved into a winter haven for Amish and Mennonite travelers escaping the cold. While only about 500 residents live here full-time, the neighborhood's cozy streets and small cottages fill up dramatically between November and April as chartered buses arrive from Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania.

Daily life centers on Pinecraft Park and the busy stretch of Bahia Vista Street. During peak season, the neighborhood fills with three-wheeled bicycles, pickup shuffleboard games, and steady lines for scratch-made pies at local institutions like Yoder's and Der Dutchman. Outside of the winter rush, Pinecraft returns to a sleepy, close-knit residential pocket that sits conveniently close to downtown Sarasota and the Gulf beaches.