Ringling Museum Complex

Who doesn't love the circus? Well...people who are afraid of clowns. But a little coulrophobia isn't necessarily a deal-breaker at the Ringling Museum Complex. On the grounds of the 66-acre complex are three separate museums, all included in your admission and each one a worthy attraction on its own. Railroad, real-estate and circus baron John Ringling and his wife Mabel put down roots here, building a Venetian Gothic waterfront mansion called Ca d'Zan. You can wander the ground floor at your own pace, or take a guided tour - totally worth it - which grants you access to the upstairs bedrooms. Also on the grounds, the John & Mabel Museum of Art is an excellent art museum with impressive high ceilings, intimidatingly large paintings and a recreated room from the Astor mansion. But the real standout here - the one you might want to avoid if you saw Stephen King's It - is the one-of-a-kind Museum of the Circus, which lets you relive the excitement of the big-top era with costumes, props, posters, antique circus wagons and an extensive miniature model.