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Vacation Planner
EXPLORING BRADENTON FLORIDA
& her Island Beaches
The Visitor Information and vacation Travel Guide to Bradenton in Manatee county Florida
Welcome to Bradenton, Florida, a coastal community
highlighted by a historic Riverfront downtown.
Check AJ's Blog for latest happenings & special deals!
Bradenton is The County seat and the largest
municipality in Manatee County. Manatee County has five other municipalities, including the City of Anna Maria,
Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, the Town of Longboat Key and Palmetto. And, the metropolitan areas of Tampa-St.
Petersburg are 31 miles to the north while Sarasota County is only 10 miles south.
History: The first inhabitants of Manatee County were the Timucan Indians. For more than 500 years the Timucan tribe
had undisputed control of their territory until the arrival of Europeans led by Ponce de Leon in 1521. Thwarted
in his attempts at colonization he left Manatee County and eighteen years later -- Hernando DeSoto and his
conquistadors landed at Shaw's Point.
DeSoto enslaved the tribes and demanded to be guided to the non-existent "city of gold". DeSoto finally
lost interest and moved on. Warfare and disease spread by English colonists completed the Timuncans’ extinction
soon after the turn of the 19th century.
The next settlers came in the mid 1800s, with the arrival of Joseph Braden, a sugar planter for whom the city of
Bradenton (Manatee County's largest city and also the county seat) was named. The area remains a center of
agriculture featuring one of the world’s largest producers of orange juice, Tropicana. The headquarters of Champs
Sports and Bealls Department store are also in Manatee County.
Each year a week-long celebration called
The Florida Heritage Festival is held in Manatee County to commemorate DeSoto's landing.
Getting Around: The MCAT or Manatee County Area Transit and Trolley Systems provide inexpensive or free public
transportation to just about anywhere.
For starters, get the lay of the land by hopping a bus to Manatee Beach on Anna Maria Island. There’s a small café
with shaded patio right on the beach offering all you can eat sausage and pancakes to burgers and fries. Every
twenty minutes or so you might notice a green... old fashioned... open-air trolley, Yes, trolleys travel the island
from Anna Maria City Pier all the way to
Coquina Beach. And, the service is "Free"!
At
Holmes Beach, the island’s widest point the trolley travels north on Marina Drive and South on Gulf Drive. So,
you might have to walk a block or two to pick up a trolley heading the opposite way.
For 75 cents, you can catch the Longboat Key trolley at
Coquina Beach to downtown Sarasota with stops on
Longboat Key and
St. Armand’s Circle. The service runs daily from 6:00am to 11pm every 30 minutes.
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THINGS TO DO: If art is your passion, Bradenton is home to the largest art community on the west coast. Called the
Village of the Arts artists live, work and feed off the enthusiasm of others, in pursuit of their own
expression. Watch steel heat and soften to flexible structural beauty...like handrails, gates and more. Including
three cafes and restaurants, there are 35 galleries/studios and businesses.
Although most are open for regular business, their art walk held the first weekend of every month is an engaging
fun filled evening out. Art lovers are able to ask questions and mingle with artists while garnering affordable
crafts, art, jewelry, ceramics, clothing and collectibles. Galleries remain open Friday evening from 6-9:30pm and
Saturday, 11:00am to 4:00pm.
The Anna Maria Arts Center sponsors two major annual festivals known as the
Winter & Spring Fests while Sarasota’s Ringling Museum houses fine baroque period paintings including the
oversized works of Rubens and many sculptures from John and Mable Ringling’s collection.
For unusual and surreal, there’s always the
Dali Museum with a building to match the artist’s quirky ways and the Morean Arts Center has a fine collection
of Dale Chihuly with a working hot shop for glass blowing demonstrations.
Shopping is fantastic at the
Red Barn Flea Market. You’ll find 80,000 square feet of air conditioned bargain hunting comfort and it’s open
year round from 8:00 - 4:00, Friday, Saturday & Sunday and on Wednesdays from November through April. So if you’re
looking for trinkets for your friends and family stuck up north, this is the place for you.
Just north off Interstate 75 is
Ellenton’s Outlet Mall. DKNY, Gap, Nike and Quicksilver are just a few of the 130 stores.
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SPORTS: Over 60 Golf Courses and numerous tennis courts, including Leddbetter/ Bollitierri’s
IMG Sports Facility await your arrival.
Take a weekend's worth of lessons, one week, multiple weeks, or an entire summer of athletic advancement with some
of the industry’s top coaches and trainers. Notables who have declared this area home are tennis stars Maria
Sharapova and Monica Seles as well as golfing greats Paul Azinger and Tony Jacklin.
Nestled inside a beautiful community in the heart of Bradenton
Pinebrook/Ironwood Golf Club has a challenge for golfers of all ages and handicaps.
Baseball enjoys a rich tradition at
McKechnie Field where the
Pittsburgh Pirates conduct their spring training and the
Bradenton Marauders fill summers with minor league play. Built in a Florida Spanish Mission style, McKechnie's
"intown" location and nostalgic charms appeal to many baseball traditionalists. Some even consider it
Florida's version of Fenway Park. The field is named for Bradenton resident and baseball great, Bill McKechnie, who
led the Pirates in 1925, the Cincinnati Reds in ‘40 and the Cleveland Indians in ‘48 to World Series titles.
More pro ball is across the Skyway Bridge to St. Pete where the
Tampa Bay Ray’s play in a climate controlled indoor stadium.
If coming in July, the Gulf of Mexico explodes with rooster tail plumes featuring the
Sun Coast Off shore Grand Prix Races. This nationally sanctioned American Power Boat Race is the highlight of a
10 day, Fourth of July festival.
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FISHING:With seven miles of beach, fishing piers and bridges anglers are bound to catch Redfish, Snapper,
Mackerel, Black Drum, Snook, Trout and Amberjack.
Cast a line from one of three piers where the bait shops are always stocked with tackle and supplies. Historic
Bridge Street Pier in the City of Bradenton Beach features
Rotten Ralph’s with old-fashioned comfort food, friendly people and great water views. There’s also a bathhouse
and restrooms, bait and tackle shop, a Harbormaster’s Office and a 300 foot lighted floating dock.
The City of Anna Maria offers two great Piers, one on the northeast side of Anna Maria Island called the Rod and
Reel that stretches 350 feet in length and extends into the waters of Tampa Bay (a nominal $2 fee for dropping a
line). There’s also a 2 story landmark restaurant called The Rod and Reel.
A short drive south of the Rod and Reel is the City Pier on South Bay Boulevard. It too, is located on the northeast
side of Anna Maria and extends some 700 feet into southern Tampa Bay.
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Other hot locations can be found at:
Longboat Pass Bridge - at southern end of Anna Maria connecting Bradenton Beach to the north end of
Longboat Key.
Longboat Pass - at southern end of
Coquina Beach.
Coquina Beach - on the bay side of
Coquina Beach.
Looking for better action? Charter a professional captain and his craft or join the Miss Cortez for a half or full
day out on the Gulf. Even local bait shops will issue a temporary license... for fishing on the beach!
Depending on the season there’s always something biting.
Bringing a boat? Launch areas can be found at:
Bayside Park - Gulf Dr.
Bradenton Beach Coquina Beach - Gulf Dr.
Bradenton Beach Kingfish - Manatee Ave.,
Holmes Beach Memorial Park - 63rd St., Holmes Beach
Kayaking
Those with Kayaks and canoes will enjoy slipping into Palma Sola Bay along Cortez Road and head to the watery
mangrove tunnels of Robinson Preserve. Guided tours and kayak rentals are available at
Bay and Gulf Adventures.
A boardwalk crosses the western shore of Palma Sola Bay where bikes and rollerblades can travel paved trails while
shelled paths snake along Tampa Bay and the mouth of the Manatee River. Oh, and... your four legged friend can join
you ...as long as... they are behaved and on a leash.
Shelling
For the serious beachcomber, the most important thing about shelling is to know the tides. Charts are featured in most
local newspapers, as the best shells are found just before low tide. Another opportune time is after a storm – advancing
cold fronts tend to push water away from the beach and tropical storms can churn up the tides bringing shells ashore.
Below are three excellent locations for shelling:
1. Park at the pier near Alamand and North Shore and walk counter clockwise around the tip of the island. It is
a very short walk and although shelling is sporadic there are lots of starfish.
2. Park near the gulf front park at Gulf Blvd and Palm Ave. This is the best area for shelling, especially at
low tide when the sandbar extends out into the gulf a few hundred yards …on a good day.
3. Take the ferry to
Egmont Key and pick shells until you can't carry anymore.
Identifying your Shells: - The
Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum has a great online shell guide that will help you recognize the various pieces in
your collection. To browse shells commonly found in South West Florida by photo, Click
HERE.
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Parks and Preserves
Desoto National Park... From mid-December to the mid-April, De Soto National Memorial offers living history talks
and demonstrations at Camp Uzita, located in the Western portion of the park. Here visitiors can experience the life
of 16th Century Spanish explorers and American Indians first hand. Guests can also try on reproduction 16th century
armor and helmets.
The Gamble Plantation... This
antebellum mansion was home to Major Robert Gamble and headquarters of an extensive
sugar plantation. It is the only surviving plantation house in South Florida.
Manatee Village Historical Park...Explore pioneer life in early Manatee County. Walk through our Historical
Village, learn about the importance of boat builders in the community, the life of a one-room school teacher, pioneer
justice and how homes were designed to combat the Florida heat.
South Florida Museum... Exhibiting prehistoric life in Florida to modern day animals, industry and cowboys as
well as a state of the art planetarium and the highlight for most...is Snooty, the oldest living manatee born in
captivity. It's a great way to get up close and personal with our native endangered Manatees
Cortez Fishing Village... Hosting two festivals yearly, this is the last remaining fishing village on Florida's
west coast. |
Family Fun
The South Florida Museum, Bishop Planetarium and Parker Aquarium are a great way to engage in local history, relax
in a state of the art planetarium and born in 1948, meet “Snooty”, the oldest living manatee born in captivity. A
relative of the elephant, these herbivores spend most of their time grazing in shallow, marshy riverbeds and the
Gulf of Mexico. The major threats to manatees are trash left by humans and injuries from motorboat propellers.
Snooty often has rehabilitating playmates in his pool. Click
HERE.
Families will surely enjoy
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, located at the south end of Longboat Key. Featuring sharks, dolphins, manatees,
sea turtles and 100 other species of marine life, staff members are there to educate and answer your every question.
It’s good to plan for a Monday, Wednesday or Friday shark feeding and every day you can pet a sea cucumber or baby stingray.
From there, get on the water with the
Sarasota Bay Explorers for a true interactive marine science expedition. Offering sea life encounter cruises,
guided kayak tours and a nature safari, the staff is friendly and informative on the history and wild life of the
bay. The nature safari is (hands on find, your own creatures) while the sea life encounter is for those less
interested in holding a creature. The biologist led experience provides interesting information and a cruise on the
bay is a spectacular way to spend an afternoon.
Across from Mote Marine is
"Save Our Birds", where recovering shorebirds are up-close and personal. Travel the boardwalks on two
waterfront acres and see "endangered" brown pelicans with their famous throat pouches. Unlike most birds,
which warm their eggs with the skin of their breasts, pelicans incubate their eggs with their feet. They hold the
eggs under the webs that stretch from the front toes to the hind toe, essentially standing on the eggs to warm them.
This peculiar incubation method made them vulnerable to the effects of the pesticide DDT. The DDT made the eggshells
thin, and the incubating parents frequently cracked their eggs.
For more things to do our
Vacation Planner can assist you with age appropriate activities.
Theatre
Great Community Theatre can be found at downtown’s Award Winning
Manatee Players.
Yes, "Award WINNING"... every production is meticulously choreographed with "volunteer"
performers who give it their all.
Dining and Nightlife
After a day at the beach, shopping, or seeing the sights... it's time to do the town. There are plenty of dining
choices and evenings come to life with an assortment of establishments featuring Jimmy Buffett, Jazz, Blues, Reggae,
and more.
Looking for performances? Check the
vacation planner for ideas.
Otherwise, read on for venues... to listen and dance to.
Bradenton’s downtown has Pier 22, an excellent restaurant with nightly covered patio entertainment.
Located on the Manatee River, it’s a place to catch a sunset, eat a great meal and dance the night away.
Tarpon Pointe Grill features two tiki bars, tables for outdoor dining, an upstairs deck providing gorgeous views of
downtown and the river, as well as sand volleyball and places to play the popular lawn game cornhole. Hmm, I don’t
know that one! But, this is a great place for the whole family to enjoy.
Take the green bridge over the river and capture the vibes at Riverhouse Reef. Not as family friendly but, great food
and entertainment and fabulous views of the river, gulf and sunsets.
Watching the sunset and sipping away couldn’t be more delightful than at the Sandbar or BeachHouse Restaurants on
Anna Maria Island. Both feature a large patio deck with live island music and direct access for moonlit walks on
the beach.
Located in the Island Shopping Center on Holmes Beach discover old Florida charm at D Coy Ducks. This neighborhood
favorite has something happening every night, from open mic to Reggae and Rock.
Bradenton Beach’s Banana Cabana features live entertainment Friday and Saturday nights. Back in 2009 Denzel Washington
spent many an evening enjoying the Caribbean food and vibes while shooting a film in Cortez. Sharky’s Steaks and
Seafood and Bridge Tender Inn offer easy listening with a mix of jazz and contemporary.
Need a place to stay?
Search our
Listings to find your perfect piece of paradise.
And, we thank you for considering our beach community as your next adventure!
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