"Old Florida Charm” and so much more in Bradenton.

This week we explore the Bradenton Area of Florida’s west coast and discover the calm natural world of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. The white sand beaches, parks, restaurants and resorts all bask in warm sunshine - set against the lush Florida landscape and the shimmering Gulf of Mexico. But while you may come for the beach, don’t miss out on the area’s many unique cultural attractions and activities.

Explore quaint towns with authentic “old Florida” charm. You can meet local artists in the vibrant community of Bradenton’s the Village of the Arts – with over thirty-five artists living and working together, the Village is Florida’s largest art community. Monthly artwalks fill the streets with art lovers looking for affordable fine art, jewelry, ceramics, designer wear and collectibles of all kinds. You’ll also find many special events, an inviting bookstore and gourmet cafes and restaurants.

In fact, the Bradenton Area is home to a wealth of independent restaurants, all boasting fresh foods and unique dining experiences. You can meet the local farmers and growers as well. A visit to Dakin Dairy Farm is not only fun; it’s good for you and a great place to take the family. You’ll learn about the health benefits of milk and watch the cows in action. Kids can ride the cow train or hay ride and pet fuzzy farm animals. Mixon Fruit Farms is famous for its plump, juicy citrus, its gift shop and Groveside Café. Visitors can take a ride on the Orange Blossom Express through the groves past the Children’s Magical Maze and Wildlife Rescue, where the family will delight in an interactive show with rescued Florida animals, reptiles and birds. And don’t miss the homemade orange swirl ice cream!

The Bradenton Area also has two world-class wineries: Bunker Hill Winery is a "GREEN" Environmentally Responsible Winery and offers complimentary tours and tastings of their handcrafted wines. They grow their own Muscadine grapes, rent out a peaceful cottage on property and even have a resident ghost! Rosa Fiorelli Winery has a 10-acre Muscadine vineyard and their wines have won more than 100 awards. Tours include your choice of an authentic Italian lunch and wine in a complimentary souvenir glass to take home. They also offer complimentary tastings.

If you love animals the Bradenton area has opportunities to meet all kinds of creatures in all kinds of ways! You are quite likely to simply come across dolphins playing off shore. The Bear Show at Bearadise Ranch was established in 1926 to educate and generate public awareness for habitat preservation and conservation for all bear species. These talented creatures are featured in movies, commercials and festivals. However, when the bears aren’t working they live at beautiful Bearadise Ranch, a natural habitat facility. And you can witness the beauty and grace of The Original Lipizzan Stallions of Austria at Herrmann’s Lipizzan Stallion Farm. Colonel Hermann, whose ancestors aided in the rescue of these animals, maintains a 200-acre ranch in the Bradenton Area.

A unique activity in the Bradenton area is “horse surfing” along Palma Sola Causeway. BeachHorse is the only horseback riding stable in Florida that offers horseback riding on the beach and swimming with horses. The adventure begins with a sunset horseback ride along the beach of the Palma Sola Bay. From there, the horses will glide into the salt water and swim. Thrill-seekers also have the opportunity to try “horse skiing” and “horse surfing”. Believe it not, it’s fun for the whole family... riders can be as young as 3 years old.

Bradenton’s South Florida Museum is home to the oldest manatee living “happily” in captivity - Snooty, who turned 63 years old in July! In addition to Snooty, the museum is the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The museum interprets the region from the Pleistocene to the present. Highlights include fossil evidence of Florida’s earliest mammals and marine species. Also check out the Bishop Planetarium.

Every March for more than 40 years, a very popular rite of spring has taken place on Florida’s Gulf Coast - the Pittsburgh Pirates arrive in Bradenton to play their spring training games. And the Bradenton Area is well-known for hosting numerous regional and national sporting events year round, including world-class rowing and soccer.

But perhaps the most unique “sport” is to be found at "People at Play, the Heavy Equipment Experience" - a new concept in adventure travel. If you have always had a hankering to put on a hard hat and harness the power of an enormous CAT excavator, bulldozer or skid steer loader – here is your chance. Anyone 18 years and older can be a heavy equipment operator for a day and tackle an obstacle course on its 21-acre construction site (aka construction playground).

Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key Trip Showcase
  • Fly to Florida - access the Bradenton area from a choice of airports including Tampa, St Petersburg, Sarasota, Fort Myers or Orlando

  • Stay at the Tradewinds Resort. On quaint Anna Maria Island, this charming, old-fashioned resort has pastel cottages covered with tangles of jasmine and bougainvillea. The romantic cottages line both sides of a private street that ends at a large heated pool set among palm trees, and a fishing pier that juts into Sarasota Bay.

  • Enjoy a delicious fresh Florida seafood meal at The Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub, located on the bayside of North Longboat Key in the heart of Longboat Village. Built in 1912, this Old Florida style restaurant is considered one of the twelve oldest surviving structures on Longboat Key.

  • Known for its fresh Florida seafood, check out The BeachHouse Restaurant located on the South end of Anna Maria Island, just west of the quaint Cortez fishing village in Bradenton Beach. Perfect for families, the BeachHouse has plenty of room for kids to play on the beach while parents enjoy the sunset, a tropical drink and the exceptional local artists who perform at the BeachHouse.

  • Visit the South Florida Museum - the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast and home to Snooty the Manatee.

  • Between Beach Bums’ Green Transport Rentals and the Island Trolley System, you can enjoy your Anna Maria experience without ever using a car! Anna Maria Island is very bike friendly and it is often said that the best way to travel Anna Maria is by pedal power. Many of the local roads have bike paths and local shops and restaurants have racks in front to store bikes. Rent a bike at Beach Bums and it comes with a lock, basket, helmet and a light.

Photo credits:Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and:-
Waterfront restaurant, Village of Artists - Bradenton, South Florida Museum, Bikes parked at pier : Vanessa Rogers
Bareback riding in Palma Sola Bay, Anna Maria Island Beach Bums : Tom Shelby
Cottage at Tradewinds Resort: Tradewinds Resort