Bradenton Guidebook
Beaches
Anna Maria Island (a.k.a. AMI) is famous for beaches, and this is our favorite spot. We park at the AMI Library, then walk 10 minutes west on 56th/Gulf Dr to a public access point on the gorgeous beach. No parking hassles here any time of the day, if you’re willing for the walk. (Also, great Parasailing adventures await right next to this parking spot... see my other entry about that)
Another great spot along the same beach is right at the end of Manatee Avenue (Hwy 64). This beach has a great vibe, with a Beach Café. It also has restrooms (which is a big plus!) However, good luck finding parking if you're not there early.
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Holmes Beach
Anna Maria Island (a.k.a. AMI) is famous for beaches, and this is our favorite spot. We park at the AMI Library, then walk 10 minutes west on 56th/Gulf Dr to a public access point on the gorgeous beach. No parking hassles here any time of the day, if you’re willing for the walk. (Also, great Parasailing adventures await right next to this parking spot... see my other entry about that)
Another great spot along the same beach is right at the end of Manatee Avenue (Hwy 64). This beach has a great vibe, with a Beach Café. It also has restrooms (which is a big plus!) However, good luck finding parking if you're not there early.
We’ve heard the Beach House Restaurant nearby is a must-do, although we haven’t had a chance to try it yet
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Bradenton Beach
We’ve heard the Beach House Restaurant nearby is a must-do, although we haven’t had a chance to try it yet
My son and I came here almost every morning to fish off one of the piers. We saw dolphins feeding most mornings. Also, they have a Beach Market that happens weekly... look it up to find the current times.
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Coquina Beach station
My son and I came here almost every morning to fish off one of the piers. We saw dolphins feeding most mornings. Also, they have a Beach Market that happens weekly... look it up to find the current times.
There’s a small public beach access lot at Gulfside Rd. We really like this part of the beach, but the tiny lot fills up fast. Either get there real early, get lucky, take an Uber there, or keep driving south to find bigger lots and more beach access points.
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Longboat Key
There’s a small public beach access lot at Gulfside Rd. We really like this part of the beach, but the tiny lot fills up fast. Either get there real early, get lucky, take an Uber there, or keep driving south to find bigger lots and more beach access points.
Park at the Lido Beach Parking Lot, or on the street along Benjamin Franklin Dr. Combine this with a shopping visit to St. Armand's Circle (see my other entry), since it's closeby.
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Lido Key Strand
400 Benjamin Franklin DrPark at the Lido Beach Parking Lot, or on the street along Benjamin Franklin Dr. Combine this with a shopping visit to St. Armand's Circle (see my other entry), since it's closeby.
Absolutely gorgeous beach. From the main beach parking area, you can also take a trolley to downtown for shopping along Ocean Blvd
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Siesta Beach
Absolutely gorgeous beach. From the main beach parking area, you can also take a trolley to downtown for shopping along Ocean Blvd
Food scene
This is a genius creation, only 4 blocks from the house. Gelatis are the most popular… that’s when you mix Italian ice with Ice cream! You’ll see long drive-thru lines every evening spilling out into 26th St. We skip the drive-thru and walk
up. Parking access is tricky… Turn Right on 7th, then take the first left which takes you to the parking lot. My favorites (so far) are Orange Smash w/Vanilla ice cream and P-Nutty
w/Chocolate ice cream. You can have multiple ice flavors, but I just keep it simple. The kids like mixing all different kinds, though.
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Jeremiah's Italian Ice
2525 Manatee Ave WThis is a genius creation, only 4 blocks from the house. Gelatis are the most popular… that’s when you mix Italian ice with Ice cream! You’ll see long drive-thru lines every evening spilling out into 26th St. We skip the drive-thru and walk
up. Parking access is tricky… Turn Right on 7th, then take the first left which takes you to the parking lot. My favorites (so far) are Orange Smash w/Vanilla ice cream and P-Nutty
w/Chocolate ice cream. You can have multiple ice flavors, but I just keep it simple. The kids like mixing all different kinds, though.
Sunset dinner at the beach... https://www.dineshore.com/location/shore-longboat-key/
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Shore Longboat Key
800 Broadway StSunset dinner at the beach... https://www.dineshore.com/location/shore-longboat-key/
Sunset dinner at the beach... https://beachhousedining.com/
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The Beach House Restaurant
200 Gulf Dr NSunset dinner at the beach... https://beachhousedining.com/
Bar on the beach... https://gulfdrivetiki.com/kokonut-hut-anna-maria-island-bar/
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The Kokonut Hut
900 Gulf Dr NBar on the beach... https://gulfdrivetiki.com/kokonut-hut-anna-maria-island-bar/
The Sandbar Restaurant
100 Spring AveBeach Front Dining... https://www.sandbardining.com/
Dinner on the river, less than 2 miles away. Combine this with a stroll down the Riverwalk in downtown Bradenton. https://www.pier22.com/
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PIER 22 Restaurant • Patio • Catering
1200 1st Ave WDinner on the river, less than 2 miles away. Combine this with a stroll down the Riverwalk in downtown Bradenton. https://www.pier22.com/
3 miles from the house. Riverfront dining. https://riverhousefl.com/
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Riverhouse Waterfront Restaurant
995 Riverside Dr3 miles from the house. Riverfront dining. https://riverhousefl.com/
Casual, bar dining on the river... https://caddys.com/caddys-bradenton/
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Caddy's Bradenton
801 Riverside Dr ECasual, bar dining on the river... https://caddys.com/caddys-bradenton/
Amish Home Cookin'... also has a gift shop, Produce Market and Baked Goods. Bring a pie home. Combine this with a trip down to Sarasota.
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Yoder's Restaurant & Amish Village
3434 Bahia Vista StAmish Home Cookin'... also has a gift shop, Produce Market and Baked Goods. Bring a pie home. Combine this with a trip down to Sarasota.
Nice restaurant, combine with a visit to St. Armand's circle for shopping. https://columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/St-Armands-Circle
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Columbia Restaurant
411 St Armands CirNice restaurant, combine with a visit to St. Armand's circle for shopping. https://columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/St-Armands-Circle
Seafood restaurant on the way back from Bradenton Beach or Longboat Key.
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Swordfish Grill
4628 119th St WSeafood restaurant on the way back from Bradenton Beach or Longboat Key.
Anna Maria Oyster Bar - Cortez
6696 Cortez Rd WGreat seafood. https://www.oysterbar.net/
Seafood restaurant. A local favorite. They accept cash only. https://www.starfishcompany.com/starfishcompany/index.html
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Star Fish Company
12306 46th Ave WSeafood restaurant. A local favorite. They accept cash only. https://www.starfishcompany.com/starfishcompany/index.html
A local favorite seafood restaurant. https://www.seafoodshack.com/
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The Seafood Shack Marina, Bar & Grill
4110 127th St WA local favorite seafood restaurant. https://www.seafoodshack.com/
Casual Seafood. http://www.tidetablescortez.com/
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Tide Tables Restaurant and Marina
12507 Cortez Rd WCasual Seafood. http://www.tidetablescortez.com/
Shopping
Great shopping and places to eat. Afterwards, take a sunset walk along Lido Beach.
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Saint Armands Circle
Saint Armands CircleGreat shopping and places to eat. Afterwards, take a sunset walk along Lido Beach.
Siesta Key Village
County Road 789 AlternateShop and Dine along Ocean Blvd, then go to Siesta Key Beach
Fun Things to Do!
Parasail Adventure! www.flyannamaria.com Right by your parking spot at Holmes Beach (the AMI library), go on an awesome parasail adventure with the BEST views in Florida. My 9-year old daughter did this with me, and it was incredible… had a blast!
5501 Marina Dr
5501 Marina DriveParasail Adventure! www.flyannamaria.com Right by your parking spot at Holmes Beach (the AMI library), go on an awesome parasail adventure with the BEST views in Florida. My 9-year old daughter did this with me, and it was incredible… had a blast!
Hire a Fishing Guide and have an awesome day catching fish! John is really good... https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/497385
I went with my 6 year old and we had a great time
5108 W Gandy Blvd
Hire a Fishing Guide and have an awesome day catching fish! John is really good... https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/497385
I went with my 6 year old and we had a great time
This is a very modern, well-curated museum, and very close to the house. See the planetarium show, old fossils, and local
exploration, inventions, and history. There’s also a kids’ play area. The Manatee Center has manatees that they're rehabilitating... they're on display at a certain time of year (we haven’t seen this yet). www.bishopscience.org
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Bishop Museum of Science and Nature
201 10th St WThis is a very modern, well-curated museum, and very close to the house. See the planetarium show, old fossils, and local
exploration, inventions, and history. There’s also a kids’ play area. The Manatee Center has manatees that they're rehabilitating... they're on display at a certain time of year (we haven’t seen this yet). www.bishopscience.org
Only a mile away from the house. From the
Bishop Museum, go towards the water and then turn right. Also, come back and eat at Pier 22 Restaurant https://www.realizebradenton.com/riverwalk-map/
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Riverwalk
452 3rd Ave WOnly a mile away from the house. From the
Bishop Museum, go towards the water and then turn right. Also, come back and eat at Pier 22 Restaurant https://www.realizebradenton.com/riverwalk-map/
A working farm and wildlife rehabilitation area. Play area for kids, Florida’s largest coy pond, wonderful tram tour and delicious food, snacks and treats. My wife grew up on an apple orchard, so she was very curious to learn about orange groves. The little ones also loved seeing the Wildlife refuge which they show when you’re on the tram tour. www.mixon.com
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Mixon Fruit Farms
2525 27th St EA working farm and wildlife rehabilitation area. Play area for kids, Florida’s largest coy pond, wonderful tram tour and delicious food, snacks and treats. My wife grew up on an apple orchard, so she was very curious to learn about orange groves. The little ones also loved seeing the Wildlife refuge which they show when you’re on the tram tour. www.mixon.com
I’ve never been at a zoo where you can get this up-close and personal with the animals without paying a ton extra. I was very impressed, and the kids loved it. It’s one of our favorite zoos.
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Sarasota Jungle Gardens
3701 Bay Shore RdI’ve never been at a zoo where you can get this up-close and personal with the animals without paying a ton extra. I was very impressed, and the kids loved it. It’s one of our favorite zoos.
Miniature golf AND you can feed alligators. Our kids love this. Very entertaining props and layout. Feeding real alligators is icing on the cake. If you get a hole in one on the “mystery” hole, you get a free game… we haven’t won that yet. And if you had a bad game of golf, don’t worry, because the last
hole is a confidence booster… it’s almost impossible to get anything other than a hole in one! One location on Cortez in Bradenton, and another location right next to Sarasota Jungle Gardens. Smuggler’s Cove was voted “Best Mini Golf in Florida” 5 years in a row.
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Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf
3815 N Tamiami TrailMiniature golf AND you can feed alligators. Our kids love this. Very entertaining props and layout. Feeding real alligators is icing on the cake. If you get a hole in one on the “mystery” hole, you get a free game… we haven’t won that yet. And if you had a bad game of golf, don’t worry, because the last
hole is a confidence booster… it’s almost impossible to get anything other than a hole in one! One location on Cortez in Bradenton, and another location right next to Sarasota Jungle Gardens. Smuggler’s Cove was voted “Best Mini Golf in Florida” 5 years in a row.
They have an art museum and circus museum… you can even just explore the campus. It’s a beautiful park setting, with a nice playground for the kids. Also, it’s free to everyone on Mondays, so definitely check it out… our kids loved the playground, we didn’t even make it to the art museum.
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The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
5401 Bay Shore RdThey have an art museum and circus museum… you can even just explore the campus. It’s a beautiful park setting, with a nice playground for the kids. Also, it’s free to everyone on Mondays, so definitely check it out… our kids loved the playground, we didn’t even make it to the art museum.
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Beaches
#1 - We Love Beaches. You’re not right on the beach, but you have a house near LOTS of gorgeous beaches. Try them all!
Pro Tip: Go early. Parking can get very crowded at peak times. You have the beaches (and parking) to yourself early in the day.
In addition to the beaches I noted above, there are also great beaches across the bay... Madeira Beach (combine it with a visit to John's Pass) and St. Pete's Beach (combine with a visit to St. Pete's Pier).