Bradenton Things to Do

the twin dolphin marina is a full service marina located on the river in downtown bradention. because of it's excellent location it is the best marina to dock at if you are traveling to bradenton by boat. for visitors to downtown bradenton it is a nice stop to look at the beautiful boats docked there.

a very interesting place to visit in downtown bradenton is the south florida museum. this is a combination natural history museum, aquarium, and planetarium. the museum focuses on ancient florida history and the aquarium has manatees on display. the bishop planetarium has an interesting star and planet show. a great place to take children when in bradenton.

The Village of the Arts District is a the new jewel in the crown of downtown Bradenton, Florida.

Most galleries and studios are only open to the public Fridays and Saturdays 11-4 and during ArtWalks. 1st Weekend of each month
Fri. 6pm-9pm
Sat. 11am-4pm
This is truly an eclectic collection of quaint homes and creative artists. There are over 30 studios and galleries to visit.

7.5-mile long Anna Maria Island is home to a trio of family-oriented beach communities – Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, and Anna Maria. There are 4 county-run, gulf facing beach parks (Anna Maria Bayfront Park, Coquina, Cortez, and Manatee), all with rest rooms, picnic areas, and free parking. There is also small beach along Palma Sola Causeway. Two bridges – Cortez at SR 684 and the Palma Sola Causeway at SR 64 – connect Anna Maria island to the mainland city of Bradenton. The beachfront is fairly consistent, with powdery white sand backed by anchoring vegetation, including tree breaks, that runs the length of the island...
One of the most popular dining places, Café on the Beach, located at Manatee Beach. The best beachfront cuisine is at the Beach Bistro , winner of a Golden Spoon award as one of Florida’s top place for dining and is said to have “the best food on the Gulf Coast” (very expensive, though). Another unique waterfront setting for lunch is Anna Maria Oyster Bar at 100 Bay Boulevard South. Located at the end of 750-foot Anna Maria City Pier, just south of Anna Maria Bayfront Park, it offers great seafood.. Visitors also enjoy an extraordinary view of Tampa Bay, including Egmont Key and the Skyway bridge on the horizon..

De Soto National Memorial
North end of 75th st W

This is a place where you can imagine yourself back in the 16th century among conquistadors in heavy armor trying to survive among irate Native Americans, mosquitoes, and sweltering heat.
In May of 1539, more than 600 Spanish conquistadors, under the command of Don Hernando de Soto, sailed into Tampa Bay with dreams of wealth and conquering “La Florida”. De Soto National Memorial preserves the memory of the expedition.
From late December to early April, uniformed park rangers portray life during those days in Tampa Bay base camp. Four times daily these rangers present programs that include demonstrations of 16 century Spanish weaponry.
A nature trail takes visitors on a half-mile loop through mangroves and along the beach, giving them idea of the hardships the explorers faced when they first landed. A visitors’ center holds artifacts and shells, and video presentation is available. Open 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission is free.

Lake Manatee State Recreation Area.
The county is named for the beloved sea mammal, who is frequent visitor to its waterways. 20007 SR 64 provides an opportunity for communing with nature in 556 acres of wildlife habitat. You can swim in the freshwater (but beware of alligators), launch or rent a boat, fish and picnic on grounds with a play area. Admission fee $3 per vehicle, $1 for pedestrians and bicyclists.

You can visit De Soto National Monument. This spot is said to be the landing site of De Soto. From the rocky beach, you can see across to the Skyway Bridge to St. Pete.
Take a walk on the trail. In the information centre, you can see a Spanish conquistador with armour on.They also play a movie in the main centre. Right out front, there is also an conquistador village set up. When you walk along the trial, you can go on the beach and find dead horseshoe crabs everywhere. Feel free to take them home if it doesn't seem too disgusting or you can just step on the exoskeleton. Also along the trail is a large white cross about 30-40 ft in height.