Manatee County

MANATEE COUNTY, FLORIDA*

*Including the cities of Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, Ellenton, Parrish & Myaaka City

From the sugar-sand beaches of Anna Maria Island, to the nightlife of downtown Bradenton’s Old Main Street, to the golf-course-lined subdivisions of east county, Manatee County offers a unique blend of old and new Florida.

Located between Sarasota and the southern shores of Tampa Bay, Manatee County was discovered in 1539 by the great Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto along with his crew of conquistadors. DeSoto Park, on the banks of the Manatee River is said to be the landing place of DeSoto’s fleet and a museum and historical park keep the memory alive. And, if the park is not enough, keep an eye out for the Crew of DeSoto, a present-day re-creation of the Spanish explorers, comprised of 40-odd members of the Hernando DeSoto Historical Society who regularly “capture” the local nightspots complete with authentic conquistador uniforms, helmets, swords, and of course a generous supply of mardi gras-like beads and coins used to earn the loyalty of the local “natives”.

The crown-jewel of Manatee County is Anna Maria Island. In stark contrast to the looming high-rise condominiums of Longboat Key, Anna Maria has held fast to its old Florida roots. Here, local building codes limit construction to no more than three stories and all of the sun-drenched beaches are open to the public. Stop by the Sandbar Restaurant on the northern end of island for a rum-runner while you watch the sun set. Predict the exact time the sun passes below the horizon and you’ll win a bottle of Champaign.

Bradenton’s historic downtown has been revitalized and Old Main Street offers an array of cafes and squeaky-clean bars where most of the area’s locals hang out. Plan to explore the area on the third Thursday of every month when the city sponsors “Get Down, Downtown” – a street party on Old Main with bands on either end of the street and local vendors offering food and arts and crafts throughout the area. If you look closely, you’ll even see Mayor Wayne Poston enjoying the fun.

Want something a little more “artsy”? Head over to Village of the Arts, a vibrant community of over thirty-five artists living and working together. The Village of the Arts is located just a few blocks south of Old Main Street. Here, dozens of historic homes have been creatively restored to individual art studios, many of which double as the residents of the local artists. Here you’ll enjoy a variety of affordable fine art, jewelry, ceramics, gourmet cafes and many special events. Look for the weekend “Art-Walks’ that are scheduled on the first Friday evening and Saturday afternoon of each month.

The month of March is baseball’s Spring Traning. Bradenton has been the Pirates winter home since 1969. The Pirates play at historic McKechnie Field –a cozy, classic and beautifully maintained facility that retains much of its charm from the 1920’s when it was originally built. When the Pirates head back north in April, baseball remains alive with the Bradenton Mauraders, a class-A minor league extension of the Pirates. Be sure to take in a game or two – even if you’re not a baseball fan, you’ll love the intimate environment of McKechnie Field where the players are so close, you can reach out and touch them. It’s the way baseball was meant to be seen.

When you are ready for some quite time, the bedroom communities in northwest Bradenton, and east Manatee County provide quite communities, beautifully maintained subdivisions and excellent schools.