Bradenton, Florida

Emerson Point Preserve

Located at the tip of Snead Island in western Palmetto at the mouth of the Manatee River, Emerson Point Preserve is a 365-acre preserve that features stunning examples of Florida's wildlife and native plant communities as well as several prehistoric and historic sites. Historical sites include the Native American Portavant Temple Mound, and other attractions range from an observation tower with spectacular views of Terra Ceia Bay to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and a welcome/ranger station that offers information for visitors. There are several multi-use trails for hiking, mountain biking, and jogging and boardwalks wind around the preserve, along with two small picnic shelters, a large ten-table picnic shelter, and a canoe/kayak launch.

5801 17th St W, Palmetto, FL 34221, Phone: 941-742-5923

Florida Maritime Museum

Florida Maritime Museum (FMM) is dedicated to chronicling the story of Florida’s maritime history. Located on 4 acres of land in the historic fishing village of Cortez and housed in a 1912 schoolhouse building, the museum was established to showcase the significance of the regional commercial fishing industry and features an array of exhibits displaying historical artifacts, photographs, instruments, boat models, tools, and a collection of shells from the Gulf of Mexico. The museum also boasts a research library packed with diaries, books, periodicals, plans, ship logs, records, and letters as well as an array of archival material concerning maritime subjects.

4415 119th St W, Cortez, FL 34215, Phone: 941-708-6120

Village of the Arts

Set in the heart of the Sarasota-Bradenton area, the Village of the Arts is an eclectic and vibrant artists community that features over 100 homes, restaurants, cafés, art galleries, studios, and workshops. Spanning 36 acres, the Village of the Arts is home to many artists who live and work in beautifully restored cottages dating back to the 1920s and 1930s.

The cottages have been lovingly renovated and repaired and painted in bright colors, which adds to the already artsy vibe, and the artists-in-residence produce works that are shown and sold in one of the many art galleries in the village. The quirky town offers an array of things to see and do, from admiring the beautiful and unusual architecture and visiting art galleries, studios, and workshops to dining out or sipping coffee in a sidewalk café, or strolling through the streets and soaking up the vibrant ambiance.

Village of the Arts, 1017 12th Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34205

De Soto National Memorial

The De Soto National Memorial commemorates the landing of Hernando de Soto in 1539 and the subsequent exploration by Europeans of what is now the southern United States. Located in Manatee County, 5 miles west of Bradenton, the memorial is set on 26 acres of beautiful landscape where the Manatee River flows out into Tampa Bay, including 3,000 feet of coastline. Activities at the De Soto National Memorial include kayaking, canoeing, nature and hiking trails, picnicking, camping, fishing, and birdwatching.

8300 Desoto Memorial Hwy, Bradenton, FL 34209, Phone: 941-792-0458

The Judah P. Benjamin Confederate Memorial

The The Judah P. Benjamin Confederate Memorial at Gamble Plantation Historic State Park, also known as the Gamble Plantation or the Gamble Mansion, is a Florida State Park in Ellenton. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Gamble Plantation Historic State Park is home to Florida Division United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) and features a variety of attractions. The park boasts a beautiful antebellum mansion built by Major Robert Gamble, the lovingly restored wooden-framed Victorian-style Patten House, built for George Patten in 1872, and 16 acres of the former sugarcane plantation, which once spanned 3,500 acres. The park also holds the Confederate Veterans Memorial Monument, which was erected in 1937, and a visitors center that offers a wealth of information on the park.

3708 Patten Ave, Ellenton, FL 34222, Phone: 941-723-4536

Lake Manatee State Park

Extending for 3 miles along the south shore of beautiful Lake Manatee, Lake Manatee State Park is a 556-acre state park that is situated 15 miles east of Bradenton and offers excellent freshwater fishing, boating, canoeing and kayaking, swimming and sunbathing, hiking, and picnicking. Created when a dam was built across the Manatee River in the mid-1960s, Lake Manatee State Park is a welcoming outdoor space that offers a variety of activities and attractions for the whole family to enjoy. The park’s natural habitats are made up mainly of sand pine scrub and pine flatwoods with some hardwood forests and depression marshes, and it boasts full camping facilities a short walk from the lake as well as a pretty picnic pavilion. A lakeshore beach is ideal for sunbathing and swimming, and there are modern restrooms with showers located near the beach.

20007 E State Road 64, Bradenton, FL 34212, Phone: 941-741-3028

LECOM Park

LECOM Park is the spring training ballpark of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. Built in 1923, LECOM Park was initially named the McKechnie Field, in honor of Pittsburgh native and Hall of Fame manager Bill McKechnie, and was later renamed LECOM Park after the sponsor, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. The ballpark has seen significant renovations and upgrades over the years to make it one of baseball's most exceptional facilities, with state-of-the-art features such as a 19,000-square-foot boardwalk running the length of the outfield, a boardwalk barbeque area, the LaPensee Plumbing, Pools & Air Party Deck, an enlarged fan plaza, expanded restroom facilities and new covered bleachers with 570 seats.

1611 9th Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205, Phone: 941-747-3031

Manatee County Agricultural Museum

Located in Palmetto Historical Park, the Manatee County Agricultural Museum is dedicated to highlighting the importance of agriculture in Manatee County and the significant role it has played in the development of the region. The museum features a variety of exhibits that focus on the primary commodities in the county, namely horticulture, livestock, citrus and vegetables, and commercial fishing, and showcases a range of farming equipment and tools, photographs, and documents that reflect the area’s rich heritage.

1015 6th St W, Palmetto, FL 34221, Phone: 941-721-2034

Manatee Village Historical Park

Manatee Village Historical Park is a unique collection of historical buildings, objects, and artifacts that highlight the aspects of life in Florida during the pioneering era. Historical buildings around the park include the Curator’s Corner, Wiggins General Store, Fogarty Boatworks, a blacksmith’s shop, the Settler’s House, the smokehouse and mill, the Potter Barn, an 1887 church, and an 1860 courthouse. There is also a schoolhouse and cemetery, a pavilion and picnic tables shaded by large oak trees, and a children’s play area known as Junior Junction. Other amenities at the Manatee Village Historical Park include modern restrooms, water fountains, two doggie clean-up stations, and a wheelchair lift to the second floor of the Wiggins Store.

1404 Manatee Avenue East, Bradenton, FL 34208, Phone: 941-749-7165

Palma Sola Botanical Park

Palma Sola Botanical Park is a 10-acre botanical park that is home to a large variety of flowering trees, rare palms, and fruit trees as well as a butterfly garden, a picnic pavilion and two gazebos for weddings, a children’s playground, and three lakes with bridges. Established in 1990 to save the Manatee County palm nursery and create a beautiful green space for the community to enjoy, Palma Sola Botanical Park also features the Galleria and Baden buildings and offers a variety of educational programs and workshops. The gardens can also be rented for special event and functions, such as weddings, and are open to the public daily all year round.

9800 17th Ave NW, Bradenton, FL 34209, Phone: 941-761-2866