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Media Contact
Gentry Baumline
Hayworth Creative Public Relations
386-677-7000
gentry@hayworthcreative.com
Year 2008
Florida’s Gulf Islands Features & Facts
The Perfect Beach Getaway
Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, and the Bradenton beaches are a glorious throwback to old Florida, when charming little beach towns graced the shores, secluded from the outside world. For sheer natural beauty, it is one of Florida’s most scenic locales. Blooming bougainvillea, alamanda, and jacaranda paint a lush and colorful frame to the deep emerald Gulf waters. Historic landmarks, breathtaking views of the Manatee River, and a wide variety of pleasing accommodations and restaurants provide one-of-a-kind vacations for any kind of visitor. Add to the mix the gracious hospitality of the locals and you have the perfect ingredients for a relaxing and revitalizing break from the everyday world.
Florida’s Gulf Coast Islands
Each area has its own personality and intriguing story to tell. Bradenton is home to the Village of the Arts, a delightfully quirky section of town where a growing collection of bungalows have been converted to art galleries. The downtown area features antique shops, restaurants and a waterfront district with walking paths and amphitheater.
Lakewood Ranch, a 8,500-acre master-planned community, combines dramatic landscapes, world-class recreational facilities, fine dining and numerous shopping venues. Cinemas, boutiques and fine dining entertain visitors along the tree-lined promenade, Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, where art shows and special events are held throughout the year.
Venture to Anna Maria Island to explore a lush tropical setting where pastel-colored cottages and inns dot stretches of sandy white beaches. Visitors can make their way up and down the island on the Manatee Trolley which shuttles passengers around at no more than 25 mph – the highest speed posted on the island.
Crossing the bridge down to Longboat Key transports visitors to a world of posh hotels, family style inns, and world-class dining set in a distinct barrier island atmosphere.
History The area was first settled by English and Spanish explorers in the 17th Century who, according to legend, named the County’s main waterway the Manatee River for the gentle sea cows that still slowly swim along area inlets. In the late 1800’s, Emerson Bean and Charles Roser, inventor of the Fig Newton, played an instrumental role in building the foundation of the community that is so rich and thriving today.
Recreation
Beaches – There is something for every beach lover, from total seclusion to beaches with tons of amenities such as barbecue pits, concession stands, lifeguards, and more. It all depends on what suits your mood. Area beaches include:
Anna Maria Beach Holmes Beach
Bayfront Park Manatee County Public Beach
Bradenton Beach Whitney Beach
Beer Can Island Conrad Beach
Coquina Beach Palma Sola Causeway
Fishing – A fishermen’s paradise with abundant year-round salt and freshwater fishing opportunities. Drop a line and you’re likely to catch albacore, black sea bass, red snapper and spotted sea trout, just to list a few. Fishing licenses are required, except on charter trips and public piers.
Golf – Florida’s Gulf Islands are home to more than 20 golf courses, many of which are top-rated. Eager golfers can tee off at University Park Country Club (Golf Digest 4-Diamond Rated), Legacy Golf Club (Arnold Palmer Course, Golf Digest 4-Star Rated), River Club (A Top Golf Digest Pick) or Rosedale Golf & Country Club, to name a few. For additional play, nearby Sarasota has 25 more courses available.
Shopping – Shopaholics can indulge in an excursion to nearby Ellenton, home of the Prime Outlets with over 135 brand name stores. After bargain hunting, visitors will enjoy wandering about the island boutiques and galleries on Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key or taking a stroll along the Main Street at Lakewood Ranch where more than 20 specialty boutiques sell fashions, gifts, and décor.
Tennis & Sports – Fostering the likes of tennis greats Maria Sharapova, Monica Seles and Andre Agassi, IMG’s Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy is a magnet for tennis enthusiasts. The academy boasts 10 clay, 35 hard, and six indoor courts on-site, with an additional 21 courts at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Centre. Visitors are welcome to play at the academy for a day, a week, or by the month. IMG Academies also include soccer, baseball, and basketball academies, as well as the International Performance Institute. Baseball fans will want to pay a visit to McKechnie Field, Bradenton’s Field of Dreams. This 6,200-seat old-time ball park is home of the Pittsburgh Pirates spring season games played throughout the month of March. And, avid sports fans will marvel at the Sarasota Polo Club and Sarasota International Cricket Club.
Outdoor Recreation
A simple stroll along the shore provides more than spectacular views. A careful eye is rewarded with such natural treasures such as the horse conch (Florida State Shell), Calico Scallop, Lightning Whelk, Rock Snail, Keyhole Limpet and other seashells.
Nature lovers are smitten with Emerson Point Conservation Preserve, a 200-acre state park. Crisscrossed with winding trails and wooden boardwalks, allows visitors to take in the landscape at their own pace. Birdwatchers should keep an eye out for ibis, snowy egret, sanderling sandpipers, brown pelicans and flamingoes.
Lake Manatee State Park is another pristine park with a recreation showcase of more than 556 acres extending along the natural beauty of Lake Manatee.
Coquina Baywalk at Leffis Key is yet another natural wonder, where footbridges and boardwalks allow visitors to explore shallow tidal lagoons.
The Madira Bickel Mound State Archaeological Site leads would-be archaeologists to a flat-topped temple or ceremonial ground, composed of sand, shell and village debris. The mound measures 100 by 170 feet at the base and 20 feet in height.
Museums & Historical Attractions
To see the oldest manatee living happily in captivity, swing by the South Florida Museum/Parker Manatee Aquarium and visit Snooty™. If you’re lucky, you could be in time for Snooty’s™ annual birthday party, held in July. Or, check out a star-studded show at the state-of-the-science Bishop Planetarium. The museum’s other exhibits include dioramas, ancient artifacts, featured artists and more.
History buffs enjoy the Desoto National Memorial which commemorates Hernando Desoto’s historic landing in Florida and the major significance his expedition holds to the history of North America.
At the Family Heritage House, visitors can get a unique glimpse into the significant influence of the area’s rich African American heritage. The site includes a gallery and resource center for the study of African-American achievements.
Sit back and take it all in during a 90-minute train ride through old Manatee County aboard vintage railroad equipment at the Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum.
Visit the Gamble Plantation State Historic Park, an original plantation and the only surviving antebellum plantation house in Florida.
Explore the Manatee Village Historic Park where you’ll find nine restored buildings from the county’s pioneer ere (1860 – 1918) including a general store, church, courthouse, and school.
Visitors can also explore the Salvador Dali Museum in downtown St. Petersburg, or the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Mote Aquarium and Sarasota Jungle Gardens, just minutes away in Sarasota.
Accommodations
Florida’s Gulf Islands offer a diverse range of accommodation options for visitors. Posh hotels, full-service hotels, charming inns, beachside cottages, and convenient condos provide a welcome escape for any taste. Whatever your preference, you can count on gracious hospitality for which the area is known.
Restaurants
The Gulf of Mexico provides an endless source of Florida’s freshest seafood, served up with style throughout the islands. Area restaurants include other appetizing cuisine as well, including French, Continental, Chinese, Italian, Russian and more. From the exotic and inventive to simple down-home cooking, restaurants here are sure to leave you happily satisfied. The Gulf also ensures the perfect atmosphere, with steady breezes and smoldering sunsets served nightly at almost every waterfront restaurant.
Average Temperatures
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| Month | HIGH | LOW | | January | 71.8°F | 50°F |
February | 72.6°F | 50.9°F | March | 77.1°F | 55.7°F | April | 82°F | 59.6°F | May | 86.9°F | 65°F | June | 89.5°F | 69.9°F | July | 90.6°F | 71.8°F | August | 90.7°F | 72.1°F | September | 89.4°F | 71.5°F | October | 84.4°F | 64.6°F | November | 78.3°F | 56.8°F | December | 73.2°F | 51.1°F |
Arriving
Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport is located at the southern edge of the county, and Tampa International Airport is just 45 minutes away. Most major airline carriers and rental car companies service these flyer-friendly airports.
Approximate Mileage from Major U.S. Cities
Atlanta, GA 496 miles
Chicago, IL 1,223 miles
Indianapolis, IN 1,038 miles
Orlando, FL 119 miles
Tampa 46 miles
Florida’s Gulf Islands are located off Interstate 75 at State Road 64 west. From 275, take U.S. Highway 41 south to State Road 64 west.
Visitor Inquiries
Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
P.O. Box 1000
Bradenton, FL 34206
Phone: (800) 4-MANATEE
www.floridasgulfislands.com
email: info@floridasgulfislands.com
An information kiosk is located in the Manatee Courtyard of the Prime Outlet Mall in Ellenton (1/4 mile east of exit 224 on I-75). The Kiosk is open 10 am-6 pm, Monday-Saturday and 11 am-6 pm on Sunday.
-Florida’s Gulf Islands-
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