When traveling to Florida, most travelers first think of the Atlantic coast on the east side. But the state has so many more magical destinations to offer! In this post, I want to introduce you to an absolute insider tip in Florida, which for me is one of the most beautiful places in the USA: the Bradenton Gulf Islands!

The region in Manatee County, Florida, is characterized by the relaxed “Old Florida Charm” and is therefore perfect to enjoy the peace and nature, far away from the hustle and bustle of big city life. Instead of high-rise buildings and shopping malls, you will find flat and colorful houses as well as cute boutiques and cafés on the charming Bradenton Gulf Islands. 

Where are the Bradenton Gulf Islands?

If you’ve never heard of Bradenton, don’t worry – until our first trip to the west coast of Florida, this destination was completely new to me as well! But already after our first day, it was clear to me that it would become one of my favorite places. The Bradenton Gulf Islands are located on the West coast of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. Here you’ll find some of the most beautiful sandy beaches in Florida and gorgeous blue water, just like in the Maldives. Thanks to their location, the islands are also the most beautiful place in Florida to watch stunning sunsets on the beach.

The Bradenton Gulf Islands consist of Bradenton Downtown, Longboat Key and my personal favorite, Anna Maria Island! There are also numerous small islands – called keys – and sandbars in the region.

Where to find the Bradenton Gulf Islands in Florida:

What is the best way to get to the Bradenton Gulf Islands?

The nearest major international airport is in Tampa! Which is the ideal starting point for a Florida road trip, as Bradenton is less than an hour’s drive from the airport. It also only takes about two hours to get to the Bradenton Gulf Islands from Orlando. 

On the islands themselves, golf buggies and bicycles are the most popular means of transportation. Especially on Anna Maria Island, they have become indispensable. But you can also easily travel from point to point in a rental car.

If you want to travel back and forth between Anna Maria Island and Bradenton Downtown, the brand new water taxi shuttle is ideal.

When is the best travel time for the Bradenton Gulf Islands?

The Bradenton Gulf Islands offer warm and sunny weather all year round. They are therefore a popular destination for guests who want to escape the cold winter weather to enjoy warm sunny days and hardly any rain. January to April is therefore the peak season. In late spring, when the popular spring break travel season is over, things calm down and the weather is warm and summery. From July to the end of September, the rainy season begins, which is characterized by humid temperatures and plenty of rainy days. Of course, you can still have great weather during this time, but the chance of rain is significantly higher.

For me, the best time to travel to this insider tip in Florida is spring, into early summer, and late fall. We’ve been there in May two years in a row now and had fantastic weather!

How many days are ideal for your trip to the Bradenton Gulf Islands?

To really immerse yourself in island life and enjoy some of the most beautiful places on the Bradenton Gulf Islands, I recommend at least a week. The more time you have, the better!

Where is the ideal place to stay on the Bradenton Gulf Islands?

Anna Maria Island offers the perfect starting point for your vacation on the Bradenton Gulf Islands. Everywhere on the island you are within walking or cycling distance to the most beautiful beaches and best restaurants. I love the laid-back vibes on the island so much that we have now traveled to Anna Maria Island two years in a row. Alternatively, you can also find great beachfront accommodations and plenty of peace and quiet on Longboat Key.

For our last trip, we decided to book our own apartment instead of a hotel. This meant we not only had plenty of space, but also our own kitchen, washing machine and dryer as well as a private pool with barbecue area. This is the ideal choice, especially when traveling as a family or with friends.

Seabreeze Vacation offers well-equipped apartments in various price segments on Anna Maria Island and other locations on the Bradenton Gulf Islands. → I have linked you to the Seabreeze Vacation website with all properties here!

→ Do you rather enjoy the comfort of a hotel? Book the best accommodations here!

Don’t miss these places & activities on the Bradenton Gulf Islands:

1) Anna Maria Island – my favorite island and a real insider tip in Florida

As you have probably already noticed, I have fallen in love with this beautiful island: In my opinion, Anna Maria Island offers everything you need for a relaxing vacation: fantastic beaches, great restaurants and cafés, good connections, beautiful views and shopping opportunities.

→ In my post about Anna Maria Island you will find a detailed travel guide with all the activities and my favorite restaurants, but here are some insider tips that you should definitely not miss:

• Beach Suites: For a perfect and carefree day at the beach, I can highly recommend the team of Anna Maria Island Beach Suites. They will prepare a complete setup for you on the beach with a pavilion, sun loungers, towels, drinks, games and much more. All you have to do is slip into your swimsuit and enjoy the beach and the ocean. After your visit, everything will be taken care of again. You can choose from various set-ups and freely select the location on the island. → You can find all the information here

• Pine Avenue: Next to Bridge Street, Pine Avenue is the most famous street on the island with numerous restaurants, cafés and local stores. I particularly fell in love with the → Boutique Pink & Navy. Here you’ll find everything you need for the perfect island look. From swimwear to elegant outfits and beach accessories. I love that many of the brands they offer are local and produce sustainably! Make sure you stop by during your visit!Pine Avenue ends at the historic and well-known Anna Maria City Pier. Here you can watch pelicans and fishermen, marvel at the sunrise and sunset and and with a bit of luck, spot the popular dolphins and sea cows in the water!

• Sunset Dinner: Thanks to the location on the west coast of Florida, the Bradenton Gulf Islands offer fantastic views of the sunset. That’s why there are great restaurants and bars on Anna Maria Island that offer fantastic views for dinner. One of my favorites is the → Sandbar, which, as the name already implies, is located directly on the beach. With your feet in the sand, marveling at the sunset while enjoying a delicious meal and drinks… doesn’t that sound wonderful?

Sanbar

Cheesecake Cutie

Sandbar & Cheesecake Cutie

• Best cheesecake on Anna Maria Island! Whether for breakfast, lunch or just a snack. During your visit to Anna Maria Island, you should stop by → Cheesecake Cutie at least once to try the best cheesecake on the island and other homemade treats!

→ Check out my full Travel Guide for Anna Maria Island here!

A boat tour around the islands

This activity should definitely be on the agenda for your vacation on the Bradenton Gulf Islands: A boat tour offers you the unique opportunity to explore the blue waters around the Gulf Islands, including smaller keys and sandbanks that can only be reached by boat.

You can also get very close to the cutest inhabitants of the Bradenton Gulf Islands by boat: these are the manatees (sea cows), which can be found in the warm and shallow waters around the islands. The Bradenton Gulf Islands are also one of the few places in the world where dolphins can be seen all year round. Normally, the animals change their habitat depending on the season and migrate between different waters. However, around 150 bottlenose dolphins have found their year-round home here in Bradenton, as there is plenty of food and habitat for them. So a boat trip is a must if you don’t want to miss the cute locals.

My highlight was our boat trip with the → Anna Maria Dolphin Tours, which started in the morning and continued until the afternoon. Our captain showed us his favorite spots during the private tour:

Egmont Key, a protected island where numerous birds, land turtles can be observed. The beaches, which can only be reached by boat, are deserted and surrounded by shallow blue waters. There are also beautiful smaller and larger sandbanks nearby, which are ideal for sunbathing and swimming.

→ Book the best tours on the Bradenton Gulf Islands here:

Discover Bradenton Downtown

It’s not just the Bradenton Islands that are worth a visit. You should also see downtown. As already mentioned, this can be ideally combined with a water taxi tour: The shuttle departs from two stops on Anna Maria Island to the Bradenton Downtown Marina on the Manatee River and then back again. The boat trip takes longer than by car, but is very relaxing.

→ Here you can find the current travel times & routes as well as tickets!

Highlights in Bradenton Downtown that you can discover on a day visit:

• The Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, provides a temporary home for manatees who have become ill or injured in the wild.
• Village of the Arts – just a few blocks from Bradenton Downtown is the Village of the Arts. A neighborhood of colorfully painted and individually designed houses, which are primarily home to galleries and individual restaurants. Every first Friday evening and every Saturday of the month, a big happening takes place here. Local artists and producers set up stalls by the roadside, galleries are open and bands play in the restaurants. Art lovers and individualists should definitely not miss this! P.S. In the Birdrock Taco Shack you will find delicious and unique tacos with many veggie variations and directly opposite in the Adobe Graffiti Lounge you can relax in the backyard and enjoy cool drinks.
• The Oak & Stone restaurant has a great rooftop terrace with a view over the marina and the Manatee River. Plus they serve great pizza!
• On Old Main Street you will find small restaurants, bars and stores. I particularly love the small boutique Pink & Navy with lots of local and sustainable brands for summer clothing and accessories! Be sure to stop by! (P.S. There is a second store on Pine Avenue on Anna Maria Island)

Pure nature in the Robinson Preserve

For nature lovers, a trip to the Robinson Preserve is just the thing! In this nature reserve, in the northwest of Bradenton, the natural coastal vegetation of the region and its inhabitants can thrive undisturbed. To explore Robinson Preserve, footpaths and cycle paths lead through the area with short to longer loop trails. The routes that lead over the mangrove forests on footbridges are particularly beautiful. Numerous water birds, crabs and fish can be observed along the way. There are even picnic and barbecue areas in the park.

Please note: On particularly hot days, you should definitely avoid the midday and afternoon heat, as there are only a few shady spots. Also remember to pack enough water, as there is no place to buy drinks in the park.

Another way to enjoy this peaceful idyll is on the water. Kayaks can be hired in the Robibinson Preserve to take you through the natural channels through the mangroves. You should make a reservation at least one day in advance → You can book your kayak tour here!

The historic fishing village of Cortez

As the name suggests, the fishing village of Cortez lives mainly from fishing. The inhabitants of Florida’s oldest fishing village attach great importance to tradition and still uphold it today. At the harbor there are restaurants with bars directly on the fishing pier above the water, from which you can watch countless pelicans and mangrove forests in a rustic and cozy ambience.

Longboat Key – Pure relaxation on the Bradenton Gulf Islands

Longboat Key is located directly off Anna Maria Island and can be reached in just a few minutes via a bridge. The narrow but 17 km / 11 miles long island is characterized by equally beautiful beaches and cosy accommodation. Longboat Key is particularly popular with the locals, but the island is also a real insider tip for visitors, as it is at least as relaxed here as it is on Anna Maria Island.

The Bradenton Gulf Islands have quickly gained a special place in my heart. Even today, they still reflect the “real and relaxed Florida” that is rarely experienced. You won’t find huge clubs and malls here, nor large restaurant and all-inclusive hotel chains. Instead, you will find a wonderful warm welcome, individual boutiques and restaurants, cute accommodations and a perfectly relaxed island life! Experience this insider tip for yourself on your next trip to Florida and fall in love with the Bradenton Gulf Islands as well!

→ P.S. You can find many more impressions on my Instagram profile. I have saved two Bradenton Story highlights from our two trips there.

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