Gulf getaway: Bradenton area offers perfect escape
Each spring, it occurs to me just a little too late that I should have made plans to spend some time at spring training soaking in the sun and watching the Pirates play baseball in Bradenton, Fla.
Back in the 1990s, I lived in southwest Florida and went on a few day trips there to take in some baseball. Our sojourn to the Bradenton area this year came just a little late for spring training, but exactly at the right time to refresh and rejuvenate ourselves after a long, cold winter.
The Convention and Visitor’s Bureau labels the region “Bradenton/Anna Maria Island/Longboat Key” and it’s done a fantastic job appealing to folks in Southwestern Pennsylvania in recent years by pairing Pirates Grapefruit League baseball with spring break getaways.
The region sits on the west central coast of Florida just south of Tampa. Getting there is easy with flights from Pittsburgh to either Tampa or Sarasota airports. From there, it’s a quick drive either south or north on I-75 then west until you hit the beaches.
This area boasts more than 20 miles of white sand beaches and azure gulf waters and offers watersports, golf, shopping and dining for every taste along with beach bungalows, family size condominiums and deluxe resorts.
We began our two day visit to this area from my friend’s house a little farther south in Ft. Myers. We jumped on I-75 north for the more than one hour drive and exited Route 72 heading west toward the Gulf of Mexico and Siesta Key, which sits just south of Sarasota.
Once we arrived at our destination, we brunched al fresco on fresh shrimp, salad and Key Lime rum cocktails at The Boatyard Waterfront Bar and Grill at the marina just before the bridge to Siesta Key.
After a leisurely drive along the main drag to take in the sights, we chose to lounge the day away on the white sugar sand beach of Siesta Key. So many people told me this was their favorite Florida beach of all and it’s always top rated in the rankings.
Now I can see why.
It’s one of the widest Florida beaches I’ve ever seen and the sand is so fine you barely even feel it between your toes. There is plenty of parking along Route 758, the island’s main road up. There is a huge parking lot at the public beach area with restrooms, changing rooms and even a few vendors selling snacks and drinks. The water here is clear while the waves are nice and gentle.
Late in the afternoon, we packed up our beach chairs and headed back across the bridge and a few blocks more down Route 72 to our incredibly fun accommodations for the night: a tiny house hotel at Tiny House Siesta.
We freshened up then motored back onto the island along Route 758 a little farther north for a scrumptious dinner of sweet potato encrusted grouper and scallops with asparagus at Blasé Café & Martini Bar. We paired our meal with, of course, a martini and finished just in time to walk across the street and take in a stunning sunset on the beach.
After a wonderfully fun and comfortable night in our tiny house hotel, we woke up refreshed and ready for more sightseeing.
The day started off with a delicious breakfast just east on US 41 at the Dutch Valley Restaurant, and old-school, family-owned diner serving up a huge menu of everything from omelets to hot pastrami to souvlaki. The food here was fresh and tasty, the prices were great and the service was just downright friendly.
With full bellies, we drove north on US 41 to Sarasota and followed the signs west for Route 789 to St. Armands and Longboat Key. The drive is full of scenery from yachts at the marina and towering condominium buildings to aqua water and swaying palm tree lined streets.
We arrived at the southernmost tip of Longboat Key and a stop in St. Armands Circle was a must for a look around and some shopping at the trove of interesting shops and boutiques.
We got back onto Route 789 and followed the scenic drive over bridges and along beautiful beaches all the way to Anna Maria Island, which is a quaint, cozy spot with the main draw being the beaches.
Anna Maria Island has been dubbed one of the prettiest cities in the country and top family vacation spots by various magazines over the past decade. Make sure you visit Anna Maria Bayfront Park, where you can take a swim or stroll and enjoy sweeping views of Tampa Bay and the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the distance.
Nearby Pine Avenue hosts specialty shops and small art galleries along with the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum.
Our final stretch took us back south on Route 789 for a lazy afternoon spent on Manatee Public Beach, which is one of Bradenton’s beaches and was a little more secluded and less crowded than Siesta Key Beach.
We ended our trip by snacking on juicy coconut shrimp and grouper fingers beachside at The Kokonut Hut just a few minutes south on Route 789 before heading across the Route 684 causeway out to I-75 then south for just over an hour to Ft. Myers.