Manatee County
Bradenton
The closest mainland city to Anna Maria Island, running from a riverfront downtown west through the intracoastal communities to Cortez and Perico.
The shape of it
Bradenton runs along the south bank of the Manatee River and stretches west toward the water. Downtown centres on the Riverwalk, an accessible mile and a half of waterfront path with public space and event programming. Keep going west and you reach the intracoastal communities: Palma Sola, Perico Island, and the old fishing village of Cortez, which still works as a commercial fishing port.
Housing
The widest range of the five. Older established neighbourhoods near the river and downtown, mid-century inland stock, waterfront condos out toward the intracoastal, and newer construction as you move east toward I-75. Because the housing is older on average, the price spread here is broad.
Getting around
Bradenton is the practical mainland base for Anna Maria Island, roughly twenty minutes to the island depending on where you start and how the bridges are running. A seasonal passenger ferry connects the Riverwalk Pier to Bridge Street on the island. I-75 is a short drive east.
Worth knowing
LECOM Park hosts Pittsburgh Pirates spring training downtown, and the IMG Academy campus sits on the west side of the city. The Village of the Arts, a live and work district of early century bungalows turned into studios and galleries, is a few blocks from the Riverwalk.
Worth knowing
- LECOM Park Pittsburgh Pirates spring training, downtown
- Bradenton Riverwalk A mile and a half of accessible waterfront downtown
- IMG Academy The international athletics campus on the west side
- Village of the Arts Live and work studio district near downtown
- Cortez fishing village A working commercial fishing port on the intracoastal
At a glance
- County
- Manatee
- Spring training
- Pittsburgh Pirates, LECOM Park
- Island access
- Road bridges plus a seasonal ferry
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