Ever since the Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto visited Bradenton and Manatee County, Florida more than 450 years ago, the area has become more and more popular as a place to call home.
Bradenton is a certainly known as a "golfer’s paradise," but it is, in reality, so much more than that.
The city of Bradenton lies south of Tampa Bay. Bordered on the north by the Manatee River and on the south by the city of Sarasota, Bradenton sits on the mainland and is the gateway across the Intercoastal Waterway to the barrier island of Anna Maria Island. From there one can travel south onto Longboat Key.
Bradenton is the largest city in Manatee County with a population of about 50,000. It is a city where residents and visitors both have access to all the fun things that make the West Coast of Florida so appealing; gorgeous beaches and every imaginable water sport from fishing and scuba diving, and sailing on either the Intercoastal Waterway or the Gulf of Mexico. There is something fun to do virtually every day of the year.
And then there is golf. Bradenton has far more than its share of fine golf courses and golf course communities -- one perfect for whatever level of player you are. There are 20 public, semi-private and private golf courses in the city of Bradenton alone. While some are stand-alone golf courses, many are master-planned golf course communities complete with every country club amenity that so many come here to enjoy. Lakewood Ranch, Heritage Harbor , Rosedale, Waterlefe Golf and River Club, and The Concession are just five examples of the wide variety of golf and country club communities within Bradenton.
For a full list of the golf courses just in Bradenton, Florida, you may wish to visit this List of Bradenton Golf Courses.
Bradenton also is home to many arts and cultural venues. The Village of the Arts is a neighborhood immediately south of downtown where about 50 once dilapidated houses have been converted into studios, galleries, small restaurants and other small businesses, catering to the arts. The Village of the Arts, which prides itself as the largest arts district on the Gulf Coast, is definitely an area to visit.
Other attractions include the 10 acre Parma Sola Botanical Park and the south Florida Museum specializing in the natural and cultural history of the Florida Gulf Coast. It houses exhibits highlighting Florida history from the prehistoric to the present and includes the Bishop Planetarium and the Parker Manatee Aquarium, home of Snooty the Manatee. The Bradenton's Riverfront Theatre holds the first place title from the American Association of Community Theatre.
Education is also an important aspect of the Bradenton lifestyle. The Manatee County School District is an excellent school district and there are numerous private schools as well. The State College of Florida - Sarasota Manatee, Gordon University, the Manatee Technical Institute and the University of South Florida - New College are all located in Bradenton.
So, while golf and water sports are clearly top draws to Bradenton, there is surely something for everyone and every interest in Bradenton Florida.
