Hi

Any good ideas for great days out from Bradenton to make a break from the beach?

Anything up to 150 miles radius would be a great help!

Thanks for your help

Mike

great place to eat is phillipi creek sea food, (sarasota) and for the younger folk is anna maria island's beach house. (anyone for lunch) st. armands circle is good to shop in the sarasota area. keep alert for Jerry springer sightings, as he does have a house on bird key. also selby gardens are great. venice beach for collecting sharks teeth, espically with all the storms they are having this year. we have found pre-historic sharks teeth, and tons of sea glass. sanibelle island is good, and has some great craft and art shows when the clime starts to cool. you did not say when you plan to go. sanibelle is also great for shelling.The Edison house and the Henry ford museum are also one of my favorite destinations. they are also in the Ft Meyers area. st. pete has a good beach called pass-a-grill, and there is a good restaurant right on the beach for lunch. dinner is great at the hurricane, and you can go up 4 floors to the roof top to eat. they do have an elevator. st. johns pass in st. pete is also good. also fort de soto is a great public park. if you do not mind the drive. st. augustine is wonderful, and the space center is reasonably close. avoid the rat park unless you have small children. it is really only for the little ones. we have been to florida, into this area about 35 times, so if you want more specific info, let me know.

Thanks Sheila - we'll take a look at your recommendations.

Kind regards

Mike

In Bradenton there is the deSoto National Memorial commemorating Hernando deSoto's exploration of the southern US. Certain times of the year there are demonstrations by customed rangers about life at the time (1539). there is a small visitors center which has a short film about deSoto's expedition.

In Ellenton, you can visit Prime Outlets Ellenton if you want to go for shopping. There are over 100 stores. Also check the Gamble Plantation State Historic Site. The plantation has with guided tours on certain days, formerly a sugar plantation during the 1840s to the Civil War.

Sarasota has the Ringling museum, home and circus museum. John Ringling of the Ringling Brothers Circus built his winter home in Sarasota and also willed his magnificent art collection to the State of Florida which is in the museum. The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has a great collection of orchids and bromeliads. Other places in Sarasota and nearby are Mote Marine Aquarium, The Classic Car Museum, Myakka River State Park.

If you want to go as far north as Tampa there is Busch Gardens, an amusement park with roller coasters and African wildlife on a simulated African plain, parrot shows, etc. The city of Tampa has some interesting historical places to visit: Ybor City, University of Tampa (formerly the Tampa Bay Hotel built by railroad magnate Henry Plant).

Please check out some of my travel pages for the above mentioned places as well as St. Petersburg for additional information.

Donna

I'm a little confused . . . are you trying to get away from the beach? If so, why? I used to live in Sarasota / Bradenton, but not on the beach. I was always jealous of near-beach-types.
Anyhoodles, if you are, you might want to check out Tampa. (Yes, Tampa.) It's more interesting than it seems. I have a Tampa and Ybor City page you might find slightly useful, though other people's are probably better.