☀
The Votaw Family · Gulf Coast Guide
Bradenton & Anna Maria Island
Beaches, eats, activities, a day-by-day plan, live weather & everything nearby — all in one place.
🌤️ Weather — your week
Loading live forecast…
📍 Nearby essentials (tap = directions)
🏖️ Beaches — which & when
Manatee Public BeachFREEYour crew, any morning. Free lot (~200 spots, fills by 10am), lifeguards, restrooms, showers, playground + Cafe Beachhouse on the sand. Calm shallow water. Go early Sat.
Coquina BeachFREEEasy parking + shelling. Island’s biggest free lot (rarely fills), shady pines, calm entry. Great first-evening sunset.
Bean PointFREESUNSETQuiet + the island’s best sunset. Northern tip. No restrooms/lifeguards, limited street parking — weekday morning for shells, or come for sunset.
Cortez / Bradenton BeachFREEQuick, uncrowded dip. Low-key strip by Bridge Street — pair with mini-golf + ice cream.
🍦 Sweet stops
Dips Ice Cream · Pine Ave
Voted #1 on the island (in the General Store). The must-do cone.
Two Scoops · Anna Maria
Big classic scoop shop near Pine Ave.
The Fudge Factory · Bridge St
Homemade fudge + ice cream. Pair with mini-golf.
Gelato-go · Bridge St
Italian gelato, paninis + coffee.
🍔 Kid-approved eats
Anna Maria Oyster BarKIDS SUN–THUKids eat ~1¢ per inch of height. Reserve in summer.
Poppo’s TaqueriaFast, cheap build-your-own tacos.
The Ugly GrouperLive music + lawn games; grouper sandwich.
Star Fish Co (Cortez)Order-window fresh seafood on the working dock.
🍺 Breweries (kid & dog friendly)
3 Keys Brewing & Eatery · closest to AMI
Manatee Ave. Has a kids’ area (books, Legos, Wii) + kids’ menu — the easiest brewery-with-littles.
Motorworks Brewing · Bradenton
Florida’s largest beer garden (1014 9th St W), food trucks, live music, family & dog friendly. Great early-evening.
Darwin Brewing Co. · Bradenton
803 17th Ave W. Flagships (Summadayze IPA, Llama Mama Stout); trivia + Friday-night live music.
Good Liquid Brewing Co. · Bradenton
4824 14th St W. Husband-&-wife craft microbrewery + gastropub, near the Riverwalk.
Farther afield · Sarasota
Big Top Brewing & JDub’s Brewing — both excellent if you take a short drive south.
🎟️ Parks & play
Robinson PreserveFREE600+ acres, easy trails, kayak waterways, 53-ft climbing tower. Go early.
Bradenton RiverwalkFREESplash pad + playground, skate park, fishing. Cooler-evening burn-off.
The Fish Hole Mini-GolfWaterfront, koi pond, misters. Walkable w/ ice cream on Bridge St.
Smugglers Cove GolfPirate-themed on Cortez Rd with live baby gators.
Bishop Museum of ScienceManatees + planetarium + dino hall — the rainy-day go-to.
Bolero Bowling / Astro SkateBowling + arcade / skate center — storm backups.
🚤 On the water (book ahead)
Dolphin & sandbar boat tour · Cortez2-hr family trips — dolphins + a sandbar swim/shell stop. Try AMI Escapes, Island Hoppers, or Captain Kim’s. Reserve a morning early in the week — a big kid win.
📋 Your day-by-day (tap to open)
Fri Jul 24 — Arrive & settle check-in 4pm
PM
Check in 4pm, unpack. Grocery run to Detwiler’s (breakfasts, snacks, a couple dinners).
Evening
Easy first night: Poppo’s tacos or cook in → sunset at Coquina Beach → Fudge Factory.
Sat Jul 25 — Beach + island fun go early
AM
Manatee Public Beach before 10am — playground, calm water.
Midday
Back to rental/pool through the heat (or Bishop Museum if stormy).
Evening
Ugly Grouper (live music + games) → Two Scoops.
Sun Jul 26 — Nature + kids-eat-cheap
AM
Robinson Preserve — climbing tower + trails before the heat.
Evening
Anna Maria Oyster Bar (penny-per-inch, Sun!) → sunset.
Mon Jul 27 — Quiet beach + Pine Ave
AM
Donut Experiment → Bean Point (weekday = parking + shelling).
PM
Stroll Pine Avenue shops → Dips (#1 ice cream).
Evening
Cook in → back to Bean Point for sunset.
Tue Jul 28 — Dolphins & Cortez
AM
Dolphin/sandbar boat tour from Cortez (book ahead).
Lunch
Star Fish Co on the Cortez dock.
Evening
AMOB again (Tue deal) or waterfront happy hour → ice cream.
Wed Jul 29 — Mini-golf + brewery night
AM
Beach at Coquina (shade + shelling) or pool.
PM
Fish Hole mini-golf + Bridge St shops & Gelato-go. (Or Smugglers Cove pirate golf w/ gators.)
Evening
3 Keys or Motorworks beer garden → last big sunset.
Thu Jul 30 — Slow morning & go check-out 10am
AM
Early shell-hunt walk → pack → road snacks at Publix → check out 10am.
Island tips: Beaches fill by ~10am — go early, pool at midday, back out late afternoon. Park once & ride the FREE Anna Maria Island Trolley (whole island, every ~20 min, 6am–10:30pm). Afternoon storms blow through fast — keep an indoor backup. Cooking breakfasts + 2–3 dinners saves the most with 3 kids.