Bradenton is the Manatee County seat, with a riverfront downtown, an arts district and easy access to Anna Maria Island.
Bradenton had about 55,700 residents at the 2020 census and sits on the south bank of the Manatee River. The Bradenton Riverwalk is a 1.5-mile park along the river, and the Village of the Arts is a neighborhood where residents can live and work in their homes. Downtown also has the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, with a planetarium and aquarium, and LECOM Park hosts Pittsburgh Pirates spring training and the Bradenton Marauders.
US 41 runs through Bradenton between Tampa and Sarasota, and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge connects the area to St. Petersburg. Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key lie to the west, across the Intracoastal Waterway. Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport serves the area.
Anna Maria Island is just west of Bradenton, and it has a quieter, more relaxed feel than many beach areas. Bean Point and Coquina Beach are among its best-known stretches of sand. Our Gulf Beaches page has more on the island.
Our Florida office, Keller Williams Suncoast, is in Bradenton, so this is a place we know well and visit often.
People who want a true downtown and riverfront, an arts scene, and beaches close by, at a different pace from the Tampa Bay side. If you are weighing Bradenton against Palmetto, Parrish or St. Petersburg, we can help you compare them.
Yes. Bradenton is the county seat of Manatee County.
Anna Maria Island is just west of Bradenton, across the Intracoastal Waterway, with bus service and free trolleys on the island. Exact drive times depend on where in Bradenton you start.
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. School boundaries, taxes, flood zones, insurance and services vary by address, so confirm the details for any home you consider. Sources: Bradenton, Florida.
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