BradentonGulfIslands.com; @Visit_Bradenton
Located north of Sarasota, near the Gulf of Mexico, Manatee County includes the county seat of Bradenton, Anna Maria Island, and Longboat Key. “This is the ‘Authentic Florida,’” says Keenan Singleton, communications manager for Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We offer a nice mixture of sugar-white sand beaches, a flourishing arts scene, and a laid-back, small-town charm. We also have an excellent convention center, which just completed a $54 million transformation.” Completed in November 2025, the project extended the Bradenton Area Convention Center event space to 95,000 square feet. New features include a 14,000-square-foot ballroom, a 32,000-square-foot exhibit hall, and two outdoor plazas. The convention center adjoins to its headquarters hotel, the Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa, which opened in April 2024 with 252 guest rooms and 8,908 square feet of event space across eight event/breakout rooms. Hotel amenities include rooftop dining, a spa, an outdoor amphitheater, and access to a private beach club.
Downtown Bradenton attractions include the Avenue of the Arts, the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, ArtCenter Manatee, and the Manatee Performing Arts Center. Gulf Islands Ferry serves Anna Maria Island, known for its boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and historic Bridge Street.
Area accommodations include the 110-room Ramada Waterfront Sarasota, with 10,000 square feet of event space; 153-room Courtyard by Marriott Bradenton Sarasota/Riverfront, with 9,446 square feet of event space; 114-room Hampton Inn & Suites Bradenton Downtown Historic District, with 2,390 square feet of event space; and the 123-room Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound, by Margaritaville Hotels and Resorts, which has indoor and outdoor space for up to 75 people in its largest configuration. Silver Surf Gulf Beach Resort on Anna Maria Island and BridgeWalk resort in historic downtown Bradenton—both Silver Surf resort boutique properties—offer a combined 78 guest rooms. While neither offers event space, the resorts offer other amenities, including spa services and private beach access.
Bradenton is located 12 miles from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) and approximately one hour from Tampa International Airport (TPA).
