Florida Beaches & Parks
Beer Can Island (Greer Island)
Beer Can Island (also referred to as Greer Island) is a secluded sandy hook at the northern tip of Longboat Key. With time, mother nature has eroded portions of the beach uprooting most of the Australian pine trees that once stood on the shore. The massive tree trunks and roots give the beach a "Cast Away-Esque" feel and create a fantastic landscape of fallen and weathered wood.
There are no facilities, no lifeguard, and limited street parking. A lot of people arrived at Beer Can Island by boat. There no formal docking spots, nevertheless the shallow sandy water helps it be an excellent spot to drop anchor and come ashore for a bit.
Coquina Beach
Coquina Beach is situated on the southern tip of Anna Maria Island in a pristine natural setting in the Bradenton Beach area. Surrounded by looming Australian pine trees that provide a lot of shade, this beach is perfect for couples and families using its lifeguard services and amenities.
Coquina Beach is a truly fantastic place to invest your vacation days. It includes a more private and casual atmosphere in comparison to the other beaches in the area. It's often less crowded than Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach but offers just as many facilities.
Cortez Beach
Cortez Beach! It can be a unique "Old Florida" style beach, a beach with a long strand of sand, situated on the southwest side of Anna Maria Island, Florida. This beach area has that classic "good days of the past" feel to it. Maybe it's because of the Old Florida charm that much of Anna Maria Island encapsulates.
Cortez Beach picks up where Coquina Beach leaves off on its north end but includes a unique look, feel, and character about it. To start you will find no lifeguard towers, so you swim or surf at your own risk at this Anna Maria Island, Florida beach.
Anna Maria Bayfront Park
Bayfront Park and the beach is located at the north end of Anna Maria Island, on the bayside. Bayfront Park offers impressive views of Tampa Bay and the famous Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
It's one of the more popular Anna Maria Island Parks due to its incredible scenery and convenient location. It's outdoor activities for all the family, is close to Bean Point, the initial settlement on Anna Maria Island, and is nearby lots of restaurants, shopping, and historic sites.
Downtown Bradenton Riverfront Park and Skate Park (off-island)
Although the island has enough attractions to keep you busy all day, it is worth a tour of the region to see what it can offer. Downtown Bradenton area is a superb place to invest a day or afternoon on a warm day.
Within the last year, the Bradenton Riverwalk was completed and is now available to the public. It can undoubtedly be found by driving East from the island on Manatee Avenue into downtown Bradenton. Then follow the signs for the Riverwalk!
Palma Sola Botanical Park (off-island)
Palma Sola Botanical Garden is a ten-acre botanical garden after a residential area in the heart of NW Bradenton. It is designed around three ponds with two attractive "Old Florida style buildings" along with several lovely gazebos. There is an enclosed picnic pavilion, a tiny playground for kids and beautiful shelled walkways and bench areas.
You can relax with your lunch and an excellent book and enjoy nature while sitting beside one of the three sizeable ponds. There are some very unusual things including, native and tropical plants, a lush garden, lotus pond, and an exotic fruit tree section.