West Bradenton – SO close to the beaches!

One of the best things about living in West Bradenton is that you are so close to Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key, yet you are still in the middle of a vibrant, bustling city offering everything you need. While not as “touristy” as the barrier islands, most of the residents are definitely here to take advantage of the proximity of the Gulf of Mexico.

West Bradenton enjoys it’s own coastline in addition to it’s access to the Gulf Beaches. There are single family homes and condos built on canals that attract boaters, allowing them to dock in their own backyards and motor out to the Intercoastal Waterway and the Manatee River. There are other homes with spectacular views of the Intercoastal, where the water is only deep enough for a kayak or canoe.  

There are lots of parks found in West Bradenton and many wildlife sanctuaries. G.T. Bray Park’s facilities include a fitness center, group exercise classes, an Olympic-sized pool, kiddie pool and splash pad, teen center, hard and clay tennis courts, racquetball, pickleball, and a gym to play basketball, volleyball, badminton, and cornhole.  

Bradenton’s Riverwalk is downtown Bradenton’s showpiece. Overlooking the Manatee River, the Riverwalk is a 1.5-mile, ADA-accessible park spanning downtown with many features such as a beach volleyball court, fishing pier, skateboard park, mosaic amphitheater,  playground and splash-zone and more! Other parks in West Bradenton include DeSoto National Memorial, Palma Sola Botanical Park, and so many more. 

Wildlife preserves are plentiful in West Bradenton, like Robinson’s Nature Preserve, Perico Preserve, and Neal Preserve. Even some developed communities, like Wildwood Springs Condominiums, are arranged in an Audubon bird and wildlife sanctuary. 

Several topnotch sports facilities can be found along the El Conquistador Parkway in West Bradenton.  These include the IMG Academy and the United Tennis Club. IMG Academy is the world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training and educational institution for young athletes from all over the world. It’s sport programs include baseball, basketball, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and track and field. The United Tennis Club at El Con is a private tennis club in Bradenton, FL featuring 15 Har-Tru Courts, 6 Hard Courts, Tennis Concierge and Bar & Grill. 

Want culture? West Bradenton’s got it. There’s the Village of the Arts, which is an eclectic live-work community made up of colorful historic cottages that house everything from award-winning restaurants to specialty shops, studios, healing arts, bakeries and Bradenton’s best art galleries. There are museums – the South Florida Museum, comprised of exhibits and artifacts that touch on history, culture, the animal kingdom, and the natural world, and the Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez, whose exhibits touch on pleasure boating, commercial fishing, and maritime transportation, and covers a vast block of time stretching back hundreds of years to when Florida wasn’t even a state. 

With so much to offer, West Bradenton is a great place to live. Talk to one of our agents today to help you find the perfect home!