SIX18 TRAVEL

Occupying an envious position just north of Sarasota and just south of Tampa Bay, Bradenton is an unofficial border between Central Florida and Southwest Florida. It's a seemingly small city: its compact downtown makes it easy to walk to attractions like the Bradenton Riverwalk and the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature. Colorful neighborhoods like the Village of the Arts and community-led attractions like the Palma Sola Botanical Park are as welcoming to locals as they are out-of-towners. The small town vibes are ever present, whether you're crossing paths with a fellow jogger in Robinson Preserve or cheering on the Pittsburgh Pirates during an MLB spring training game at LECOM Park.

But Bradenton doesn't come up short as a must-visit vacation destination. Cortez and Coquina beaches offer a seat on the sugar-white sand to watch exceptional sunsets. No matter the catch of the day, Bradenton's seafood restaurants reel in hungry foodies just as effortlessly as Red Barn Flea Market lures thrifty treasure hunters into its expansive array of vendor booths.