The 10 Best Hidden Gems Things to do in Bradenton, Florida (FL)

January 29, 2022 Joeann Galban

Visitors find the perfect blend of culture and fun in Bradenton. Discover Florida’s Spanish heritage at the De Soto National Memorial, go for a bike tour of the beautiful Robinson Preserve, and explore an authentic fishing village at Cortez. Be sure to visit the South Florida Museum and catch a Pittsburgh Pirates spring training game — and don’t miss vibrant downtown Bradenton, the picturesque Riverwalk, and the working artists’ community at the Village of the Arts.
Restaurants in Bradenton

1. TreeUmph! Adventure Course

Excellent
88%
Good
10%
Satisfactory
1%
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1%
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0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,583 reviews

TreeUmph! Adventure Course

A day in the park just got a lot more fun. At TreeUmph! you'll feel the exhilaration of climbing, zip lining, swinging and free-falling from 15 to 60 feet in the air...... all while harnessed to equipment designed with the most rugged materials and highest safety standards. Everyone starts out on the Beginner's Course and makes their way through five progressively difficult courses. Only the fittest will reach the Extreme Course, a true test of strength, agility, endurance and nerves! • 14-acre nature park • 5 world-class adult courses from Beginner to Extreme • Children's course (ages 7 & 8) • 76 treetop adventure games • Wobbly bridges, hanging nets, bungee swings and more • 650-foot-Long ZIP LINE • Plenty of Parking & Bus Lot Get your family, friends and coworkers together for an exhilarating day that's much more than a walk in the park.

2. Coastline Dolphin & Snorkeling Excursions

Excellent
98%
Good
1%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 329 reviews

Coastline Dolphin & Snorkeling Excursions

We are a family owned and operated business with tons of experience on the water. This is what we do, this is our passion and we love to share that with everyone. We provide a great 23ft center console Boston Whaler. It is a very dry, comfortable boat that provides you with great comfortable seating and dry storage for all of your personable items! There is a cooler on board stocked with water and we provide life jackets and snorkel gear on all trips! For everyone that is a first timer or a beginner or maybe just not the strongest swimmer. That's OK! Your Captain is certified in CPR and First Aid and gets in the water with you to make sure you are comfortable and you get the best out of your trip! Safety and Fun is our goal! We have a couple trips to offer! Please check out our website for all of our trips and information! RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED AT LEASE 3 DAYS IN ADVANCE! Thanks and we hope to see you soon

3. Five O'Clock Charlie Boat Tours

Excellent
99%
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1%
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5.0 based on 273 reviews

Five O'Clock Charlie Boat Tours

Personal Boat Tours and Fishing Charters showcasing, oceanic wildlife, beautiful scenery, historic marine sites. Tour the Manatee River and West Tampa Bay by boat looking for dolphins, manatees,sharks,sting rays and sea birds. 2 hour, 3 hour, 4 hour and day long charters available. Four hour and day long In-shore fishing trips also accommodated. Servicing the Bradenton area and all of Anna Maria Island. Trips booked by appointment maximum capacity of vessel is 6 persons. Egmont key excursions for snorkeling and shelling.

4. C Ponies Beach Horseback rides

8400 Manatee Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34209 +1 941-773-5196 [email protected] https://cponies.com/bradenton-beach-excursion/
Excellent
98%
Good
1%
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 378 reviews

C Ponies Beach Horseback rides

This is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that lets you experience horseback riding in Bradenton, FL. Begin your excursion by meeting our beautiful, amazing horses. 95% of these horses are rescues! Within minutes you’ll fall in love with this rare breed. Keep an eye out for wildlife, as it’s common to see manatees, stingrays, and dolphins swimming by. Palma Sola Bay is a natural breeding ground for our manatees! Enjoy the beautiful bay views as you ride with your gentle companion. Ask your guide about your horse’s story. You may even shed a tear when you hear some of the horrible conditions our horses came from. After a brief swimming lesson, our horses will swim while you ride them. The horses are never forced to swim; this is actually their favorite part! So grab hold of their manes and hang on tight! This almost feels like you’re flying through the air. There is no hard impact or bouncing as the horses’ feet do not touch the ground while they swim

Reviewed By Jguilarte - Atlanta, United States

Beautiful horses and wonderful experiences, Nikki and Amber are very experienced and fun to hang out with along with the horses! I love how all the horses are rescues and each have a fun personality (one of them is on island time lol). Would love to do again!!

5. Manatee Village Historical Park

1404 Manatee Ave E, Bradenton, FL 34208-1360 +1 941-749-7165 [email protected] http://www.manateevillage.org/
Excellent
57%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 162 reviews

Manatee Village Historical Park

Manatee Village Historical Park is an outdoor museum in Bradenton, FL, with historical buildings and artifacts.

Reviewed By DGW49 - Port Clinton, United States

There is a general store and displays of artifacts. There is a cracker house that is a complete reproduction of a way of living back in the day. An old train (steam) and a boat works. It's free.

6. Bishop Museum Of Science And Nature

201 10th St W, Bradenton, FL 34205-8635 +1 941-746-4131 [email protected] http://bishopscience.org
Excellent
63%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 856 reviews

Bishop Museum Of Science And Nature

As the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida's Gulf Coast, the South Florida Museum offers engaging exhibits as well as educational programs that interpret the scientific and cultural knowledge of Florida, the world and our universe. In addition to permanent exhibits, the Museum features a constantly changing lineup of temporary exhibitions -- offering something new to discover with each visit. The Museum includes the all-digital Bishop Planetarium Theater and the Parker Manatee Aquarium. The Bishop Planetarium is the Gulf Coast's premier astronomy education facility, outfitted with a state-of-the-art Planetarium and projection system with stunning multimedia capabilities. The Parker Manatee Aquarium is a Stage 2 Manatee Rehabilitation Facility, where manatees that have been injured or orphaned are rehabilitated for return to the wild as part of the Manatee Rehabilitation and Release Partnership. The Museum has housed 36 rehabilitating manatees since 1988.

Reviewed By Megyeri - Washington DC, United States

Alone with an overview of the history and animals found in FL is an outstanding new children’s center (only 2 months old) complete with treehouse, hands on-exhibits and a personal staff member trained to accompany the children. We go here regularly while in FL just to see the Planetarium shows and listen to Howard, the most amazing, brilliant, and entertaining narrator who explains the solar system, stars, and our planet’s place in the galaxy. We followed one woman out who said, “I’ve never felt so small,” because after Howard explains the entire skies, we humans are indeed tiny. Currently on view in the planetarium for the holidays is an amazing show called Let it Snow—a festive visual feast for the eyes and ears of all that’s wonderful about the holiday season in sounds and graphics. Then too, there’s the twice a day show in the manatee habitat arena explaining their life cycles while watching two manatees feed, swim, and rise to the surface to breathe. There’s also a current exhibit on mythological creatures that many will find informative and colorfully displayed. Close to the waterfront, visitors can break for lunch and re-enter the museum on their tickets and parking is close and free! What a gem in Bradenton!

7. De Soto National Memorial

8300 De Soto Memorial Highway, Bradenton, FL 34209-9748 +1 941-792-0458 http://www.nps.gov/deso/index.htm
Excellent
61%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
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Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 749 reviews

De Soto National Memorial

Reviewed By DOOR_COUNTY_FANS2015 - Brazil, United States

We've visitied the Memorial a couple of times, walking the trails through the mangroves and watching the short movie about DeSoto's travails after landing here in the early 1500's. Good for families.

8. Mixon Fruit Farms

2525 27th St E, Bradenton, FL 34208-7467 +1 941-748-5829 [email protected] http://market.mixon.com
Excellent
56%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
4%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 888 reviews

Mixon Fruit Farms

Mixon Fruit Farms is a Florida attraction the entire family will enjoy. Mixon’s features tropical gardens, a butterfly garden and magical maze, a citrus fruit processing plant. Tram Tours run Tuesday through Saturday at 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00, weather permitting. Tours last about an hour. Also Available Group Tours for Schools, Home School Groups, Organizations, Clubs and Reunions available with lunch for groups of twelve (12) or more.Florida's most unique, treasure filled Gift Shoppe where you will find more wonderful things than you can imagine. TRY THE WINE Wine sampling counter for a delightful selection of Florida Wines made with Florida grown Grapes and Mixon Oranges. Florida's Finest Citrus Fruit and Fresh Squeezed 100% Florida Juices available for purchase. We have a huge play area for kids! Our weddings and event venue perfect place for weddings, reunions, family and Corporate events year round. Don’t forget to try the delicious orange swirl ice cream.

Reviewed By Ldrake97 - Spencerville, United States

Mixon’s is a nice place to stop with your family. This was our second time here with our 4 kiddos who are older teens. Our first time was 9 years ago when they were much younger, both times while on vacation. We took the hour tour both times. They do two tours a day: 11am and 1pm. They close at 3pm. You hop on a nice comfy open air trolley bus and take a tour of the orchard then head to the back of the orchard for the animal part of the tour. Mixon’s has been kind enough to share their property with a group who find injured or abandoned animals in the area and then rehabilitate and release them back into the wild. The animals on this tour are animals that couldn’t be released back into the wild. The gentlemen giving the tour of the animals is very knowledgeable about all of them, shares why they are there and can not be released back, and allows you to hold an alligator and pet a large python. The tour is $10/person which I think is a bit too pricey. But overall, a great tour if you enjoy learning about orchards and animals. We went just before the citrus season begins so I think it would be even better with fruit on all of the trees. Inside the store is a small deli where you can purchase sandwiches, a gift shop, samples of fresh squeezed grapefruit, orange, and lemon juice, wine, fudge, popcorn, citrus fruit when in season (I purchased 2 palmellos which taste like a sweet grape fruit, so yummy), and even orange flavored soft serve ice cream ($3.50/small cup or cone) which tastes like an orange dream-cycle. Don’t forget to purchase a bag of fish food for $1 and go outside and take a walk thru the gardens and make your way over to the gazebo and feed the fish in the koi pond. There are so so many of them and they all want fish food! It’s pretty cool!

9. Robinson Nature Preserve

1704 99th St NW Open Daily, Sunrise to Sunset, Bradenton, FL 34209-9694 +1 941-748-4501 http://www.robinsonpreserve.com
Excellent
77%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,260 reviews

Robinson Nature Preserve

Reviewed By armandarce - Rising Sun, United States

This is a really beautiful preserve with great views and sites. We saw a pair of osprey taking care of business in the nest. Great trails and beautiful vegetation.

10. Palma Sola Botanical Park

9800 17th Ave NW, Bradenton, FL 34209-8153 +1 941-761-2866 [email protected] http://palmasolabp.org
Excellent
58%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
3%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 147 reviews

Palma Sola Botanical Park

Palma Sola Botanical Park is a lush, quiet and tranquil 10 acre park located in NW Bradenton, Florida. Planted with native and exotic flowers, trees and bushes, and rare fruit trees, the Park is full of local birds and butterflies, turtles, fish and pond life. Nature photographers and painters are welcome, as well as, visitors who enjoy wandering the shell paths as they discover plants familiar and new to them. The Park grounds are open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk, admission to the Park is free. The Park Office is open M-F 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Reviewed By 734sarajm - Valdosta, United States

I enjoyed walking around and taking pictures of flowers and lizards. Most were labeled with scientific and common names. I wasn't expecting to see the fruit tree garden. Never saw bananas on a tree in real before. Several places to stop and rest. Restrooms on site. Office was closed. Two other groups of visitors while I was there, so not busy if you are looking for less traveled destinations. Closed swing by water was nice too.

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