Then maybe you should check out Bradenton, a
first-class beach town that could never be confused with timeworn Florida
retirement destinations like Fort Lauderdale or Miami Beach. Nestled on
the west coast of Florida at the southern edge of Tampa Bay, Bradenton has
27 miles of spectacular white sand beaches, including those on nearby Anna
Maria Island. There's access to river, bay and Gulf fishing, and the Gulf
of Mexico ensures plenty of wind if sailing's your thing. And there are no
hulking condos.
Bradenton boasts scores of well-maintained retirement communities, but many seniors here instead prefer to live in single-family homes surrounded by canals and bays.
Clearly, if you like sun and surf, this is the place. And if you're a sports fan, look no further. Tampa - where you can catch the Lightning, the Buccaneers or the Devil Rays - is less than an hour's drive. And eight professional baseball teams come to the area for spring training, including the Pittsburgh Pirates (who train in Bradenton proper), the Cincinnati Reds (in nearby Sarasota) and the New York Yankees (in Tampa). Bradenton also has 24 golf courses, a host of theaters and a number of art galleries.
George and Joan Morse, 59 and 58, respectively, spend summers in New Hampshire to avoid the scorching Florida heat. But they can't imagine staying in New England year round. They love the beaches, sailing and fishing here. And George Morse gets to see his beloved Red Sox during spring training. The only drawback?
Poker Run boats take off on the intracoastal.
"Our granddaughter lives in Massachusetts and we miss her," says George Morse. The upside is that she likes to visit, especially since Disney World is only an hour and a half away.
Like the Morses, Hugh and Patricia Joyner, 58 and 55, retired to Bradenton in 1999 from New England - in their case, Westport, Conn. They came for the balmy weather and the sailing, but felt reassured by several first-rate hospitals nearby. Still, the Joyners' theater subscriptions, museum visits and volunteer work tutoring underprivileged school kids leaves them little time to sit still - or to sail. It's not exactly a conventional retirement of rest and relaxation, but that's okay. Says Hugh: "I'm as busy as I ever was." He'll slow down when he's good and ready. - N.P.
Manatee County Information
Emergency Services
Access Center Helpline 741-3117
American Red Cross 792-8686
Coast Guard 794-1607
Emergency Ambulance, Fire, Police 911
Emergency Management 748-4501
Humane Society 747-8808
Poison Control 1-800-282-3171
Spouse Abuse Information 755-6805
Wildlife Rescue Service 750-9453
Police Departments
Non-Emergency Numbers
Florida Highway Patrol Bradenton Post 751-7647
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office 747-3011
Anna Maria Island Police Department 778-4711
Bradenton Police Department 708-6273
Bradenton Beach Police Department 778-6311
Holmes Beach Police Department 708-5804
Longboat Key Police Department 316-1977
Palmetto Police Department 723-4585
Fire Departments
Non-Emergency Numbers
Anna Maria Fire Department 741-3900
Bradenton Fire Department 708-6233
Braden River Fire Department 751-5611
Cedar Hammock Fire Department 751-7090
Duette Volunteer Fire Department 776-1782
Longboat Key Fire Department 383-5666
Myakka City Fire Department 322-2292
North River Fire District, Palmetto 722-3331
Parrish Fire Department 776-1459
Southern Manatee Fire-Rescue District 751-7675
Trailer Estates Fire Department 758-6453
Whitfield Fire Department 355-2013
Art and Culture
Art League of Manatee County 746-2862
Artist's Guild 746-4469
Arts Council of Manatee 708-3896
Asolo Center for the Performing Arts 351-9010
Bishop Planetarium 746-4131
DeSoto National Memorial 792-0458
Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum 365-5738
Gamble Plantation State Historic Site 723-4536
John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art 359-5700
Lemily & Son International Art Gallery 727-1146
Longboat Key Art Center 383-2345
Manatee Community College Fine Art Gallery 755-1511 x4251
Manatee Players Riverfront Theatre 748-5875
Manatee Village Historical Park 749-7165
Mote Marine Science Aquarium 388-4200
Selby Gardens’ Museum of Botany & the Arts 366-5730
Sweet Adelines 794-6252
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall 953-3366
Village of the Arts 795-6499
Business Information
Better Business Council 748-1325
Economic Development Council 748-3411 Fax 745-1877
Manatee Chamber of Commerce 748-3411 Fax 745-1877
Internet: www.ManateeChamber.com
E-mail: Info@ManateeChamber.com
Civic Center and Auditoriums
Bradenton Municipal Auditorium 708-6220
Manatee Convention & Civic Center 722-3244
Neel Auditorium, Manatee Comm. College 755-1511 x4240
Education
Public Schools Administrative Offices 741-7200
Manatee Vocational-Technical Center 751-7900
Colleges and Universities
Eckerd College 957-3397
International College 906-8627
Manatee Community College
Main Campus 755-1511
South Campus 493-3504
National-Louis University 1-800-366-6581
Ringling School of Art & Design 351-5100
University of Sarasota 379-0404
University of South Florida
USF/Sarasota 359-4310
New College 359-4200
Webster University 365-7040
Government/State
Deep Water Port
Port Manatee/Tampa Bay 722-6621
Insurance & Treasurer Consumer Hotline 1-800-342-2762
Jobs and Benefits 741-3030
Proof of Residency Clerk of Court 741-4040
Property Appraiser 748-8208
Tax Collector/Tag Offices
819 US 301 Blvd., Bradenton 741-4800
415 10th St. W., Bradenton 741-4800
1341 US Hwy. 301, Palmetto 741-4800
3840 East Bay Dr., Holmes Beach 741-4800
Driver’s License
1600 First St. W., Bradenton
Information 741-3010
Appointments 741-3015
Manatee County
Animal Control 742-5933
General Information 748-4501
Clerk of Circuit Court 749-1800 Fax 749-7194
Library Services 748-5555 Fax 749-7191
Parks & Recreation 742-5923 Fax 749-7172
Sheriff’s Office 747-3011 Fax 749-5401
Voter Registration 741-3823 Fax 741-3820
Government/City
Anna Maria City Hall
10005 Gulf Drive 708-6130 Fax 708-6134
Bradenton City Hall
101 Old Main Street 708-6200 Fax 708-6256
Bradenton Beach City Hall
107 Gulf Dr. North 778-1005 Fax 778-7585
Holmes Beach City Hall
5901 Marina Drive 708-5800 Fax 708-5812
Longboat Key Town Hall
501 Bay Isles Road 316-1999
Palmetto City Hall
516 Eighth Avenue West 723-4570 Fax 729-9177
Health Care
Elder Helpline 742-5818
Columbia Blake Medical Center 792-6611 or 798-6140
Health Department 748-0747
Kid Care 748-0747 x1250
Manatee County Dental Society 755-4860
Manatee County Medical Society 755-3411
Manatee County Public Health Clinics 748-0666
Manatee Memorial Hospital 746-5111 or 745-7233
VA Clinic - Ellenton 721-0649
Libraries
Central Library 748-5555
Braden River Branch 727-6079
Island Branch 778-6341
Palmetto Branch 722-3333
Rocky Bluff Branch 723-4821
South Manatee Branch 755-3892
Other Services
Community Connections
Manatee Aging Network 753-4149
Neighborly Senior Services 758-9969
Manatee Religious Services 753-6749
Volunteer Services 746-7117
Post Office
1-800-275-8777
www.usps.gov
Sports and Recreation
Blackstone Park 722-9053
Buffalo Creek Golf Course 776-2611
Duette Park 776-2295
East Bradenton Center 742-5948
G T Bray Activity Center 742-5974
G T Bray Administration 742-5923
G T Bray Aquatic Center 742-5932
G T Bray Gymnasium 742-5926
G T Bray Softball Complex 792-9816
G T Bray Walton Racquet Center 742-5973
Manatee County Golf Course 792-6773
Palma Sola Park Softball 792-9005
Rye Wilderness 776-0900
75th Street Park 792-9808
YMCA Outpost 753-0954
Others
Anna Maria Island Little League 778-1908
Braden River Little League 794-3070
Braden River Soccer Club 756-2034
Bradenton Horseshoe Club 739-2387
Bradenton Shuffleboard Club 747-6184
East Manatee Bulldogs Football 758-8544
Manatee Area Youth Soccer Organization 794-3159
Manatee County Babe Ruth League 753-7004
Manatee County Church Softball Association 755-3009
Manatee East Little League 747-4996
Manatee East Soccer 744-0320
Manatee Lightning Soccer 795-0670
Manatee Magic Soccer 795-0670
Manatee West Little League 794-1512
Manatee Wildcats Football 746-3021 or 798-3235
North River Little League - American 723-9760
North River Little League - National 721-9008
North River Soccer 729-3071
Pram Sailing 722-3140
13th Avenue Little League 746-7470
Westside United Soccer 792-1947
Professional Sports
Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball 747-3031
Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Football 800-282-0683
Tampa Bay Devil Rays Baseball 727-825-3100
Tampa Bay Lightning NHL Hockey 813-229-8800
Tampa Bay Mutiny Soccer 813-288-0096
Transportation
Greyhound Bus Lines 747-2984
Manatee County Area Transit 749-5916
Commercial & Cruise Lines - Manatee County Port Authority 722-6621
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport Information Line 359-5200
Utilities
Bradenton Public Works 708-6300
Manatee County Utilities 792-8811
Palmetto Public Works 723-4580
Water, Sewer, Garbage Service
Unincorporated areas
Manatee County Public Utilities 792-8811
after hours 795-5457
Electricity*
Florida Power & Light Co. 917-0708
Peace River Electric Coop 722-2729
*Service determined by area. Call with either former occupant’s name, or serial number on front of electric meter.
Natural Gas
TECO People's Gas System 366-4277
(Hook-ups available in metropolitan Bradenton, Palmetto, and some rural areas.)
Telephone
Verizon*
Business 800-483-5200
Residential 800-483-4200
*Serves all county residents.