Florida's Gulf Islands Visitors Guide® 2008 - (Page 23) FIND a new pier group Sports & Recreation McKechnie Field Action packed or pure pleasure, you’ll find just the speed you are looking for. Our Piers, Bike Paths, Parks and Sports Facilities give you the chance to experience all Florida’s Gulf Islands have to offer in a rewardingly hands-on way. Bridge Street Pier piers FOR FISHING & WALKING trails FOR BIKES sports FACILITIES IMG Academies 5500 - 34th St. W., Bradenton 800-872-6425, www.imgacademies.com The world’s most respected tennis (Bollettieri and Evert), golf (Leadbetter), soccer, baseball, basketball, fishing and performance training programs. Available for all ages and abilities. Map grid D-6. Anna Maria City Pier 100 S. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria 941-779-1667 A hurricane in the ’80s destroyed the pier, but it has since been restored and offers a bait shop and a restaurant. Locals gather here and will share “fish tales” or even offer the novice some help. Map grid B-4. Blackstone Skate Park 2112 - 14th Ave. W., Palmetto 941-742-5926 Extreme sports enthusiasts will want to try their BMX bike, skateboard or inline skates on the Woodward ramps and rails at Blackstone Skate Park or Holmes Beach Skateboard Park. Protective gear and a parent signature for those under 18 are required. Hours vary seasonally. Map grid D-4. AMF Bradenton Lanes 4208 Cortez Rd. W., Bradenton 941-758-8838 Featuring 64 lanes, snack bar, lounge, game room. Youth leagues Sat. mornings. Extreme Bowling Fri. and Sat. nights. Map grid D-5. Bradenton Motorsports Park 21000 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton 941-748-1320 www.bradentonmotorsports.com Weekly NHRA Drag Racing, plus many national series events. Check website for upcoming events. Map grid I-5. Bradenton Memorial Pier Downtown Bradenton at the north end of 12th Street West. Map grid D-4. McKechnie Field 1611 Ninth St. W., Bradenton 941-748-4610 www.pittsburghpirates.com Boasting the most affordable Major League Baseball tickets anywhere in the country, McKechnie Field is the “Fenway of spring parks” and “the definition of ballpark intimacy,” according to USA Today. Map grid D-5. Duette Preserve 2649 Rawls Rd., R.R. 2, Duette 941-776-2295 For a heart-pumping program, Duette Preserve carves out 20 miles of shell trail through its 24,000acre preserve. Look closely through segments of the trail for deer, hog, Osceola turkey and bobcat. Hours vary seasonally. Map grid I-2. Bridge Street Pier Bridge Street and Sarasota Bay on the Bay side. This is a great spot to fish for grouper, flounder, mullet, bluefish and ladyfish. A restaurant is located on the first part of the pier. 24 hours a day. Map grid B-5. DeSoto Super Speedway 21000A S.R. 64 E., Bradenton 941-748-3171 www.desotosuperspeedway.com “The South’s fastest short track.” Stock cars every Sat. night on a 3/8-mile asphalt oval track. Call or visit their website for more information. Map grid I-5. Green Bridge Fishing Pier 101 - 8th Ave. W., Palmetto 941-723-4570, www.co.manatee.fl.us A portion of the demolished Green Bridge spanning the Manatee River between Palmetto and Bradenton was saved and converted into a pier. Map grid D-4. Sarasota Polo Club 8201 Polo Club Ln., Sarasota 941-907-0000, www.sarasotapolo.com Tailgate next to the action on the best fields in the USA. Bring your family and friends and enjoy the game of kings. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. and admission is $10 per person; kids 12 and under are admitted free. Allow 3 hours. Map grid G-8. Emerson Point Preserve 5801 - 17th St. W., Palmetto 941-721-6885 If the 2.7-mile ride through Emerson Point Preserve, with its flat and partially paved terrain, doesn’t take your breath away, the view at the end of the trail will: Tampa Bay, the Manatee River and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Walking trails branch off of the bike trail when you want to wander deeper into the preserve. Map grid D-3. Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex 5309 - 29th St. E., Ellenton 941-723-3663 An ice and inline sports and recreation facility offering skating and recreational facilities for all ages. Group and private lessons are available for hockey and figure skating. Map grid F-3. Jigg’s Landing Braden River Road, Bradenton Enjoy freshwater fishing and boating on the pastoral Braden River. Fishing, tackle and bait shop. Map grid F-6. RENTALS Rod and Reel Pier 875 North Shore Dr., Anna Maria 941-778-1885 Splendidly scenic recreational fishing pier at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Regular visits by native wildlife including seabirds, dolphin and manatees. Map grid A-3. G.T. Bray Park 5502 - 33rd Ave. Dr. W., Bradenton 1.5 paved miles, the trail at G.T. Bray presents an easy distance for families with young cyclists. Map grid D-5. Island Scooter Rentals 1301 Gulf Dr. N., Bradenton Beach 941-726-3163 www.islandscooters.com Scooter and bicycle rentals and sales. Single- or double-rider 49 c.c. gas motor scooters. Hourly/weekly rentals, customer pick-up and drop off. Free helmets (optional) and locks. Open daily. Map grid B-5. Florida Wheels Skating Center 3611 Third St. W., Bradenton 941-747-8602 www.floridawheelsskating.com Roller skating facility. Skate rental, pro shop, snack bar and arcade. Party services available. Map grid E-5. Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier and Artificial Reef South side of Skyway Bridge/Tampa Bay One-and-a-half-mile-long pier is open 24 hours a day. The world’s longest fishing pier provides a home to hungry sheepshead, Key West grunts, mangrove snapper, red and gag grouper, cobia, black sea bass and Spanish mackerel. Map grid D-2. Holmes Beach Skateboard Park 5801 Marina Dr., Holmes Beach Protective gear and a parent signature for those under 18 are required. Map grid B-4. Rye Wilderness Preserve 751 Rye Wilderness Trl., Parrish 941-776-0900 Four miles of shell path meander through Rye Wilderness Preserve, affording views of the Manatee River amidst dense woods. Follow one of many marked paths and enjoy a picnic or romp on the playground after your family’s ride. Map grid G-2. G. T. Bray Park 5502 - 33rd Ave. Dr. W., Bradenton 941-742-5923 www.co.manatee.fl.us Olympic-size swimming pool, dive well and splashground, roller hockey rink, eight Har-Tru tennis courts, amphitheater, gymnasium, athletic fields, playground, activity center and Happy Tails off-leash canine park. Map grid D-5. Florida Gulf Coast Sports Commission P.O. Box 1851, Bradenton 941-224-7344, www.fgcsc.com The official sports organization of Manatee County, assisting incoming events and event organizers to help make your event successful. Their mission is the development of amateur, recreational and professional sports. www.FloridasGulfIslands.com | Page 23 http://www.imgacademies.com http://www.bradentonmotorsports.com http://www.pittsburghpirates.com http://www.desotosuperspeedway.com http://www.co.manatee.fl.us http://www.sarasotapolo.com http://www.islandscooters.com http://www.floridawheelsskating.com http://www.co.manatee.fl.us http://www.fgcsc.com http://www.FloridasGulfIslands.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.