YOU’LL WISH YOU HAD MORE HOURS IN THE DAY
The area surrounding The Palms has so much to offer you – everything from recreational activities, historical places to visit, arts and culture to explore and sporting events to take in. We can’t possibly fit them all on this page, so here are just a few highlights:
Golfing
If your idea of a perfect day is spending it on a golf course, you’ll be impressed with the number of golf courses near The Palms. “Golf-Links” lists over 50 golf courses within a 15-mile radius. A sampling of several nearby courses include:
– Terra Ceia Golf & Country Club (1 mile away) www.terraceiabay.com
– Bradenton Country Club (3 miles away) www.bradentoncc.org
– Palm View Hills Golf Course (4 miles away) 941-722-2392
– Imperial Lakewoods Golf Club (6 miles away) www.ilwgc.com
– Buffalo Creek Golf Course (7 miles away) www.co.manatee.fl.us
– River Run Golf Links (4 miles away) www.riverrungolflinks.ca
– Heather Hills Golf Course (4 miles away) 941-755-8888
– Pinebrook/Ironwood Golf Course (4 miles away) www.pinebrookironwood.com
– Manatee Country Golf Course (6 miles away) 941-792-6773
For more information on courses in the area visit Golf-Links at www.golflink.com
Water Activities
The Tampa Bay / Sarasota area surrounding The Palms provides an amazing playground for those who enjoy water activities. Besides spending a perfect day relaxing on your boat, the area’s 20 barrier islands provide natural buffers from the Gulf of Mexico, making it a perfect spot for swimming and virtually any other water sport, including scuba diving, shelling, snorkelling, kayaking, sailing, sailboarding or even parasailing!
Palmetto Historical Park (Palmetto)
The historical park is host to a wide variety of programs that appeal to all ages. Each year brings halloween and summer socials, annual Heritage days, historical speakers, group yard sales and Christmas in the Park. All events are free. www.manateeclerk.com
Manatee Village Historical Park (Bradenton)
Step back in time when you visit this collection of restored buildings from Manatee County’s settlement history. It’s your chance to experience life in Manatee County before the arrival of modern conveniences.
http://manateeclerk.com
South Florida Museum (Bradenton)
This museum is the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The Bishop Planetarium features one of the most advanced all-digital projection systems in the world and presents astronomy programs the whole family will enjoy. The Parker Manatee Aquarium is home to Manatee County’s most famous resident and official mascot – “Snooty”, the oldest known living manatee. www.southfloridamuseum.or
Green Bridge Fishing Pier / Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier (Bradenton)
Love to fish? The waters surrounding The Palms offers some of the best fishing opportunities on the west side of Florida. Fish the inshore backwaters of St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Ruskin, Palmetto, Bradenton, Anna Maria and Sarasota bays for snook, redfish, trout and tarpon. Whether you fish offshore on one of the chartered excursions, fish off many of the area’s piers, or just cast a line off one of the area’s bridges – the fishing is superb! Two favourite fishing spots near The Palms are the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier (www.skywaypiers.com) and the Green Bridge Fishing Pier in Palmetto which features scenic views, a restaurant and tackle for rent.
Bradenton’s Village of the Arts (Bradenton)
The Village of the Arts is an artist’s community with over 35 artists living and working together in Bradenton. The community is considered Florida’s largest art community. The area is identified by its collection of whimsical colored houses, many of which have shops selling art, jewelry, ceramics, clothing collectibles, books and more. www.villageofthearts.com
McKechnie Field (Bradenton)
McKechnie Field in Bradenton is the off-season home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, where the team comes for spring training every year. One of the big spring highlights in the area, locals love to watch them train. Baseball greats like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Mike Schmidt have played at the historical field.http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com
Tropicana Field and the Tampa Bay Rays (St. Petersburg)
Tropicana Field is a domed stadium just 20 minutes from The Palms in St. Petersburg, Florida. The stadium is home of the Tampa Bay Rays and also serves as the host stadium for the Beef”(“Brady’s Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college football bowl game since December 2008. It’s the only stadium in history to host full seasons of professional baseball, football, hockey and arena football as well as college basketball and football contests. Tropicana Field is currently the only non-retractable domed stadium in Major League baseball. http://tampabay.rays www.ballpartsofbaseball.com
Sarasota Opera (Sarasota)
Sarasota Opera is a professional opera company which owns and performs in the now-renovated 1,150-seat Sarasota Opera House. Great music, compelling stories and dazzling productions, Sarasota Opera is an experience that is timeless. www.sarasotaopera.org
Mote Marine Aquarium (Sarasota)
The Mote Marine Laboratory, this is home to a 135,000 gallon outdoor shark tank and many other marine species. You can explore the secrets of the sea through touch pools, viewable-working labs and high-tech interactive exhibits that showcase the world-renowned research of Mote Marine Laboratory.www.mote.org
Ringling Museum of Art (Sarasota)
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art was established in 1927 as the legacy of Mable and John Ringling for the people of Florida. Designated as the official state art museum for Florida, the institution offers twenty-one galleries of European paintings as well as Cypriot antiquities and Asian, American, and contemporary art. The museum’s art collection currently consists of more than 10,000 objects that include a wide variety of paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, photographs, and decorative arts from ancient through contemporary periods and from around the world. www.ringling.org