A walking path full of botanical rarities,关键字2 a 1913 steam engine called “Old Cabbage Head,” and fascinating historical sites that helped shape this pocket of Florida are all waiting to be explored in Bradenton.

While the marvels of the sea are definitely on display here, you might be surprised to know that the town is also home to a distinctive botanical garden. Palma Sola Botanical Park contains a colorful world of rare fruit trees, from lychee and lime to ylang ylang and palm. 

Be sure to dig into the fascinating histories of the town’s more storied structures. Belle Haven Cottage, built in 1920, served as a fish-packing plant, bait shop, and guest house—before it fell into Tampa Bay. At the Anna Maria Historical Society, you can learn about the structure’s dramatic story of survival and tour the cottage.

At Bradenton Castle Ruins, now a public park, you can tap into the lives of Bradenton’s namesake family, the Bradens. The house was constructed with a kind of coastal concrete—burned oyster shells mixed with lime, water, and sand—and the elite family it housed was integral to the town’s development. 

Use this list to get started on your exploration of this fascinating Florida town, then venture out on your own and see what else you can find in and around the Friendly City.