Private boat charter for Bradenton

Bradenton and Palmetto face each other across the Manatee River, just inside the mouth of Tampa Bay, and the water around them is some of the most varied on this coast: a sheltered river, a wide bay, a working fishing village and the barrier islands beyond. The boat for it is close by. Top Fun, our 48' Formula, is based at Safe Harbor Pier 77 on Anna Maria Island, just across Anna Maria Sound, so a Bradenton day starts minutes from the dock.

Which boat, and from where

Top Fun meets guests at Pier 77 and reaches the river, the sound and the islands without a long run first. The rest of our fleet is based around Tampa Bay; from those meeting points the run south crosses the mouth of the bay under the Skyway, a fine sight in itself, and makes Bradenton a longer day that the office confirms for your date. If you are staying in Bradenton or Palmetto and want to board close to where you are, tell us, and we say plainly which boat fits.

The Manatee River

The river opens into the bay between Emerson Point on the Palmetto side and the Bradenton shore, and runs east past the downtown waterfront and the Riverwalk. It is sheltered water, generally calmer than the open bay, which makes it a good choice for a slow cruise and a long lunch. How far upriver the boat goes depends on the boat, the tide and the bridges, and the captain decides on the day.

Emerson Point and Snead Island

Where the river meets the bay, Emerson Point and Snead Island are low, green and quiet, with the preserve shoreline on one side and the open bay on the other. It is a natural place to anchor for a swim if the captain judges the wind and current kind. The captain chooses the spot, and nothing is fixed in advance.

Palma Sola Bay and Anna Maria Sound

West of Bradenton the water widens into Palma Sola Bay and then Anna Maria Sound, the sheltered channel between the mainland and Anna Maria Island. It is shallow in places and the captain keeps to the marked water. Our Anna Maria Island boat charter page covers the island itself, Bean Point and the view of Passage Key, and a Bradenton day can take in both if the hours allow.

Cortez and Longboat Pass

At the south end of the sound sits Cortez, one of the last working fishing villages on the Gulf coast, with its docks and boat sheds on the waterfront. Just beyond it, Longboat Pass opens to the Gulf, and the sandbars near the pass are a popular stop in settled weather. Whether the boat stops there is the captain's call, based on the swell and the traffic.

Private, with food arranged by the office

Bring your own drinks. If you would like a chef aboard, the office arranges chef and catering and quotes them separately.

Further south, or closer to our ports

If your plan is based around Sarasota Bay rather than the river, see our Sarasota yacht charter page. If a shorter day suits you better, the Egmont Key boat trip is much nearer to our home waters and sits right at the mouth of the bay.

Ask us about your date

Tell us the date, the group and where you would like to be, and we say plainly what is practical. Send an enquiry and we will answer with what is possible for your date.