TRAVEL
The next day, after a blissful night at our
lodging, we had breakfast at Ginny’s and
Jane E’s, a local eclectic mix of the old and
creative, along with a bakery and café. The
Crème Brûlée French Toast was divine.
After returning to our suite, we walked
across the street and had a couples massage
under a tiki hut on the beach from Searenity,
a beach spa and eco-boutique that
Dioramas such
as this one at the
South Florida
Museum and
astronomy
programs in
the museum’s
planetarium
make this one
of our favorite
attractions in
this area.
154 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017
The Tortuga Beach Resort
has the relaxed charm
that made Old Florida
so popular. The property
also has a private white
sand beach on the Gulf of
Mexico and three heated
swimming pools.
Lodging
Tortuga Beach Resort
1325 Gulf Drive N.
Bradenton, Beach, FL
(941) 778-6611
Dining
Beach Bistro
6600 Gulf Drive
Holmes Beach, FL
(941) 778-6444
Eat Here
5315 Gulf Drive
Holmes Beach, FL
(941) 778-0411
The Doctor’s Office
5312 Holmes Blvd. #B
Holmes Beach, FL
(941) 213-9926
Arte Caffé
930 12th St. W.
West Bradenton, FL
(941) 750-9309
Beach House
200 Gulf Drive N.
Bradenton Beach, FL
(941) 779-2222
The Waterfront Restaurant
& Craft Bar
111 S. Bay Blvd.
Anna Maria Island, FL
(941) 778-1515
Our Recommendations
is located on Bridge Street. At this point,
we were so relaxed, we felt as though we
had been on vacation for a week.
For lunch, we chose the newly renovated
Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, where
you can literally eat with your toes in the
sand. The location’s mesmerizing view was
the perfect setting for a meal that featured
fine local cuisine in a glamorous setting. We
then left the beach to visit the South Florida
Museum with its Bishop Planetarium and
Parker Manatee Aquarium, which had
been the home to Snooty the Manatee for
68 years and still has other manatees. There
is always something new at the museum
that will appeal to you, whatever your
age. We were fascinated by two back-toback
presentations in the planetarium.
This Florida
creature reminds
us to keep a
safe distance.