AREA map
AREA ATTRACTIONS
JIGGS LANDING
1.8 miles northwest by river or short drive or bike ride
Nature preserve along Ward Lake offers nice boat launch, boat rentals, tours, playground, bait shop and outpost concessionaire that often hosts live music on the patio in late afternoons, every night during winter/spring. Learn the history of the old fish camp and see replica cabins from generations past. Great place to enjoy a sunset!
LINGER LODGE
2 miles southeast by river or a quick 5 minute drive or bike ride
Historic Florida campground and restaurant proudly named to Al Rokers' "Top 5 Weirdest Restaurants in America." Preserved native Florida wildlife from the Braden River area adorn every wall. Live music on Sundays, karaoke Friday nights, and $0.75 wings on Wednesdays . Great place to kayak to for lunch or a few drinks.
UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER
Just one exit south and then west of the interstate, 12-minute drive
The shopping hub of Sarasota-Bradenton is packed with over 100 stores and 30+ dining options. If you want it, they have it here. There is the upscale mall with Apple store and Tesla showroom along with Macy's and Nieman Marcus plus Cheesecake Factory and Capital Grille. Other surrounding outdoor malls have Target, Best Buy, Total Wine & More, plus so much more. The area is also home to the world-class rowing facility Benderson Park which has great wide paths from walking and running.
LAKEWOOD RANCH MAIN STREET
Easy 10-minute drive east
Lakewood Ranch is one of the nation's largest planned communities in America and the main street district offers restaurants for every taste and occasion. We like the Groove for dinner and Ed's Sports bar to catch a game. There is a movie theatre and putt putt golf course. Plus they host a full calendar of events including a First Friday block party with live music, street vendors and family friendly fun.
DOWNTOWN SARASOTA
20 minute drive via I-75's Fruitville exit or straight down 301
Downtown Sarasota is the civic and cultural center of Southwest Florida, home to the Sarasota Opera, Florida Studio Theatre, Mote Research Aquarium and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. It’s also home to some of the city’s best shops, restaurants and galleries. And it’s beautifully situated on Sarasota Bay, with a popular park where children cool off in a splash park and people and pooches stroll past docked yachts and charter boats or refresh at the lively O'Leary's Tiki Bar. The farmers market on Saturday mornings is a delight of your senses with food, music and pet/people watching. We recommend a seafood dinner at the unique Owens Fish Camp or try Boca or Indigenous for fresh farm-to-table options.
SIESTA KEY
30 minute drive via I-75's Bee Ridge exit
Renowned as one of America’s Best Beaches, Siesta Beach is made famous by its sugar-fine, quartz-white sand. A short jaunt from the public beach is a village of outdoor dining, coffee shops and shopping. Siesta Key Oyster Bar or SKOB, is a favorite for live music lovers and Daiquiri Deck has cold drinks after a hot day at the beach. Check out the drum circle at sunset every Sunday.
DOWNTOWN BRADENTON
20 minute drive north on 301
Bradenton's downtown area is delightful and loaded with museums, restaurants and shops. It is a compact area, and everything is within an easy walk. Pier 22 and O'Bricks are highly recommended dinning options. The Riverwalk offers a great place to stroll and exercise along the wide Manatee River.
Just south of downtown is Bradenton's Village of the Arts. This is a funky neighborhood district with special zoning that allows artists to live and work in their homes.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
30 minute drive west via SR 64 or Cortez Road
Beautiful turquoise waters and white sandy beaches are the main attraction here. It is a place where “old” Florida charm can still be found, flip flops are a way of life and the speed limit never exceeds 35mph. High rise condos and fast food restaurants are pleasantly absent from this pristine “get away from it all” island. Two primary areas to check out --- Pine Street on North AMI and Bridge Street on Bradenton Beach. We give the nod to Bridge Street if you only have time for one as it has it all within a couple hundred yards --- beach, bars, shops, and bay pier.
CORTEZ
25 minute drive west, up to Cortez Blvd, just before Bradenton Beach Bridge
One of the last remaining fishing villages on Florida's southwest Gulf coast. A handful of seafood restaurants serve up dock fresh catch. Life doesn't get much better than a blackened grouper sandwich and a cold beer on a warm day. It's also the place to go for jet skiing, kayaking and parasailing. And don’t miss Cortez's Florida Maritime Museum, housed in the restored historic 1912 schoolhouse, itself located on the park-like grounds of the Cortez Nature Preserve. Displayed for your delight, you will find the Banks Shell collection, ship models, historic boats and an enthralling butterfly garden.
ST PETERSBURG
40 minute drive north via I-75 and then I-275 via Skyway Bridge
Downtown St. Petersburg offers so much to do! Janus Landing and Mahaffery Theater are excellent venues for intimate live music. The Dali Museum is world class and a must see for even the casual art enthusiast. An afternoon stroll down the eclectic Central Avenue never disappoints as you visit antique shops, breweries, eateries and scope out the vibrant mural art scene. Saturday morning farmers market is a great place to start and see where the day takes you. We love St Pete and highly recommend a visit to the area if you have the time.
TAMPA
50 minute drive north via 75
Tampa is the hub city of Tampa Bay. A major business center, it’s also known for its museums and other cultural offerings. Busch Gardens is an underrated amusement park with thrill rides and animal-viewing areas. The historic Ybor City, developed by Cuban and Spanish cigar-factory workers at the turn of the 20th century, is a unique dining and nightlife destination. We recommend the Riverwalk downtown which leads thru city parks, museums and the aquarium up to Armature Works which is a mixed-use event space offering an upscale food court, bar & lounge in historic digs.
Nearby Restauraunts
PARROT PATIO BAR & GRILL
Fun and comfortable restaurant and bar with occasional live music and a festive atmosphere. Serves a lot of American cuisine with an emphasis on Upstate NY specialties
GECKO'S
Sports bar themed local restaurant chain with wide menu options. $5 Burgers on Mondays
SPEAKS CLAM BAR
Sophisticated dining, great homemade pastas and fresh seafood. Extensive cocktail menu. We regularly get Family Meals to go from here, huge, delicious portions of Chicken Parmesan and Salad for an unbeatable price around $50 feeds 4-6 hungry folks, plus other options, check their website to order!
WHEAT & WATER
Great Italian food and nice ambiance.
MARRONE'S
Italian market with premade meals and hot pizza. Great local place to shop!
RICE BOWL
Chinese food at great prices, sushi also available
HUMMUS BAY
Big fan of this healthy Mediterranean eatery with wraps, bowls and salads.
OWEN'S FISH CAMP
Best seafood in town, historic location downtown Sarasota but a closer location just opened in nearby Lakewood Ranch
JERSEY BROTHERS
Our favorite pizza restaurant for take out.
GROVE
Upscale but casual dining option at Lakewood Ranch Main Street. Awesome food and happy hour spot
ED'S SPORTS BAR
Fun sports bar with lots of TV's plus weekly schedule of themed nights like trivia and live music
WAWA
Yes, the gas station. Tasty hoagies, bowls, smoothies, coffees and beer for fun on the run.
Experiences
JIGGS LANDING OUTPOST
Offers nature tours, boat taxi, boat rentals, sells live bait, plus has live music afternoons and food/drink. www.jiggslanding.com for all the options
CAPT JAMES - FRESHWATER FISHING
Offers freshwater charter fishing trips on the river and into the lake. Tragets bass, crappie and bluegill, all supplies and licenses included. Call him at 941-727-4181 to book.
CAPT DAN - SALTWATER FISHING
Saltwater inshore and nearshore fishing captain, great guy and excellent fisherman who specializes in fishing and doe sa great job making everyone on the boat included and happy with the trip, great with kids. Call him at AMI Family Fishing Charters at 813-541-6571.
CAPT NATE - SALTWATER FISHING
Another great option for inshore and nearshore fishing! 941-932-5609
LOW TIDE SANDBAR TIKI BOAT TOURS
Tiki boat charters to sandbars and tours of area waters, see lowtidetours.com or call 941-405-0045
BEACH HORESBACK RIDING
Sand and surf riding with beautiful horses near Anna Maria Island. www.floridabeachhorses.com or call 941-527-9621
TREE UMPH ADVENTURE COURSE & ZIP LINES
Really nice facility with various levels of difficulty for all ages fun and exercise. www.treeumph.com has all the details!
LOCAL INSIDER SUGGESTIONS
BEST SECLUDED BEACH
Beer Can Island, 260 N Shore Road, Longboat Key, FL
Siesta Key is a world class beach but we enjoy trips to Beer Can Island where you can wander thru fallen driftwood trees and pick out a little private cove amongst the trees. Locals hang hammocks between trees or build teepees amongst fallen limbs. It's magical. Park at the address provided then hike half a mile north up the beach till you find your own perfect spot. But parking is very limited, get there early!
BEST PLACE TO EXPLORE
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL
The art museum is expansive but we simply enjoy walking the grounds to explore the banyan tree forests, the rose garden and the magnificent Ca d’Zan Mansion. It is just $5 to walk the grounds typically but the entrance plus Renaissance art collection and Circus Museum are all complimentary on Mondays.
BEST CULTURAL FIELD TRIP
Salvador Dali Museum, 1 Dali Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Discover an unparalleled collection of Salvador Dalí artwork in an exceptional waterfront setting. His surrealistic style is a delight to even casual art enthusiasts and taking the free tour is highly recommended so that you can learn all the hidden nuisance within his paintings. Reduced rates offered Thursday evenings from 5-8pm. When in St Pete, there are so many great spots to check out but I crave Nittaly's for their Thai/Mex amazing dishes.
BEST HAPPY HOUR SPOT
O’Learys Tiki Bar, 5 Bayfront Dr, Sarasota, FL
In the shadows of downtown Sarasota is Bayfront Park and O’Leary’s Tiki Bar. Stop for a cold drink and relax under an umbrella watching the sailboats and palm trees sway while listening to reggae bands.
SWEAT IT OUT
Benderson Park is primarily known as a world class crew and rowing facility but it has really nice paved bike and running paths if you want to get in a run, walk or rollerblade.
PADDLE MORE. WORRY LESS.
We hope you will take the opportunity to explore the river and it’s natural beauty. There is a 2/3 person canoe and 2 single kayaks available for your use.
The Lazy Gator Lodge is right in between the 2 main destinations along the lower Braden River. If you go left, or upriver, you will eventually come to Linger Lodge resort which is a great place for lunch, a drink or a bathroom break. If you go right, or downriver, you will come out to Ward Lake which has a county park and Jiggs Landing outpost for bait and refreshments. Both are great paddles, hopefully you have the opportunity to do them both.
We use a davit system to lower and raise the boats from the sea wall which is easy once you learn it. We ask that you view our short YouTube video at link
so we can explain how to safely operate the winch and other tips. Within the video is the code for the lock on the boats so you must watch video before using equipment.
Use boats and davit at your own risk. We are available to come over and provide help so do not hesitate to call with any concerns.
Couple of simple rules:
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Only registered house guests should use boats
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Boats should not be transported by auto to other locations
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Children 6 and under must wear provided life vests at all times by law
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All persons should have a life vest on board for themselves during use
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Do not let children operate davit or boats without supervision
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Do not leave boats in the water unattended
Thanks and happy paddling!
“If you’re too busy to go fishing, you’re just too busy”
FISHING tips
Fishing poles and basic tackle are provided for your enjoyment. Please enjoy and take care of it as you would your own stuff. Other bait & tackle are available nearby at Jiggs Landing or Walmart.
Please follow all state regulations that can be found at fwc.com or Walmart. Catch and release is highly encouraged!
Bass
The largemouth bass is the best known and most popular freshwater game fish in Florida. Found statewide, largemouth bass have excellent growth rates, particularly in the productive waters of central Florida. Braden River and Ward Lake is known to have average populations but above average size bass
The plastic worm is the most dependable artificial bait for largemouth bass. A weedless "Texas- or Carolina-rigged" worm is effective in areas with heavy plant cover. Worms come in a variety of colors and scents, and bass may favor certain types depending on light conditions; be sure to have both light and dark colors available, as well as several sizes of tapered worm weights from 1/8 to ounce. Purple "metalflake" or "red shad" worms with twirly-tails are popular, and plastic lizards can be effective as well. Most plastic worms are worked slowly along the bottom or through cover by raising the rod tip a few feet, then allowing the worm to sink. The line should be kept fairly tight to feel the strike. Typically an angler will feel the bass "tap" the worm once or twice lightly. By lowering the rod tip and waiting only until the slack is out of the line before setting the hook, anglers greatly lessen the chance of injury to the fish due to deep hooking.
With active bass and dense underwater vegetation, "jerk worms" are an excellent bait. Rigged without sinkers, these worms are jigged rapidly over vegetation, with brief pauses to let the worm sink slowly. Bass hit these baits hard, and an instant hookset is recommended.
Spinnerbaits are very good in the spring, usually fished slowly around drop-offs and cover. If a slow retrieve fails, try "buzzing", i.e., retrieving the spinnerbait rapidly so the blades ripple the surface.
Topwater baits are exciting to fish because the angler can see the strike. Topwater plugs that imitate wounded baitfish may be twitched to entice bass. Others are designed to make noise, and a faster, erratic retrieve may antagonize a bass into striking. Topwater lures are most successful during early morning or late afternoon. Stay ready for a surprise strike and set the hook immediately.
Panfish
A variety of panfish, or bream as they are popularly known, is available throughout the Braden River area. Bluegill, or bream as they are often called, eat mostly insects and their larvae, but worms are the best bait, either fished on the bottom or suspended below a float. Bluegill spawn throughout the summer, congregating in large "beds". Anglers may find 30 - 40 shallow nest holes scooped out in shallow areas. Crickets, grubs, sand maggots or grass shrimp will all catch bedding bluegill. Use a small hook, #6 or #8, with a split shot sinker about six inches up the line, and concentrate on water less than six feet deep. For artificial baits, a 1/8-oz. "beetle spin" with a white or chartreuse body on ultralight tackle is an excellent choice.
Black crappie, known locally as speckled perch or specks, are a cool weather favorite in Florida. Crappie weighing up to two pounds are not uncommon. Successful anglers often drift through deeper water, fishing with small minnows or freshwater grass shrimp until they find a school. Try a light wire #4 hook and small split shot below a float. Speck anglers typically use several rods or poles, fishing at different depths until they pinpoint concentrations of fish. Specks move inshore to spawn during the early spring, sometimes gathering in large numbers around heavy cover. Crappie also readily strike artificials; 1/16 oz. to 1/8 oz. feathered or curly-tail jigs in white, yellow, pink and chartreuse are popular. Tipping these jigs with a live minnow makes them even more effective. Most crappie fishing occurs in the cooler months, but anglers who fish into the summer do very well, especially at night.