Author: extremeidaho@gmail.com

An illuminating guide to the lights of the holiday season.No holiday season would be complete without the magic of twinkling lights and the boisterous laughter of Santa on the scene. The Bradenton area boasts an impressive selection of activities to participate in. Below is our list of top picks to kick off the holiday season. Main Street LiveNovember 23, 2022 - Pre-ThanksgivingThough this event isn’t about the lighting, for a little pre-holiday cheer and holiday shopping, check out this event. There will be products from local artisans, crafts for the kiddos, and even Santa will be available for photos. The Main Street Live runs from 6-9 p.m.Notable lighted holiday boat parades:Jiggs Landing Outpost will host an “Old Florida” holiday boat parade on the Evers Reservoir and Braden River on December 10, 2022. For those boaters who want to participate, you may arrive early to decorate your boat. Spectators can bring their own chairs and set them up by the waterside. The parade...

A Quick Getaway at Egmont Key Just over an hour's boat ride from Riviera Dunes Marina, Egmont Key is a secluded wildlife refuge located at the mouth of Tampa Bay and on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. Accessible only by boat, this wildlife refuge offers visitors a plentitude of activities, including fishing, shelling, swimming, birdwatching, and exploring the island. If you are there to snorkel, you will enjoy checking out the sunken gun batteries that are now home to an abundance of sea life.  A lush green canopy covers the island's interior, while white sand beaches are surrounded by stunning crystal blue and turquoise waters.  As a preservation site, Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge is partly run by the state and offers a full exploration of the ruins of Fort Dade, a relic from the Spanish-American war. Three decommissioned batteries were used to house disappearing guns that were meant to be disguised under enemy attack. Only the remains are there as...