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Make the ride part of the day
Here’s a beach-day idea I like: leave the car in downtown Bradenton and let the boat ride be part of the outing.
The Gulf Islands Ferry added its Coquina Beach stop September 2. It gives Parrish residents another way to get to the island once they reach Bradenton, with the new landing on the bayside, across Gulf Drive from the beach.
The important detail is the connection. This is a trip through Bridge Street, with a change to a smaller boat for Coquina. Give it enough time to feel like an outing instead of trying to squeeze it into a quick dash to the sand.[1][3]
Two boats, with Bridge Street in the middle
Start at the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier. The tourism bureau lists free parking at the City Centre Parking Facility on Third Avenue West between 10th and 12th streets, about a five-minute walk from the pier.
In Robert Anderson’s September 8 report for The Anna Maria Islander, the opening-day trip took about 45 minutes to Historic Bridge Street Pier, followed by a transfer and a roughly 20-minute ride to Coquina. Connection time comes on top of those boat rides; those reported travel times are a guide, not a guaranteed timetable.
The Coquina landing is at the Coquina Bayside South Boat Ramp, 1465 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach. You arrive on the bay side and cross to the Gulf-side beach.[2][3]
Budget for the whole route
For an adult, the currently posted round-trip fares are $11 between Bradenton Riverwalk and Bridge Street, plus $9 for the Coquina leg. That makes a planning budget of $20 per adult, or $40 for two, before any service fees. The Coquina ticket alone does not cover the ride from downtown Bradenton.
Discounts are advertised for seniors, military riders and children. The county announcement and tourism ticket table differ on some discount prices and child age wording, so confirm the applicable fare when booking.
I’d choose both the outward and return connections before deciding how long to stay at the beach. Booking the ride home first lets the rest of the day fall into place.[2][1][4]
How I’d make a day of it
I’d keep the plan simple: boat out, a few hours at Coquina, and time at Bridge Street if the return connections allow it. The appeal is having two different stops in the same day without moving the car between them.
The ferry runs Wednesday through Sunday. Beach chairs, towels and coolers are allowed; bicycles and ordinary pets are not. Service animals are permitted. Arrive at least 15 minutes before the booked departure.
Book against the route-specific timetable rather than the service’s broad operating hours. Weather can interrupt the return, so keep the operator’s number handy: 727-200-6487. This is an easygoing day-trip idea when you have time for the water ride and some flexibility at the other end.[2][3]
Sources & verification date
- Manatee County · Coquina ferry stop announcement ↗
Checked 2026-09-09 · Source first published 2026-09-02 - Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau · Gulf Islands Ferry fares and rider information ↗
Checked 2026-09-09 - Robert Anderson, The Anna Maria Islander · Opening-day route and transfer ↗
Checked 2026-09-09 · Source first published 2026-09-08 - Joe Hendricks, The AMI Sun · Coquina transfer and separate fare ↗
Checked 2026-09-09 · Source first published 2026-09-01
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