Wineries, Citrus Farm, Pumpkin Obstacle Course and Festival Entertain Visitors
BRADENTON, Fla. (September 12, 2011) – The soft, white sands of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key have obvious appeal for visitors, but the rich soil of Bradenton’s growing community of family-owned farms and vineyards – along with a construction site turned heavy equipment playground – have become fertile ground for new vacation experiences. Wine tastings, hay rides, citrus grove and vineyard tours, The Heavy Equipment Experience™ and “u-pick” farms are among several Bradenton area “agritourism” experiences visitors can now enjoy. Mixon Fruit Farms, Rosa Fiorelli Winery and other Bradenton farmers and growers recently formed Gulf Coast AgVentures to collectively market these experiences to visitors.
Florida’s sweetest attraction since 1939, Mixon Fruit Farms is open year round as an entertaining and informative way for visitors to learn about Florida’s citrus industry. Among the farm’s many attractions are the Orange Blossom Express tram tour of the citrus groves; an interactive wildlife show featuring rescued Florida animals, reptiles and birds; a koi pond and butterfly garden; and a tour of the working juice processing plant and packing house. Lunch, breakfast and their signature Orange Swirl Ice Cream are served at the Groveside Café, while at the Groveside Market visitors can taste Florida wines or homemade fudge, and order fresh fruit to be shipped home. The Mixon family welcomes everyone back for their annual special events, including the Orange Blossom and Harvest Festivals, and Concerts in the Grove held in the outdoor pavilion.
Two local couples, one from Sicily, the other Bradenton natives, operate the Bradenton area’s finest wineries, including Rosa Fiorelli Winery and Bunker Hill Vineyard & Winery. Both wineries are open daily and offer free vineyard tours and wine tastings, and Rosa Fiorelli welcomes u-pick of their muscadine grape varieties (through September). The Rosa Fiorelli Winery caters to visitors with group tours of their 10-acre vineyard and 3,000 square foot winery featuring lunch, a tasting and souvenir glass. Thanks to convenient online ordering, guests can easily try one of the new featured wines, such as the NV Aurora, boasting an essence of fresh peaches, or the 2007 Southern Red with floral aromas. Bunker Hill focuses on “green” operations, using only 100 percent recycled wine bottles, natural corks, and origami gift wrapping instead of bags. All 10 of their handcrafted wines are aged in their “wine cave”. They are a popular choice for destination weddings and special events, and beginning in 2012, will offer Fresh Whole Fruit wines.
The fall season is also harvest time for pumpkins, which one area attraction is carving up on a mammoth scale. People at Play: The Heavy Equipment Experience, the Southeast’s first Heavy Equipment Playground, has added pumpkins to its demolition experience with a fun new “Punkin Chunkin’ Package”. Visitors climb into the cab of a CATERPILLAR 312 Steel Track Excavator to navigate a fun and challenging obstacle course, after which they can smash a dozen large, orange pumpkins using the Excavator bucket. This one-of-a-kind experience costs $425 (plus tax) and is only available through November 13.
Known for its fresh vegetables, farm market and u-pick operations, Hunsader Farms opens in mid-September (through June) to sell their fresh produce and prepare for the annual Pumpkin Festival held October 15-16, 22-23, and 29-30, 2011. During the festival, visitors can pick fresh-from-the-farm Halloween pumpkins, enjoy live country music, shop more than 100 craft booths, hop on a hay ride or watch the corn and pumpkin cannons in action. The festival also caters to children, with a colossal corn maze; hay, train and pony rides; a petting zoo and barnyard playground.
About Anna Maria Island & Longboat Key
Ideally located between Sarasota and Tampa Bay on Florida’s southwest coast, Anna Maria Island & Longboat Key, and their coastal companions, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch, are treasured for their authentic Old Florida charm, breath-taking scenery, funky dining and shopping districts, and miles of sugar-white sands. The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for Manatee County, Florida. Tourism is Manatee County’s leading industry, employing nearly 18,000 residents, generating a direct annual economic impact of more than $470 million in the local economy and producing more than $6 million in bed-tax collections in 2010. For more information, call (941) 729-9177, ext. 243 or visit www.AMILBK.com. We also invite you to follow us on Facebook at “Anna Maria Island & Longboat Key” and Twitter @VisitBradenton.
