MANATEE COUNTY, FL (January 22, 2025) – Effective January 23, 2025, the Gulf Islands Ferry service will operate a two-stop system from the downtown Bradenton Riverwalk Pier to the Historic Bridge Street Pier on Anna Maria Island.
The Anna Maria Island City Pier was damaged by Hurricane Milton, suspending service until the mid-section is rebuilt. Manatee County is working closely with City of Anna Maria officials to expedite the rebuild process with the hopes that service can be restored at the city pier this calendar year.
“Our ongoing goal is to continue to enhance multi-modal transportation via the water ferry service for our residents and visitors to experience and enjoy, while studying every landing option from the downtown corridor to possible additional locations on Anna Maria Island,” said Elliott Falcione, Executive Director of the Bradenton Area Tourism Bureau.
Weather permitting, service will continue to run Thursday through Sunday. The boats will depart from the Riverwalk Pier, beginning at 7:30 a.m. through 7:30 p.m. to the Historic Bridge Street Pier, on Anna Maria Island with service starting at 9 a.m. through 9 p.m. For more information and the full schedule, visit
gulfislandsferry.com or the
Bradenton Area Tourism Bureau website.
ABOUT THE GULF ISLANDS FERRY
Launched in January 2024, the Gulf Islands Ferry connects downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Island via the Historic Bridge Street Pier. The 40-minute ride is an affordable way for visitors to avoid traffic while taking in abundant marine wildlife and stunning turquoise waters. The ferry route is operated by two sustainably powered and ADA-accessible catamarans. Up-to-date run times and scheduling can be found at
gulfislandsferry.com or the Bradenton Area Tourism Bureau website. For up-to-date information on run times, tickets and scheduling, riders can call or text customer service at 727-200-6487.