Several restaurants in the area are a part of history, too. The Rod N' Reel Pier (875 Northshore Dr.; 941-778-1885), built on the end of a 330-foot fishing pier, is a casual favorite with a "you catch it, we'll cook it" policy; the Sandbar (100 Spring Ave.; 941-778-0444) is a seafood spot with a tradition of entertainment dating back to 1913 when guests arrived by ferry from Tampa; the Bridge Street Pier Café (200 Bridge St. in nearby Holmes Beach; 941-779-1706) offers meals on what was the only bridge to Bradenton from 1921 to 1957; and the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant (760 Broadway, Longboat Key; 941-383-2391) is the oldest building on the key and a great place for fresh seafood and waterfront views.

If picnicking suits your mood, take a basket to Egmont Key (accessible by boat only; 727-893-2627), an island located between the Gulf of Mexico and the mouth of Tampa Bay, features a lighthouse and the remains of a military fort used during the 1898 Spanish-American War.

The Gulf Coast Heritage Trail, beginning at the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and ending near Venice, provides historical markers for 150 miles along the region's roadways. Call the Sarasota Bay National Estuary office (941-359-5841) for information.

In Sarasota County, Historic Spanish Point (337 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey; 941-966- 5214), a 30-acre property, includes prehistoric shell middens, pioneer buildings and gardens from when Chicago socialite Mrs. Potter Palmer made her home there.

The Crowley Museum & Nature Center (16405 Myakka Rd., Sarasota; 941-322-1000) houses pioneer artifacts, a homestead cabin and a blacksmith shop amid its 185 acres. The Sarasota County Historical Resources Department (701 Plaza de Santo Domingo; 941- 316-1115) can tell you about every period of life in Sarasota County.

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