The Manatee Belle takes about 50 minutes to get from the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier to the Historic Bridge Street Pier. The Downtown Duchess then covers the rest of the way to Coquina Beach in less than 15 minutes. That second leg made its first official run on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, according to the Anna Maria Island Sun. The pier at the foot of Bridge Street used to be where the ferry ended. Now it's where you change boats, which makes Bridge Street the middle of a route that runs the full length of Bradenton Beach.
That one change affects the whole fall calendar here. The Coquina Beach Market, the cafe at the south end, the free trolley and the Nov. 21 tree lighting can all be part of one outing that starts or ends on Bridge Street.
Two Boats, One Change at the Pier
Manatee County's Gulf Islands Ferry now has three stops and three vessels. The larger boat stays in the deeper water between downtown and Bridge Street. Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the Sun that "it's not logistically possible to bring the large ferry (the Manatee Belle) down to Coquina Beach." A smaller pontoon handles the trip south.
| Leg | Boat | Trip time | Capacity | Adult fare, one-way / round trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradenton Riverwalk Pier to Historic Bridge Street Pier | Manatee Belle | About 50 minutes | 91 passengers, with air-conditioned indoor seating and a restroom | $7 / $11 |
| Historic Bridge Street Pier to Bayside South Boat Ramp, across from Coquina Beach | Downtown Duchess pontoon | Under 15 minutes | Up to 48 passengers | $5 / $9 |
The official ticket page lists lower fares for riders ages 4 to 18, seniors 60 to 79 and military. Those riders pay $5 one-way and $7 round trip on the Riverwalk leg, and $3 one-way and $5 round trip on the Coquina leg. Children under 3 and seniors 80 and older ride free, and service fees may apply. The Sun worked out the full trip from downtown Bradenton to Coquina and back at $21.20 for an adult, including tax, and $12.72 for a rider aged 60 to 79.
For anyone who lives on the island, the second row of that table matters more than the first. You can buy one-way and round-trip rides between the Bridge Street Pier and Coquina without riding to or from downtown Bradenton. That makes the south leg a $5 shuttle along the bay side of the city, separate from the longer trip to the mainland.
Why the County Built the Coquina Leg for Locals
Falcione was clear about who the new stop is meant for. He told the Sun that he hoped it "entices more residents to use the water ferry because in most cases, Coquina Beach is their beach of choice to enjoy."
The county's reasoning comes from what the original two-stop route did. Keenan Singleton, communications manager for the visitors bureau, told the Sun that more than 55,000 passengers rode the ferries in 2025, which meant an estimated 23,000 fewer cars traveling to and from Anna Maria Island. District 3 County Commissioner Tal Siddique said in the county's release that the added stop "will positively impact the roadways running the seven miles of paradise on Anna Maria Island."
Funding is the other detail residents tend to ask about. Fares pay for part of the contracted service, and the county covers the rest with tourist development tax revenue. Property tax revenue does not go toward the ferry.
For now, the water route stays at the south end of the island. Ferry service to the Anna Maria City Pier was suspended in October 2024 after Hurricane Milton destroyed the pier walkway, and in September the Sun reported that it was not expected to resume until 2028. Until then, the boats only reach the island at Bradenton Beach. Our fall look at Anna Maria's pier and Pine Avenue calendar covers what's happening at the north end in the meantime.
What the Downtown Duchess Will Carry to the Sand
The Coquina leg was set up for beach days. Passengers headed to Coquina can bring beach chairs, coolers and other beach gear on board. Bicycles and pets are not allowed. An ADA-compliant access ramp was installed at the South Coquina Boat Ramp landing, and the Sun reports a wheelchair lift at that stop.
The service runs weather permitting. Operating days and departure times are posted on the Gulf Islands Ferry schedule page, and tickets are sold there too, so check it before planning around a specific boat.
Three Mornings a Week, the Ferry Lands Near a Market
Across Gulf Drive from the landing, the Coquina Beach Market has started its October 2026 through June 2027 season. It runs Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The ferry's posted operating week includes Fridays and Sundays, so both of those market days can start with a boat ride from Bridge Street.
Before the holidays, look at the market's closure list. It is closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2026, and New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2027. It is also closed Jan. 22 and Jan. 24, 2027, for another event. The market posts vendor updates and weather cancellations on its Facebook page. On a windy morning, that page and the ferry schedule are the two to check.
For a meal after the market, Coquina Beach Cafe at 2650 Gulf Drive South lists daily hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on its own site. It describes breakfast, meals, a tiki bar, drinks and rentals. Manatee County's Coquina Beach park page lists concessions and a gift shop among the park's amenities.
Bridge Street Is the Layover Now
Because every trip to Coquina from the mainland changes boats at the Bridge Street Pier, the businesses around that pier sit right at the transfer. In September, the Sun previewed a street party on Bridge Street. Its list of participating businesses included Anna Maria Oyster Bar on the Pier, Daiquiri Deck, Bridge Tender Inn, Blue Marlin, BridgeWalk Resort and Coastal Life, AMI Vibes, The Back Alley, Beach Blossom, Cove, Drift-In AMI, Everything's Just Beachy, Island Time, Laughing Flamingo Café, Mermaid Haven, Monetti Apparel, Sea-Renity Beach Spa and Bou-Tiki, and YOLO Parasail.
That list gives you the order for a ferry day. Coming from downtown, have lunch on Bridge Street before the short pontoon hop south, or shop on the street while you wait for the next boat back to the Riverwalk. Anna Maria Oyster Bar on the Pier is on the same structure where the ferries tie up.
The Sun also reported on two riders who already take the Manatee Belle to the island every week. They have lunch and then spend an hour or two walking the beach, and they told the paper the boat ride beats the slow drive over the bridge they made the first time. With the Coquina leg, the beach-walking part of that routine can now happen at the south end without a drive.
The Trolley Makes the Route a Loop
The free Island Trolley handles the Gulf Drive side that the ferry doesn't reach. Manatee County says it runs daily from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., stopping along Gulf Drive between the Anna Maria City Pier and Coquina Beach about every 20 minutes. The visitors bureau's ferry guide notes that passengers arriving at Bridge Street can walk to the street's shops and restaurants and board the trolley to reach other parts of the island.
Since one-way tickets are sold on the Coquina leg, you can do the trip as a loop. Take the Downtown Duchess from Bridge Street to the market, then ride the trolley back up Gulf Drive. Or go the other way, starting with the trolley south and finishing with the boat. The trolley runs until 10:30 p.m., later than the ferry's day, so it also works as the last ride home on the island.
If you live in the Cortez neighborhoods across the bridge, the boat is also a way onto the island while construction is underway. Our Cortez fall update covers the bridge replacement schedule.
November 21 Puts the South End on the Calendar
The first holiday date on the south end comes nine days after this post publishes. The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce calendar lists "AMI South End Presents Sundown Get Down – Christmas Tree Lighting" for Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, from 2 to 8 p.m. The details are on the Chamber's event listing. That evening runs past the market's 2 p.m. close and into the trolley's late hours. On a Saturday when the ferry is running, the day can start with a boat from the Riverwalk and end with a trolley ride after the lights come on.
After that, the market calendar sets the pace for the season. It's open three mornings a week through December, with closures on the two holidays and the two January dates listed above. For a wider view of the island's off-season months, our post on Holmes Beach's quiet season covers the stretch just to the north.
Changes like the ferry stop affect how people actually use the south end of the island, and they come up when buyers and owners talk with us about Bradenton Beach. If you're weighing a home near Bridge Street or Coquina and want to know how the ferry, the trolley and the beach calendar fit into daily life there, the team at Smith Garcia Group can walk you through it. Schedule Your Market Consultation.
