Originally Posted by Underdog88 (Post 3875453)

While not a local or an expert, I've been boating there since the 70's. I spent all last winter trailering all over S Fl trying to find better and never did. Different, but not better.

The great places are off the path. Someone mentioned Marina Jacks which is very nice but just on the other side of City Island is O'Learys Tiki Bar. You have to idle thru the moored blo boats to find one dock by the rental boats. Great place in downtown SRQ for a quick Margaritta and shrimp. Live music too.

North to Cortez Bridge to the Seafood Shack for a great sunset view/drink/dinner.

South is my favorite from there but you are screwed until Vennis Inlet since Midnight Pass shoaled in. Manitee zones off an on and no way out to the gulf. This maybe why my favorites were down here. Short ride to Philippi Creek Oyster Bar with high tide. Turtle Beach is my favorite as it was a teenage hangout. The have nice new boat ramps now tho. There are two or three little places there together.

On down south to Casey Key Swing bridge to Blackburn Point which was nice and while your there you may as well go on down to the Venis Jettys and out in the Gulf for the run back north into Big Pass

Winter in Ohio this year...

Originally Posted by Underdog88 (Post 3875453)

While not a local or an expert, I've been boating there since the 70's. I spent all last winter trailering all over S Fl trying to find better and never did. Different, but not better.

The great places are off the path. Someone mentioned Marina Jacks which is very nice but just on the other side of City Island is O'Learys Tiki Bar. You have to idle thru the moored blo boats to find one dock by the rental boats. Great place in downtown SRQ for a quick Margaritta and shrimp. Live music too.

North to Cortez Bridge to the Seafood Shack for a great sunset view/drink/dinner.

South is my favorite from there but you are screwed until Vennis Inlet since Midnight Pass shoaled in. Manitee zones off an on and no way out to the gulf. This maybe why my favorites were down here. Short ride to Philippi Creek Oyster Bar with high tide. Turtle Beach is my favorite as it was a teenage hangout. The have nice new boat ramps now tho. There are two or three little places there together.

On down south to Casey Key Swing bridge to Blackburn Point which was nice and while your there you may as well go on down to the Venis Jettys and out in the Gulf for the run back north into Big Pass

Winter in Ohio this year...

Originally Posted by Dave3fl (Post 3880366)

+1 for Mar Vista, also Rotten Ralphs and Bridgetender Inn at the pier just south of Cortez are pretty good. I've never tried Cortez Kitchen but I've heard good things and it's definitely on my short list.

Tarpon Point has been good in the past but the service was awful the last few times I've been there.

Riverhouse Reef & Grill and Pier 22 are both on the Manatee river from each other and are both very good.

It's about time to start hitting the Longboat sandbar again!

Originally Posted by tnc110 (Post 3880388)

Is Tarpon Point fairly new....the google earth images dont correlate to the website images...

Originally Posted by Dave3fl (Post 3880434)

It opened summer of 2011 I believe but they have been expanding a lot. It's a really nice facility with a separate tiki bar, volleyball, cornhole, lots of docking, etc. There have been several fun runs and I think it's a stop on the poker run next weekend.

Originally Posted by WellcraftNick233 (Post 3880541)

Cool place and a nice trip up the Manatee River... They have some awesome shrimp hushpuppies!! The Cortez Kitchen is great place and they always have a pitcher of beer ready as soon as they us coming in! Great crew there!

What's the deal with the 3/15 run?