About Anna Maria Island
The city of Anna Maria Island is located on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The island is known for its beautiful beaches, local restaurants, and unique shops. Anna Maria is a great vacation destination for anyone looking for a relaxed atmosphere, local food, and amazing beaches to explore. The island has a local feel with very little “high rise” buildings and only two chain restaurants on the whole island. Anna Maria Island is the Ultimate Florida Beach Town to visit on your next vacation within the United States.
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How to Get There
Located just over one hour away from Tampa, it is quite easy to get to Anna Maria Island. The closest airport to the island is Sarasota-Bradenton, which is about 18 miles (40 minutes) by car. My husband and I flew into Sarasota-Bradenton airport through Southwest Airlines, and it was a very quick and smooth trip.
If you can’t find a reasonable flight into Sarasota, your next best option would be to fly into Tampa. Although Tampa Airport is over an hour away from Anna Maria, it is a much larger airport than Sarasota and has many more flight options. We found a one-way flight out of Tampa to head back home, and it was a quick and easy drive from Anna Maria Island to the airport.
If flights are too expensive for your family or you love taking road trips, driving to the island is another good option. The island is about halfway down Florida’s West Coast, so depending where you are coming from, I would plan on it being a pretty long trip. Living in Michigan myself, and only having 6 days of vacation, driving 20 hours each way (without stops) was not a good option for my family.
Where to Eat
One of the things that I appreciate the most about Anna Maria Island is the local cuisine. There are only two chain restaurants on the whole island, Subway and Domino’s. Although there are not many chain restaurants, there are so many great local places to eat to satisfy your hunger.
The Ugly Grouper
The Ugly Grouper was my favorite restaurant that I ate at while on the island. The restaurant has an awesome atmosphere, with all of their seating outdoors. They do have a section of covered seating in case of bad weather. There is often live music to listen to while you enjoy your food. The Ugly Grouper is known for their grouper (surprise!) and it definitely lives up to the hype. I had the grouper tacos and I still think about them to this day. Although I didn’t get a chance to try the grouper nuggets, they are known to be very good at this restaurant.
Ginny and Jane E’s Cafe & Coastal Store
This bakery/cafe is known for its breakfast, sandwiches and cinnamon rolls. The setup in this Cafe & Store is different than you would probably expect. It has a very relaxed and “funky” vibe with unique items for purchase. The cafe is always packed in the morning with lines out the door. Although there is not much seating in the restaurant, we didn’t have a hard time finding a table after ordering our food at the counter. The prices at Ginny and Jane E’s are very affordable for the high quality food that they serve. The food is very fresh and you can tell that it is homemade. This restaurant was the place that I saw the most locals while on the island. Next time I visit I am definitely going to try one of their famous cinnamon rolls.
Publix Grocery Store
If you are staying on the island for a longer amount of time, or don’t want to eat all of your meals out, getting groceries at Publix is a great option. The grocery store is located right on the island and has everything you could need for meals while you are visiting. It is convenient enough to stop there every few days to stock up on groceries or even to stock up on personal items that you didn’t want to have to pack in your luggage.
Things to do on the Island
Anna Maria Island has an array of shopping, activities, and beaches to visit. There is much to do on the island to keep yourself occupied. However, if you are looking for more to do it is very easy to drive off of the island into Bradenton or Tampa where there are more entertainment options.
Ride Horses on the Beach
Riding horses on Anna Maria Island is definitely an experience unlike any other. The horses on the island are trained to provide a relaxing, slow paced experience as they walk on the shoreline. These horses are also trained to go in the water, which is such a cool experience that many have never seen before. The most popular company that puts on these horseback riding tours is called The Real BeachHorses. They offer many different riding options, such as a Trail Ride, a Thrill Ride, and a Chill Ride. Although I did not book this excursion when I was in Anna Maria, I will definitely be taking part the next time I am on the island.
Shopping at Pine Avenue
The shops at Pine Avenue are extremely unique and one of a kind. Much like restaurants, you will not find many chain stores on the island. The stores on Pine Avenue are locally owned boutiques that carry everything from clothes, to jewelry, to phone cases created by an artist on Anna Maria Island. No matter your price range, there is definitely something for everyone on Pine Avenue. It was very easy to find one parking spot and walk the street from shop to shop.
While on Pine Avenue you should definitely take a few minutes to check out the Anna Maria Island Historical Society. Here you can find the small, open-air Anna Maria Jail which was built in 1927. The museum is great to visit and learn about the island’s history as it was originally a Native American fishing camp before turning into a Spanish Colony.
Rent Bikes on the Island
Anna Maria is a bike-friendly island and many enjoy the experience of biking everywhere they go. The top rental shop in Anna Maria is called BeachBums. They offer many different bikes to rent, including a men’s cruiser, women’s cruiser, tandem bicycles, and even tricycles. You can rent these bikes by the hour, day, week, or month and the prices are very reasonable. BeachBums has many other rental options as well, such as golf carts, paddle boards, kayaks, and beach supplies. They are truly a “one-stop shop” for all of your rental needs while on the island.
Gulf Coast Beaches
Anna Maria Island is home to many gorgeous beaches to explore. These beaches are ideal for a day trip from Sarasota, Tampa, or other areas just outside of the island. With the exception of a few, most of the beaches have plentiful parking and easy access. They also have lifeguards, washrooms, showers, and changing rooms. The beaches on Anna Maria Island are very clean and well-maintained. These are only a few reasons why Anna Maria Island is considered the ultimate Florida beach town.
Holmes Beach
I spent the majority of my time exploring Holmes Beach. The condo that I was staying at was right across the street and I loved being able to walk to this beautiful beach. Holmes Beach is known as one of the quietest beaches on Anna Maria. This is due to the fact that many of the buildings in front of it are condo complexes and private homes, which brings less tourists and more locals to this beach.
Coquina Beach
Coquina Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. The beach is skinny so almost everyone has a “front row view” of the ocean without anyone sitting in front of them. The water at Coquina beach is known to be pretty warm and clear. It is also shallow for a long ways out, making it ideal for younger kids to be able to play in the water safely. There are lifeguard towers along the beach to ensure for a safe visit for all who are spending their day at Coquina Beach. This beach also has grills, picnic shelters, and nearby playgrounds to keep the kids entertained. If you get hungry, take a visit to the Coquina Beach Cafe which is known for it’s beachfront patio and local food.
Bean Point
Bean Point is located at the far northern end of Anna Maria Island. This beach is extremely open with very few visitors each day. Bean Point is unique because it is the only place that you can see the Gulf and the Bay waters meet. Additionally, Bean Point is known for amazing sunsets in the evening and great stargazing later into the night. Be warned – there is very little parking near Bean Point Beach.
Conclusion
Anna Maria Island is truly the ultimate Florida beach town. At the end of trips I am usually ready to head home, but I can honestly say that I could have stayed in Anna Maria for at least another week. The island felt like home as soon as I got there. I loved how there are very few chain restaurants or stores on the island, and everything is locally owned and operated. There is a wide array of beaches to visit and there are many activities to keep you busy if you are not a beach person like myself. I would highly recommend putting Anna Maria Island on your list of vacation spots to visit when you are looking for a relaxing beach vacation.
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