We just got back from a month on Florida’s Anna Maria Island and I couldn’t recommend it more as a great family destination. The old Florida atmosphere combined with soft, white sand and calm, turquoise waters makes this a great choice for any type of traveler. See why Anna Maria Island is a must visit for you and your family.
Know Before You Go
Anna Maria Island is off the coast of Bradenton, Florida. It’s easily accessible from Tampa or Sarasota. It’s approximately 7 miles long from north to south and is bounded by the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Anna Maria Sound to the east. A free trolley serves the island and runs its entire length. Golf cart and bike rentals are super popular so having a car is not necessary at all once you’re there.
The Three Anna Maria Island Towns
The island is divided into three cities, with Anna Maria in the north, Holmes Beach in the middle, and Bradenton Beach in the south. All three cities have multiple public beach access points and plenty of accommodation, shopping, and dining options. Each city has its own distinct features that make it unique. Anna Maria is mostly residential making it the least crowded of the three. The majority of restaurants and shops are on Pine Street. I would say it is the most walk-able and bike-able of all three. Holmes Beach is directly in the middle and home to the largest public beach. There are a lot of restaurant and shopping options all over Holmes Beach; it’s also home to the only large grocery store. Bradenton Beach seemed to be the most congested of the three towns in terms of traffic and people. However, there are a lot of accommodation options here that provide very easy beach access.
Where to Stay
Strict regulations govern the type of businesses and buildings allowed on the island which allows it to maintain its charm, but means you won’t find large resorts. Vacation rentals are the best choice for accommodations. Local rental agencies: Anna Maria Vacations, AMI Locals, or Flip Flop Rentals all seem to have a lot of options, as well as the usual Airbnb and Vrbo options. If you’re planning on a lot of beach time and want to stay in Anna Maria or Holmes Beach, I would recommend looking on the west side of Gulf Drive. Gulf Drive is the island’s main thoroughfare and can be quite busy so crossing the street can be a challenge, depending on the time of day. There are a ton of rental options with pools. I always love having a pool option even if I plan to spend the bulk of time at the beach.
A perfect way to end our days, swimming in the pool after dinner and ice cream.
What to Do
Go to the beach! We spent the vast majority of our time in the pool at our rental house, at the beach, or on walks and bike rides to the restaurants and shops nearby. We spent an entire month just hanging out. No action packed agenda, we mostly decided what we wanted to do each morning when we woke up. We did venture out some though, and here are a few activities I highly recommend.
Egmont Key Sunset Tour with Egmont Key Adventures
Egmont Key is a small island only reached by boat or ferry. Tours run all day and there are a lot of tour operators. We decided to go with Egmont Key Adventures and wouldn’t hesitate to use them again. They offer both private charters and group dolphin tours. We opted to go with the private charter and chose their sunset tour. It was the priciest choice, but we ended up having the island entirely to ourselves so was money well spent.
Egmont Key is home to the Egmont Key Lighthouse and the ruins of Fort Dade, a Spanish-American War era fort. The kids loved playing in and around the fort. Because it was so empty, we really felt like castaways on a desert island. The biggest hit for Henry was trying to see how many gopher tortoise he could find. I think we stopped counting around 30.
Kids Fishing Trip with AMI Charters
We wanted to give fishing a try while we were away, but worried about the length of most charter options. Most companies offered 4-6 hour minimums. Between the heat and the patience required to fish, I could envision a potentially miserable trip for all of us. Luckily, we found a kids option with AMI Charters. Captain James took us out for a 2 hour nearshore trip and it was perfect- minus the stubborn fish 🙂
Mote Marine Aquarium
This small marine research center and aquarium was provided a much needed break from the sun one afternoon. There are more than 100 species of marine animals to see, from the tiniest jellyfish to giant manatees. Our favorites were seeing the enormous shark tank, getting close to the resident sea turtles and watching the otters in their playground habitat. There are also several interactive exhibits, but they were all closed when we visited because of Covid 19. Mote is not on Anna Maria Island, but is close- roughly 20 min toward Sarasota.
Where to Eat
Because we were there for such an extended time period, we were able to try most of the island’s must eats. There are enough options for a separate blog post, so for now, I’ll just highlight our favorites!
Small Town Creamery. Our daily ice cream stop with a ton of flavors to make everyone happy. Try the blueberry or dulce de leche cheesecake. You can thank me later.
One of our 25 visits to our favorite ice cream shop, Small Town Creamery
The Feast. Located right next to small town creamery and my favorite pizza on the island.
Skinny’s. Fantastic hamburgers right across from Manatee public beach. The seating it all outdoors so it can get a little warm, but worth the sweating.
Poppo’s Taqueria. Mexican-inspired burritos, tacos and quesadillas. You select one and then pick your fillings and toppings. The guacamole is also one of the best I’ve had.
Ginny and Jane E’s. Two words: cinnamon rolls. That’s everything you need to know.
We had such a great month on Anna Maria Island. Even though we live on the beach in Florida, the west coast has such a different vibe. We can’t wait to go back!
