Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria glasses in sunset

Anna Maria Island: A Year Round Destination

Surrounded by the lush sub-tropical growth and island birds, you feel the peace and security of times gone by. Once you’ve visited our island, you’ll want to come back. Over the last few years, Anna Maria has gone from a seasonal vacation community to a year round destination. Anna Maria Island has maintained its old Florida feel, with whispering pines, sea oats, and swaying palms. You won’t find towering condo buildings blocking your view or lines to fast food restaurants. Although we have major chain drug stores and a grocery store, we prefer to keep the cuisine local with boat loads of fresh sea food, smaller intimate culinary gems, and of course beachfront Pina Coladas with the best Grouper Sandwich you’ll ever have!

dolphins jumping
Father and child on the beach

The Island in the Sun

Anna Maria Island is a quaint Barrier Island nestled in the Gulf of Mexico. Beautiful turquoise waters and white sandy beaches are the main attraction here. It is a place where “old” Florida charm can still be found, flip flops are a way of life and the speed limit never exceeds 35mph. High rise condos and fast food restaurants are pleasantly absent from our pristine “get away from it all” island. Our accommodations and restaurants offer something for everyone. From quaint cottages by the sea to deluxe suites, from million-dollar villas to rustic cottages to own, one visit to Anna Maria Island and you will be calling it, “My Island in the Sun”.

Sand dollars on beach
Family under umbrella on beach

Anna Maria City

Anna Maria Island supports a very special ecology and “Old Florida” philosophy. The laid-back lifestyle allows time to step back from the hectic energies and just walk on the beach or enjoy a picnic at sunset. Historic Bridge Street hosts a variety of festivals and from time to time, a farmer’s market that is a wonderful opportunity to purchase locally grown produce. Anna Maria City to the north, is basically residential with the addition of sandwich shops, a few restaurants, and the Bay View Plaza on the bay-side of the island, with boutiques and the historic Anna Maria City Pier. Pine Avenue (running east to west from the city pier to the Gulf) is undergoing reconstruction to restore some of the historic island cottages to maintain the Old Florida look and feel. One can shop for antiques jewelry and clothing, or enjoy the restaurants or visit the Anna Maria Historical Museum on Pine Avenue. There are 7 miles of Gulf of Mexico Beaches on the island and many smaller beaches on the Tampa Bay and Intracoastal waterways.

beach bar
sunset wedding on beach

Island Beaches

The beaches in Anna Maria City are a bit more secluded with a small parking lot and limited on-street parking, but it’s a favorite spot to watch the sunsets over the gulf. Manatee County Beach has a Cafe at the Beach where you can enjoy your meals right on the beach. There is also a children’s playground with picnic tables under the trees for family gatherings. Holmes Beach, is the “business” center of the island. The island library, the banks, and island grocery store are all in Holmes Beach along with a wide variety of shops and restaurants. Bradenton Beach, at the southern end of the island, is home to many condominium units, luxurious resorts, and gulf front rentals. Coquina beach stretches along the Gulf shoreline and supports the largest beach parking area on the island. Coquina Beach at the southern end of the island has a huge parking lot along with lifeguards and fishing areas on both the Intracoastal side and the gulf side.

Just married on beach
Cortez fishing village

Cortez Fishing Village

Cortez, on Sarasota Bay in Manatee County, is the last remaining fishing village on Florida’s Sun Coast. Cortez, originally known as Hunter’s Point, probably wouldn’t exist today if not for the strong fishing industry, especially mullet. Prior to 1921, the only way to get to the island was by boat. In 1921 Anna Maria was physically connected to the mainland by a wooden bridge that extended westward from the fishing village of Cortez to the Island. Native Americans fished the area long before the U.S. Fish Commission in 1879 declared the “Hunter’s Point Fishery” to be one of the most important suppliers of seafood on the west coast of Florida. Before 1857, due to lack of refrigeration, most of the mullet caught from the area was salted and shipped to Cuba.

fishing pier