Florida Vacations: Anna Maria Island, with Video Tours

Looking for great Florida vacations? Consider Anna Maria Island, Florida. Anna Maria Island is a small island located in the Gulf of Mexico, just south of Tampa. It's right off the coast of Bradenton and Sarasota, and it's easily accessible, just a few miles west of Interstate 75. It's a wonderful vacation destination for couples, families, and seniors. It's laid back, friendly, uncrowded, and beautiful. If you're accustomed to the crowded beaches and cities like Panama City, Daytona, and Miami, Anna Maria Island will be a welcome change of pace for you. If you need more excitement, you can find it by just crossing one of the bridges back to the mainland and driving a few miles to Sarasota or to Tampa.

Anna Maria is quiet, and it has the feel of a private island. The sub-tropical weather is great all year, and the pace here is decidedly unhurried. That, along with the white sands, colorful foliage, and clear turquoise water, will make you think you've landed on a Caribbean isle instead of one on the US mainland.

Anna Maria Island neighborhoods

Anna Maria Island is made of three towns - Anna Maria City, Bradenton Beach, and Holmes Beach. Each commnumity has its own distinct personality and beaches. For example, Anna Maria City, at the northern tip of the island, is a very quiet, mostly residential area. Holmes Beach is a good mixture of business and residential, and Bradenton Beach is the touristy part of the island.

Lodging on Anna Maria Island

If you're looking for an affordable vacation spot, this is it! There is a wide range of accommodations available, including private rental houses, luxurious homes, cottages, condos, hotels, and motels. If you want to spend a bit more, you can rent a gorgeous private villa right on the beach. Also, many of the private homes available for vacation rentals have swimming pools. We're renting one this summer that has a pool, a hot tub, and a pontoon boat! It's located on a canal with easy access to the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay.

Activities

The main activities on the island are sunning, swimming, snorkeling, and fishing. There are several awesome beaches, each with its own distinct personality and its own group of patrons. Some of the beaches have picnic areas and playgrounds for the kids, and several are super-safe for kids, with no waves, little undertow, and shallows for yards and yards. Fishing is done off the beaches or at the three fishing piers. Shelling is popular, too, and the northern tip of the island is a great place for finding huge starfish and sand dollars. Don't be surprised if a curious dolphin comes up to see what you're doing!

Dining and nightlife

Like I said, this is a pretty quiet island, but there is some interesting nightlife. Some of the restaurants provide live music, and those on the beach have a great dance floor in the form of natural sand! Of course, you can be in Bradenton or Sarasota in minutes, and you'll find all you can handle at either of these locations!

Dining here is really enjoyable. The fresh seafood is wonderful - especially when the stone crabs come in. A lot of the restaurant owners seem to have a sense of humor. For example, there's a barbecue restaurant called "Mr. Bones" where the beer is served in an ice-filled casket. Another place with good food and a fun atmosphere is called "Rotten Ralph's." Still another is the "Banana Cabana." There are also more serious dining venues that serve fine foods in upscale atmospheres, including the Sandbar and Beach Bistro. There should be enough restaurants on Anna Maria Island to satisfy you, but if not, just cross the bridge into Bradenton or head to Sarasota for hundreds of choices.

Shopping

If you're into shopping, the island's litle gift shops, galleries, and boutiques will keep you entertained. But if you're a big-name shopaholic, cross a couple of bridges to St. Armand's Circle, where you'll find world-class shops with names like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Cartier. Huge outlet malls are nearby, too.

I would recommend an Anna Maria Island vacation to anyone looking for great beaches and beautiful scenery. We've traveled to a lot of Florida beaches, and we were pleasantly surprised at the affordable prices for lodgings on this small island. Don't forget your camera - you'll want lots of pics of gorgeous Anna Maria Island!