Anna Maria Island Travel Guide: Best Things to Do & Restaurants

By The Backseat View

There are beach towns, and then there’s Anna Maria Island—the kind of place where you trade your heels for sandals, watch dolphins from the shoreline, and never feel rushed. What I love most is that it still feels like “Old Florida.” No towering hotels, no overwhelming crowds, just beautiful, uncrowded white sand beaches, local restaurants, and a slower pace of life.

Anna Maria Island Travel Guide

Anna Maria Island: Basics

Anna Maria is seven miles long with three communities on it: Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, and the northern tip, Anna Maria Island. While the entire island is pleasant, the charming and classic section is Anna Maria Island. The Anna Maria Island section is over 100 years old. You arrive on Anna Maria from Bradenton by two bridges. Bradenton has a large downtown area with skyscrapers, but the rest of the town is average, with strip malls for picking up supplies. There’s a bridge to the south of Anna Maria that takes you to Longboat Key and Sarasota, which I love.

Anna Maria Island Beaches

Arriving on the island means traveling through busy Bradenton Beach and hustling Holmes Beach before arriving at Anna Maria Island with its carefree island vibes. However, the beach has white, powdery sand throughout.

Carefree Vibes

The farther you drive through the island, the stronger the carefree vibe is. When you hit the Anna Maria Island Beach Café area, I feel like I have finally arrived at the slower side of life. The pastel colors and shutters of the cute shops in the Anna Maria Island Plaza are a welcoming change. As you drive north, the hotels turn into vacation homes, ranging from small Old Florida one-level cottages to new mansions.

Let’s start with the Best Things to do on Anna Maria Island.

Best Things to Do on Anna Maria Island

Watch the sunset at Bean Point

Quiet, uncrowded, and an absolutely breathtaking beach. Bring a beach chair and stay until the sky turns pink and gold. This is my favorite beach where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf. If you want the beach to yourself, try going for a stunning sunrise and enjoying a picnic breakfast. Unfortunately, there’s only a handful of parking options on side roads. One time, I found a house near a tiny public beach access trail and paid the lady to let me park in her driveway.

Explore Pine Avenue

Browse boutiques, local art galleries, beachwear shops, and specialty food stores. It’s the heart of the island’s small-town charm.

Spend a Day at Coquina Beach

One of the island’s most beautiful stretches of sand, with picnic areas, walking paths, and regular beach markets. There’s plenty of public parking.

Visit the Historic Pier

The Anna Maria City Pier is a classic Florida experience for fishing, sightseeing, and dolphin spotting. It’s also a major trolley stop. The pier was destroyed by a hurricane and should be rebuilt by the fall of 2026.

Rent Bikes

The island is bike-friendly, with many visitors preferring to ride bicycles rather than drive. However, I’m not a fan of multi-use roads. I prefer bike paths away from traffic. I feel like Anna Maria is more of a golf cart town than a biking town.

Kayak and Paddleboard

The calm waters around the island are ideal for spotting dolphins, manatees, and coastal birds.

Fishing

Fishing Charters are the reason we come. It’s so much fun for all ages to spend time out on the water. Make sure to book a few months in advance, as captains book up quickly with repeat customers. AMI Charters offers inshore and slightly offshore trips for tarpon. Remember, the happier the guys are at the beach, the longer we girls get to stay. For my seasick friends, these inshore charters in flats fishing areas are easily navigated by my seasick family members.

Dolphin Tours

There are around 115 dolphins that call Anna Maria home. Since the dolphins live here permanently, it’s easy to spot them on a tour. Anna Maria Island Dolphin Tours are the best in the area.

Shopping

The Island Cabana, AMI outfitters, and Shiny Fish Emporium are cute, whimsical shops located together, and my favorite easy stop. Also, the original Sand Dollar has coastal boutique home décor.

Bridge Street

Visit Historic Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach for the shop, dine, and play heart of the island. Several colorful buildings are over 100 years old, giving the area an Old Florida feel. There’s also Fish Hole mini-golf on Bridge Street. We can’t leave vacation without mini-golf. You can try parking at Cortez Beach and walking over. There are views across the water to the fishing village of Cortez.

The Fishing Village of Cortez

Cortez Village is one of Florida’s last remaining active fishing villages, offering preserved “Old Florida” experiences. Located 10 minutes east across the bridge from Anna Maria Island, on Cortez Road, is a maritime heritage experience featuring historic cottages.

Horseback riding

When I picture horseback riding on a beach, this is not it. There are horse trailers on the side of the busy road, with a narrow walkway on a tiny beach. The companies offering beach horseback riding are Cponies Beach Horseback Riding, Carousel Sea Horses, and Florida Beach Horses.

Spa Day

One day, I’m coming with my friend Stacy (instead of my guys) to write extensive spa reviews. Until then, here are the best links.

Acqua Aveda has several local awards and is located on the beach.

Serenity Spa for a massage on the beach in a tiki hut on the south end of the island.

Baseball

Welcome to the Spring Training and minor league Baseball Circuit.

• The Bradenton Marauders, a Single-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, play at LECOM Park in Bradenton, about 15 miles from Anna Maria.
• Sarasota has a minor league team for the Baltimore Orioles.
• Clearwater is home to the Philadelphia Phillies minor league.
• Dunedin is home to the Toronto Blue Jays.
• Tampa is home to the New York Yankees’ spring training and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Anna Maria has so many excellent nearby entertainment options, so let’s discuss a few day trips from Anna Maria.

Day Trips from Anna Maria

While I could easily spend a week on the beach, here are a few options for rainy days or for that one traveler in the group who doesn’t really like the beach.

Sarasota

Sarasota is an excellent place to visit with the Ringling Museum Complex filled with circus history, the Mote Marine Laboratory Aquarium, a stroll through Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, the Big Cat Habit for up-close animal interactions, and shopping on St. Armands Circle. Sarasota is Home to the Best Beach in America, Siesta Key, and it made the National Geographic Best Places in the World List, and it’s all in that Sarasota Travel Guide link.

Myakka Elephant Sanctuary

Myakka Elephant Sanctuary is an hour-and-a-half drive toward Sarasota for some personal spa time with elephants. If you have ever wanted to pet, feed, bathe, and file the nails of elephants, this is your place. I truly enjoyed my time with a couple of gentle, funny elephants. You must usually book a month in advance.

There’s also the Myakka River State Park for tree-top canopy walkways, alligator-spotting boat tours and miles of hiking trails.

Egmont Key State Park

You can catch the ferry for a half-day to a full-day trip to the remote island wildlife refuge. The island features an 1858 lighthouse and the crumbling brick ruins of Fort Dade. This is also a crystal-clear snorkeling opportunity for sea turtles and vibrant fish.

Tampa & St. Petersburg

Drive an hour north for world-class museums like the Salvador Dali Museum, the Florida Aquarium, riding roller coasters at Busch Gardens, or seeing wildlife at Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park.

Where to eat on Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island Restaurants

The Waterfront Restaurant

The Waterfront Restaurant is my top recommendation for a memorable dinner. Think fresh seafood, tropical cocktails, and gorgeous bay views. It’s perfect for a sunset meal or date night. It’s around $45 a person.

Sandbar

Sandbar Seafood & Spirits – Gulf-front dining and one of the best sunset spots on the island. This is a wide and expansive beach and a great option for visitors. The kids can play in the sand while you enjoy your meal. The food costs between $25 and $35. This place is a vacation memory. There’s also Captain Anthony’s Beach Parking next door for $40 to enjoy the beach.

North Shore Café

The North Shore Café is a delightful stop for coffee, bowls, smoothies, and sandwiches, with a water view and a few nearby stores to shop at.

Harry’s Grill

Harry’s Grill is the best place for a burger, beer, and live music. It wins local awards too.

• The Donut Experiment – A must-stop breakfast treat where you can customize your own donuts. The store is open from 7 am to 1 pm.

Ginny’s and Jane E’s Cafe

• Ginny’s and Jane E’s Cafe is a popular, eclectic cafe known for breakfast, lunch, and bakery items. It’s so colorful, and on the main road, so you can’t miss it. The giant cinnamon rolls and local art are why I come.
  

• The Ugly Grouper – Casual and fun island atmosphere that’s great for families. Look for the huge metal grouper.
  
• The Porch Restaurant is a casual lunch or upscale dinner option.
  

The Star Fish Company

• The Star Fish Company has around 15 tables on the dock overlooking the water and fishing boats, with a cash-only counter for food orders. This is where you come to buy fresh fish to cook.
  
• Island Ocean Star is a Japanese restaurant.
  
• For the best breakfast, try Mademoiselle Paris French Bakery & Restaurant or La Creperie on Bradenton Beach.
  

French Bakery

• Poppas Taqueria for tacos & Mexican dishes.
  
• For ice cream, head to Two Scoops Cafe on the corner of Pine Avenue.
  

• Skinny’s Place is great for burgers if you are staying closer to Holmes Beach.
  
• The Beach House Waterfront Restaurant on Holmes Beach is perfect for sunset with your toes in the sand.
  

Getting Around Anna Maria Island

Parking is a nightmare on Anna Maria Island. I’m going to say it again: don’t expect to drive over to Anna Maria and hang out without arriving at daybreak or with a parking plan.

If you stay on the island and your house isn’t beachfront, someone drops you off with all the beach gear at the Public Beach Access, and they walk back. The public beach access options are tiny trails between houses with maybe 4 parking spaces, if you can find those on a side street.

The Free Island Trolley

One of the best things about Anna Maria Island is the free trolley that runs the length of the island from Anna Maria City Pier to Coquina Beach. It typically operates from early morning until around 10:30 p.m., with service about every 20 minutes during most of the day.

My tip: Leave your car parked whenever possible. The trolley is part of the island experience and saves you from circling for parking.

Transportation Options

• Golf cart rentals are popular for families staying on the island.
• Uber and Lyft are available.
• Arrive at beaches early (before 9 a.m.).
• Use public beach lots when available. Near the Sandbar is a $40 parking lot with beach access and food.
• Once you’ve found a spot, rely on the trolley or walk for the rest of the day.
• Gulf Island’s Ferry departs from the Bradenton Riverwalk day dock and stops at the Anna Maria City Pier and Bridge Street Pier every hour for $10.
  

Where to stay on Anna Maria Island

The key thing to understand about booking a home is the distance to the beach, can you walk? The beach does not go all the way around the island, so water views are not necessarily beachfront.

• Most of the homes are personal vacation rentals, so I’ll give you a few other companies besides the big VRBO option.
• Anna Maria Vacations- lists tons of island homes
• Island Real Estate Vacations- www.islandReal.com-
• Personal rental on Bean Point- an older beachfront house with a sign out front-813-416-2208

The Rod & Reel Resort

• The Rod & Reel Resort doesn’t have a beach, but it has water views and is within walking distance of the best beach, Bean Point. The resort has 2-bedroom suites.
  

Holmes Beach Area

If you can’t do a beach house rental in the cute Anna Maria section of the island, these are good hotel options at Holmes Beach. However, you are a few miles from the cute section of Anna Maria.

• Mello on the Beach with apartment-style 1-3 bedroom accommodations, which are pet friendly and have a pool.
• Bali Hai Beach Resort has luxury rooms on Holmes Beach.

The Waterline

• The Waterline is on the bay in the Holmes Beach area for boaters. If you are coming in by boat, this is a good option to dock and rent a golf cart.

• Beach Suites AMI– if you need luxury beach chair rentals
• Cedar Cove Resort & Cottages have a beachside location with the convenience of kitchens located between Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. This is Old Florida with swaying palms and very high customer reviews.

When to Visit Anna Maria Island

Anytime is the correct answer. Snowbirds come in the winter, with families coming in the spring through the fall. There is no off-season.

Anna Maria VS 30A

How does Anna Maria’s Island compare to 30A’s Seaside and Grayton Beach? The beach towns are similar, and personally, I wouldn’t drive the extra 7-8 hours to Anna Maria for the beach. However, we drive the extra miles for the available fishing and animal encounters that enhance our beach vacation.

Let’s end with a look at my perfect day on Anna Maria.

A Perfect Day on Anna Maria Island

• Coffee and donuts from The Donut Experiment
• Beach time and lunch at the Sandbar with $40 parking for my day tripping friends
• Afternoon refreshers at the North Shore Café and walk through a few shops like Island Cabana
• Walk Pine Avenue
• Sunset at Bean Point
• Dinner at The Waterfront Restaurant
• Moonlit stroll along the beach
• If you can’t find parking in Anna Maria, just enjoy the cute shops like Island Emporium and Shiny Fish on the North End, then drive back to Holmes Beach or Coquina Beach, which have more public parking and beach access options.

Week Itinerary for Anna Maria Island

Day 1 – Pick up groceries at the Publix on Holmes Beach, check into your house rental, pick up the golf cart rental, and hit the beach. Head to the Sandbar for dinner and sunset.

Day 2- Start the day with the Donut Experiment. Then, rest on the beach, explore Pine Avenue, and have a nice meal at The Waterfront Restaurant for sunset views.

Day 3- Fishing Charter or dolphin watching cruise, then lunch at the Northshore Cafe with a little shopping, afternoon beach time, and dinner at The Porch. Enjoy sunset at Bean Point.

Day 4- Visit Bridge Street, play mini golf, eat ice cream at Two Scoops, and enjoy Coquina Beach. Relax on your beach, then head to dinner at the Star Fish Company.

Day 5– Explore Sarasota or visit the Myakka Elephant Sanctuary for half a day, then return to the beach and head to Harry’s for dinner.

Day 6- Breakfast at Mademoiselle Paris French Bakery & Restaurant, rest on the beach, then head to dinner at Ugly Grouper. My guys would have another day of fishing here. You can kayak, go for a horse ride, visit the fishing village of Cortez, go to the spa, or watch a baseball game. The options are endless.

Day 7- Visit Ginny and Jane E’s for a cinnamon roll before departing.

Until your toes hit the sand again,

Anna Maria Island isn’t about checking attractions off a list—it’s about slowing down long enough to hear the waves, watch the pelicans glide overhead, and remember what a true beach vacation feels like. If you’re looking for a destination with Southern charm, coastal beauty, and plenty of opportunities to relax, Anna Maria Island delivers every single time.

Thanks Friends!

Thank you for reading my blog, and here are a few more South Florida Beach Vacation options. The Ultimate Florida Travel Guide: Hidden Gems & Bucket List stops shows you uncrowded beaches, a tea party with REAL Mermaids, the best Key Lime Pie in all of Florida, and elephant and tiger feedings.