On her pristine, 7.5-mile stretch of Gulf coast splendor, Anna Maria Island has done more than simply preserve what is fondly known as an “Old Florida” atmosphere – it has become the source. Here, the peaceful, easygoing beach bum lifestyle is as natural and authentic as it comes. This is not a place to simply check off the list as you rush through your vacation itinerary. In fact, with an island-wide speed limit of 35 mph or less, it is easier to slow down and really appreciate the view. The free Anna Maria Island Trolley service even lets you take in the miles and miles of white sand beaches and endless blue waters, without having to watch the road.
Making up more than half of the island’s land mass, Anna Maria’s beaches form a warm, sandy welcome mat at the water’s edge, where sunbathers soak up the Florida sun with a good book, a cool drink and a worry-free grin. Families bike along the shore, build sand castles, and compare fingers shriveled by hours in the surf. Couples discover strolling hand-in-hand at sunset is not just a cliché. Every lazy day starts with the same simple question: What, if anything, will I do today?
Ice cream shops and island boutiques provide cool and shady breaks for beachgoers. Three public piers – the Bridge Street Pier, Rod & Reel Pier, and Anna Maria City Pier – jut out into the Gulf, making it easy to drop a line and reel in a catch for dinner, or just pose for a frenzied family photo. The island has plenty of surf and paddleboard hot spots, and even paddling tours, to make the most of the local liquid assets. Feeding all the fun is a delicious selection of award-winning independent restaurants, some of which sit right on the beach, serving up a gorgeous Gulf sunset every night.
Anna Maria has recently added two new options to this delicious menu of restaurants. At Feeling Swell Surf Bar & Family Restaurant, you can enjoy a delicious breakfast or lunch on the outdoor patio just one block from the beach. Rudy’s Subs & More showcases cuisine by two dining divas turned beach bums, who serve homemade specialties such as a Breakfast Roo and their signature Philly cheese steak. These two fit in perfectly with some of the island’s favorite dining spots, including the Zagat award-winning Beach Bistro in Holmes Beach; the eclectic Ginny & Jane E’s at the Old IGA, offering everything from a café to home furnishings and wireless Internet access; and the infamous Duffy’s and Skinny’s, both known for the best burgers in town. Other favorites include Bridge Street Bistro in Bradenton Beach, where diners get to ring the gong and sing “You Are My Sunshine” as they down a green flash shooter at sunset; the Sandbar Restaurant in Anna Maria, where diners can guess the time of the sunset for a chance to win a bottle of bubbly; and The Waterfront Restaurant in Anna Maria, offering amazing Bay views from their outdoor dining area.
Just below Anna Maria Island’s sleepy surface is a rising tide of new business and development projects, including restaurants, shops, accommodations and cultural facilities. At the island’s north end, local developers are restoring small businesses along the historic Pine Avenue, which has been welcoming visitors and residents since 1911, as they arrived by steamer ship to the newly founded island. The Pine Avenue Restoration Project, a project begun in 2007 by island residents and business owners, Ed Chiles and Michael Coleman, is an effort to revitalize Anna Maria’s small, but vital business district by developing boutique retail spaces with residences above utilizing historic design elements that reflect the unique charm that is the hallmark of Anna Maria. Since the beginning of 2010, more than six new shops have opened including the Anna Maria Olive Oil Company; a candy store for foodies; Bella By the Sea, offering home décor and more; Pink & Navy, an eclectic boutique featuring clothes, jewelry and baby items; and Island Cabana, a home décor and fashion boutique. These buildings were awarded platinum certification from the Florida Green Building Association. The community and visitors celebrate the island’s prosperity the third Friday of every month with “Porch Parties on Pine” by strolling the street, playing Bocce Ball, shopping and enjoying food and wine on the front porches. Soon to be completed is the Anna Maria Green Village, a restoration project by Mike & Lizzie Thrasher, British vacationers who became Anna Maria Island residents. The project covers more than 8,000 square feet of space across four lots for several historic structures, including a 1935 Sears Catalog cottage donated by the Pine Avenue Restoration Project, and the Rosedale Cottage, original home of Will Bean, the first island developer. The Village currently is closely linked to two of their recent renovations: Beach Bums, a neighborhood rental store with electric bikes, surreys, kayaks, tours and a retail shop; and the Anna Maria General Store & Deli, the island’s only independent grocery store. With plans for a medical center, gallery, professional services, retail and cafe space, and beautiful gardens, the Village should be completed in time for the Anna Maria City Pier Centennial celebration May 13-14, 2011. The event’s main attraction will be an upscale art and culinary event, “Food and Wine on Pine”.
You won’t find any glitzy, high-rise resorts or condos on Anna Maria Island, which favors a more suitable selection of mom-and-pop beachfront motels, boutique mini-resorts, and charming bed and breakfast inns and bungalows. Several are pet-friendly and some provide free bicycle rentals to guests. Bungalow Beach Resort was rated number four in the Top 10 Hotels for Romance in the United States by TripAdvisor in its 2010 Travelers’ Choice® awards. Collectively known as Anna Maria Island Resorts, Tortuga Inn Beach Resort, Seaside Inn Beach Resort, and Tradewinds Resort provide travelers three outstanding options. The latest island property to open is the Mainsail Lodge and Beach Inn, which features 12, two- and three-bedroom vacation rentals with resort-style amenities and all with beachfront access on the Gulf of Mexico.
About Anna Maria Island & Longboat Key
Ideally located between Sarasota and Tampa Bay, Anna Maria Island & Longboat Key, and on the mainland, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch, form a magical margin along Florida’s beautiful southwest coast with their small town, Old Florida charm, breath-taking scenery, funky dining and shopping districts, and miles of sugar-white sands. The Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau promotes tourism to Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch through domestic and international advertising, public relations and marketing efforts. For more information, call (941) 729-9177, ext. 231 or visit www.AnnaMariaIsland-LongboatKey.com.
For Media Info:
Debbie Meihls, Executive Manager
Bradenton Area CVB
941-729-9177 ext. 232/Debbie.meihls@mymanatee.org
Gentry Baumline-Robinson
Hayworth Creative Public Relations
386-677-7000/gentry@hayworthcreative.com
