Florida’s Gulf Islands is a tropical oasis of nature activities including thriving marine life and plenty of options for up-close and personal experiences for visitors. Anna Maria Island is home to the largest open estuary in Florida, offering daily encounters with manatees, dolphins, roseate spoonbills, egrets and more. Try your hand at kayak fishing in the grass flats and backwaters of Palma Sola Bay for redfish, snook or speckled trout, or paddle through the mangroves. Sightseeing charters in the Bay and along the coast give visitors a chance to get acquainted with many marine mammals, including dolphins, to do serious Florida bird watching, and to have hands-on experiences with starfish, crabs and even rays.
