Still need to help Santa take care of some of those last-minute gifts? No need to sweat it while visiting AMI. The island offers a cornucopia of locally owned boutiques, souvenir stores, outfitters and others that make shopping a breeze.
Pine Avenue in Anna Maria Island makes a marvelous stretch with shops like Beach Bums, which sells clothing and accessories; and Island Charms specialty jewelry store; the funky Pineapple Marketplace with home decor, treasures and collectibles; and The Island Cabana, a resort, lifestyle beachwear and gifts boutique. A kid-friendly choice is the Shiny Fish Emporium, which sells children’s clothing, toys, and collectibles. And children can create their own gifts for grandma and grandpa!
In Holmes Beach, discover West Coast Surf Shop with beachwear, swimwear, accessories and surf gear. Island Bazaar packs its shelves with brand names, including Reef, Sun Bum, Ray Ban, Body Glove, Maui Jim, and more. Then there is the Sun and Surf Beach Shop, which sells footwear, children’s, men’s and women’s clothing, hats, beach blankets, and more. And all the shops sell souvenir T-shirts and hoodies. You are sure to find a special something that is perfect for the outdoor enthusiast on your list.
The Historic Bridge Street area in Bradenton Beach is lined with unique shops, along with restaurants and bars to take a breather between browsing. The Bridge Street Bazaar, sister store to Island Bazaar in Holmes Beach, sells brands such as Salt Life, Costa, Sanuk, and more for the beach-lover in your life. Find one-of-a-kind gifts at Bridge Street Jewelers and Back Alley Coffee Treasures & Bar.
And that’s just getting you started.
When you have hit all the shopping spots on AMI and marked through all the names on your Christmas list, reward yourself with a holiday cocktail at one of the area’s amazing restaurants. From tiki bars to elegant bistros to beachside hangouts, AMI has you covered with mouth-watering meal choices.
Now, kick back on the balcony or deck at your Anna Maria Island vacation rental, put on some Christmas music, and sip a cup of eggnog. After all, you deserve a treat, too, right?
Dig out of the snow and join us in the sand this winter with plenty to keep you busy during your AMI stay.
Beachin’
Hit the beaches for relaxation at a secluded spot. Bean Point is spectacular, where the Gulf meets the Bay. Manatee Beaches offers a family favorite with a playground, showers, and plenty of activity. Rent beach chairs, cabanas, lounge chairs, and other beach gear from CabanUp.
Paddle Around
Take a kayak tour or rent a kayak to explore. Beach Bums AMI gives instruction, and rentals include everything you need for fun in the water, including a file jacket. They offer free delivery to Anna Maria vacation rentals.
Wheelin’ It
Beach Bums AMI also rents bikes for getting around the island on two wheels. Rentals include cruisers, tandem bicycles, trickles, baby seats and bicycle trailers.
Fishing
Winter conditions attract snapper, amberjack, and hogfish offshore. Book a trip with AMI Charters Saltwater Adventures. Or grab a rod and reel and hit local fishing spots like the Bradenton Beach City Pier on Sarasota Bay or Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria. Snag a spotted sea trout, flounder, black drum, or sheepshead. Tip: A Florida fishing license is required.
Take the Plunge
Splash into the water to start the new year. It’s a tradition in many beach communities. Of course, it’s not exactly a Polar Bear Plunge as water temperatures are about 75 degrees around Anna Maria Island in winter. It’s chilly, for sure. But a New Year’s Day plunge is a quick in-and-out.
Nature Trails
The Leffis Key Preserve, located across from the Coquina Beach entrance in Bradenton Beach, offers beautiful hiking and wildlife viewing. Though small, the preserve includes 1,500 feet of boardwalks that run through a mangrove forest. Robinson Preserve, about a 15-minute drive from AMI, has 682 acres of coastal wetland, tidal marsh, and mangroves. Discover nature trails, bike trails, fishing, kayaking, and a 40-foot observation tower.
Ready for a warm and wonderful getaway? Beach Retreats offers pristine properties to provide your home-away-from-home during your AMI vacation.
If your idea of a Christmas getaway is sunshine and sea breezes, Anna Maria Island has you covered. In addition to spectacular views, balmy weather, and our gorgeous beaches, you can enjoy a full slate of holiday traditions.
The boutiques and restaurants get all decked out in their holiday best, as does the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce. Knock out the last-minute gift-buying at boutiques and locally owned stores along Pine Avenue in Anna Maria, Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach, and in Holmes Beach.
Combine the magic of a holiday ballet with a fancy-and-fun tea party, and what do you have? The Nutcracker Tea Party on Dec. 3 at The Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave. Enjoy a delightful afternoon with excerpts from “The Nutcracker” ballet performed live by dancers from Dance Theatre of Bradenton. A light lunch buffet provides finger foods, sweets, and a self-serve candy bar.
The Dance Theatre of Bradenton performs “The Nutcracker” at 7 p.m. on Dec. 16 and 2 p.m. on Dec. 17 at Davis Center for the Performing Arts at Manatee High School in Bradenton. The tickets for the performance range from $21 to $30.
Usher in the holidays with the AMI Privateers Christmas Parade, which traditionally takes place the second Saturday in December, making it Dec. 9 this year. The parade leaves Bay Front Park in Anna Maria and proceeds through all three cities on the island.
Christmas on Historic Bridge Street on the third weekend of December is like a scene from a Hallmark holiday movie. Carolers add to the festive atmosphere, and vendors offer unique gifts. Historic Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach is the bustling center in this historic beach community. That is especially true during the holiday season. Book your holiday stay in a well-appointed, comfortable beach property to enjoy an island Christmas vacation.
There are a lot of places you can choose to have Thanksgiving, but few are as spectacular as Anna Maria Island. Start a new family tradition this year with Thanksgiving at the beach.
Find a Great Rental
As a boutique vacation rental agency, we select only a handful of the best vacation rentals. From Anna Maria Island to Lido Key, our homes suit all group sizes without compromising high standards. We’ve earned the trust of vacationers who come back year after year. Personalized service and spectacular homes help our guests enjoy a stress-free stay.
Disconnect
Unplug from social media. You’re on vacation, after all.
Get Outside
In Florida, it’s all about the Great Outdoors. Enjoy the mild temperatures and sunny days with some of AMI’s top activities. Beach Bums AMI rents kayaks and bicycles. CabanUp offers beach gear. C Ponies can put you on horseback to ride through the bay or on local trails.
Stock the Pantry
Shop The Loaded Kitchen online. They will deliver groceries to your accommodations prior to your arrival. Order all the snacks, baked goods and wine your family enjoys during the holidays.
A Beachy Holiday Meal
Cook your traditional turkey and dressing, but add Florida twist. Add sauteed oysters to the stuffing. Make a dip or cocktail with fresh shrimp. And consider cooking outdoors. Fire up the patio grill at properties like the three-bedroom Beach Bliss. Wrap foil around the sweet potatoes and corn on the cob, and place them on the grill. Consider Key lime pie for dessert.
Eat on the Beach
Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe traditionally serves a Thanksgiving meal at Gulfside. Pre-order and enjoy dining with your feet in the sand.
Take it up a Notch
If you really want to go all out for your Thanksgiving dinner, hire a private chef or have the meal catered. Suncoast Cuisine provides in-home parties for up with 16 people. The Traveling Gourmet prepares custom meals and delivers them to your vacation rental.
Travel Light
Of course, you’ll want to ensure the comfort and safety of each family member during the stay. But there is no need to pack the crib or safety gates. ABC Rentals delivers and picks up everything you need. They rent rollaway beds, portable fans and video monitors, as well. They even stock diapers and wipes.
So, what do you say? Make this the year you start a new Thanksgiving family tradition … at the beach.
Halloween is a family-centric time of year, and it’s fast becoming one of the most popular holidays on the calendar. If you find yourself on an Anna Maria Island vacation at the end of October, the Island offers a bucket full of fun activities.
Halloween Trail of Treats starts at 4 p.m. on Oct. 31 at the AMI Chamber of Commerce, 5313 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach. This fun, family-friendly event includes a Kid Costume Contest for children up to 12 years of age and provides an opportunity for kids to trick or treat.
Enjoy all the traditional fall activities at the 32nd Pumpkin Festival at Hunsader Farms in Bradenton. The annual event includes scarecrows, hayrides, music, craft shows, chainsaw sculpting, a barnyard playground, a Pioneer Trades Village, and a whole lot more. Admission is $15 and parking is $5. Some activities, such as the corn maze, have additional charges. Children 10 and under get in free. Make a note: The farm only accepts cash.
Wear your costumes and bring a trick-or-treat bag for the Selby Spooktacular, set 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens downtown Sarasota campus, 1534 Mound St. The event includes arts and crafts, fun and educational activities, and an inflatable corn maze and storytelling. General admission gets you into the Spooktacular. Admission costs $21 for adults; $11 for ages 5-17 and free for children four and under.
Or visit the Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey to see it transformed for the Lights at Spooky Point, which takes place from Oct. 13-31. The entry times are 6:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. each night. Follow an eerily lit path and encounter fantastic creations and bootanically-themed decorations along the way. Equal parts creepy, campy, and cute, this walk-through show is fun for all ages. The cost is $30 for adults; $15 for ages 5-17; and free for children four and under.
For the over 21 crowd, a DJ Dance Halloween Party takes place from 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 28 at Freckled Fin Irish Pub in Holmes Beach. Wear a costume and BOO-gie on down.
Finding a delightful vacation property isn’t scary at all.
Just because everyone else leaves summer behind does not mean you have to. On Anna Maria Island, visitors can still enjoy all their favorite summertime activities without the sweltering heat and high humidity. Second summer is all about embracing the beauty of the impending shoulder season.
Sun-Soaked Days
Florida is the Sunshine State. Early autumn does not change those sunny days. Visitors can soak in the sun on a stretch of beach and splash in the Gulf or bay, where the water is still warm and inviting.
Gorgeous Views
Enjoy the beauty of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay when the beaches and shoreline are less crowded. Pitch an umbrella on the beach and enjoy the quiet and rolling waves.
Delicious Seafood
One of the best parts of an AMI vacation is the food – some of the most mouth-watering, fresh seafood dishes you will ever put in your mouth, harvested in local waters. Reserve a table at one of the amazing Anna Maria Island restaurants.
Horsin’ Around
If you have riding horses into the water on your bucket list, book a ride with C Ponies. Tours take participants to the beach, where you can dip into the water on horseback. Grab hold of the mane while the horses take you for a few swims on the way back to shore. Mark that one off your bucket list as an experience you will never forget.
Paddle Out
Keep cool with a Beach Bums AMI kayak tour. These experienced guides first introduce guests to ocean kayaks, proper paddling techniques and the mangrove system. Then the real fun begins. Paddle along a fringe of red mangroves and into Anna Maria Sound, where paddlers often catch sight of dolphins feeding in the shallow waters. Pass under the Key Royale Bridge and into Bimini Bay. Paddle through a bird rookery and a mangrove island, then stop at an oyster shoal.
Tropical Digs
Our incredible properties offer a luxurious stay where it is always island time. The properties have well-equipped kitchens, wi-fi, proximity to the beach and comfort that exceeds expectations. Many properties have private pools, where you can relax and enjoy your second summer.
Getting around during your Anna Maria Island stay is as simple as riding a bike. With flat paths and routes along the beach, it’s a great transportation alternative with spectacular views. And the great news is that you can bike AMI year ‘round.
The City of Anna Maria has some of the best bike paths on the entire island. These are multi-use roads, so cyclists should ride on the right side of the road, with the traffic. Both Gladiolus Street and Jacaranda Street are bike routes, running from Bean Point to the shops and restaurants along Pine Avenue. Along with the Cresent Road extension and North Shore Drive, these routes offer access to Rod n Reel Pier and Gulf Front Park.
Take Jacaranda Road south to Holmes Beach, another bike-friendly city. While there are no official bike paths, Palm Drive, Gulf Drive, and Key Royal Drive offer low-traffic routes that are bicycle-friendly.
For young riders, the Coquina Beach Bike Path provides a safe trail as it only allows pedestrians and bikes. It’s a scenic trail that takes riders to the heart of Bradenton Beach on AMI’s south end. The path is suitable for bikers of all skill levels and provides a safe and scenic route for exploring the area. In addition, The Gulf Drive path to Bradenton Beach takes riders to the city’s shops and restaurants.
Be sure to ride with the traffic, watch for opening car doors, and stay on paved shoulders and bike lanes when available.
Off the island, cyclists can ride a couple of scenic paths through nature areas.
Robinson Preserve in Bradenton offers 7.5 miles of multi-use paths. While most of the preserve’s trails are paved, some sections are boardwalk and sand. One of the best parts of this path is the observation tower you can climb for views of historic Fort De Soto.
In Bradenton, Lake Manatee State Park trail offers a family-friendly experience along a 2.5-mile paved interior road that winds through pine flat woods to the lake. There are also 2.3 miles of off-road cycling with a variety of terrain. Both rides offer the opportunity to view a range of ecosystems and wildlife.
You do not have to pack your bike for your AMI vacation. Rent a bike from Beach Bums AMI. Their fun and funky inventory is inspected after every outing to ensure they remain easy to ride, reliable, and in working order. Beach Bums AMI provides cruisers and geared bikes, whichever the rider prefers. They even rent adult tricycles.
To be safe, wear a helmet, use hand signals for turns, and have light or reflective clothing if riding at night. After your ride, kick up your heels at a comfortable AMI property.
It’s coming. Labor Day hits Sept. 4, and with it comes the “end” of summer. Of course, unofficially, it’s always the summer season on Anna Maria Island. But if you want to take a beach vacation, there is still time to book an Anna Maria Island stay. You’ll enjoy the comfort of a well-appointed beach rental in either Anna Maria or Holmes Beach.
Need convincing? We’ll run down some reasons why a beach vacation is just the ticket for your Labor Day holiday.
First, a last-minute beach stay means a chance to relax. Can’t we all use a little downtime? And there is no need for you to lift a finger hauling gear to the beach and back. Not when Cabana Up can do it for you. Call and let them know your desired set-up spot. Your chairs, umbrellas, and beach gear will be up by 10 a.m. most days with your name clearly labeled. Just walk up, put on sunscreen and enjoy your day at the beach.
Second, park the car and take the free trolley to Bean Point or down to historic Bridge Street. The trolley starts at 6 a.m. from both ends of the loop and typically runs at 20-minute intervals until 9 p.m., then every 30 minutes until 10:30 p.m. Trolley stops are located every two to four blocks, so it’s easy to get where you want to go on AMI. Skip the rental car and instead rent a street-legal golf cart from Beach Bums for an easy way to explore.
Next up, dine on delicious dishes at restaurants like Beach Bistro, Chateau Anna Maria, Skinny’s, and the Sandbar. Whether you have a hankering for a thick, juicy burger or a high-end, four-course meal, AMI restaurants have you covered. Or have The Loaded Kitchen have groceries delivered to your vacation rental before arrival.
Is adventure calling your name? Get out on the water with kayak rentals from Beach Bums AMI, go parasailing with AMI Parasail, or take a personal watercraft tour with H2O Watersportz. Make a splash before the summer passes by.
Before life gets hectic, slow down with another swim in the Gulf of Mexico. Is there any destination more peaceful than the beach? With warm, gentle waves lapping on the shore, you are sure to unwind and find your happy place.
If one of your earliest memories is fishing with a grandparent, we are right there with you. There is nothing quite like making a perfect cast, reeling in slow, then having a big fish take the bait and put up a good fight.
Fishing on Anna Maria Island is a year-round activity. It earns a reputation as the recreational fishing capital of the world. Nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay, along with the Intracoastal waterways of Anna Maria Sound, anglers find plenty of places to get their hook wet.
And there are plenty of fish to catch. Redfish and spotted sea trout are fun and easy to catch. And make for a tasty meal, as well. Put a shrimp or mullet on your line and troll for Kingfish and Spanish mackerel.
Let’s start with where to fish. Anna Maria Island has two fishing piers. The City Pier is 700-foot-long, and you can snag inshore and nearshore fish. Admission is free. Rod and Reel Pier is just down the beach and only stretches about 350 feet into the bay. There is a fee to fish at the Rod and Reel Pier. Both piers provide great fishing and are open year-round.
The jetties and beaches on the north side of AMI are great places to cast. They are usually less crowded, as is the Coquina Beach Jetty. You can also fish off any of AMI’s beaches, but the less crowded areas make for better catches.
In addition to mullet and shrimp, bait options include sand fleas and cut squid. Lures and soft plastics also work well. How do you know if fish are biting? There are a couple of clues. Watch for fish jumping and birds circling their prey.
If you don’t want to go it alone, book a fishing excursion with AMI Charters, which offers two-hour to eight-hour trips. Their experienced guides take anglers to the best inshore and nearshore fishing holes to target sharks, snook, redfish, trout, pompano, permit, cobia, and other species.
Anglers need a Florida fishing license. Charter trips include the fishing license.
Whether you fish from a boat, a pier, or the beach, wear sunscreen and stay hydrated.
Of course you want to get in the water during your beach vacation. After all, watersports help you stay cool on those long summer days.
The easiest, quickest, and least expensive water sport is swimming! Our beaches and waters are the most beautiful you’ll find anywhere. So jump right in at a spot like Manatee Beach, a family favorite. The beach has lifeguards, bathrooms, showers, and a playground. Coquina Beach at the southern tip of the island also has lifeguards, concessions and facilities.
If you’re up for a high-adrenaline adventure, rent a personal watercraft from H2O Watersportz, located over the Cortez Road Bridge from Anna Maria Island. The outfitter rents the new Yamaha FXHO model that seats three people. All safety gear included. If you prefer, HZO Watersportz also offers private and guided tours. They’ll even customize the trip for your group.
Ever see those banana boats and think, “that looks like a lot of fun?” You’d be right on that. Have a blast on a banana boat ride with Go Bananas. Choose a mild ride or a wild ride. They’ll cater to you. You may fall off, but you’ll have a smile on your face the whole time. Go Bananas is owned and operated by Anna Maria Island natives who want to share the best of their home with visitors. They’ll pick you up and drop you off at your AMI vacation property.
If you prefer a high-flying experience, book a trip with Anna Maria Island Parasail. Based at Keyes Marina in Holmes Beach, they’ll get you up in no time. The boat was designed solely for parasailing and is Coast Guard-certified to seat up to 12. It’s an easy launch and landing, directly from the boat to about 500 feet in the air. Choose to have the crew dip you in the water at the end of the flight, or step back on the boat completely dry.
Take a guided stand-up paddle board tour with Kayak Jack’s, a full-service kayak and paddle board rental company. Their guided tours launch from Robinson Preserve or Emerson Point. Or book rentals and they’ll deliver to your vacation property. A stand-up paddle board makes an amazing way to visit the calm AMI inlets and waterways.
Fishing is also a water sport, right? And you only have to get wet if you want. Book a trip with AMI Charters Saltwater Adventures, and they’ll put you on the fish. Don’t want to fish? No worries. Book a Sunset Cruise or a Family Boat Tour.
Prefer to get below the surface? Go diving with Scuba Ethan’s Outdoor Adventures in Holmes Beach. AMI dive sites include The Regina, a sugar barge that sank in 1940, and Dolphin Ledge, about 57 to 63 feet, covered with coral and home to several species of tropical fish. If you’re not a certified diver, Scuba Ethan’s also offers snorkeling trips to Egmont Key and a two-day diving certification program.
Who’s ready to hit the water?