Anna Maria Island
An old Florida island about 40 minutes north of Sarasota by car. There are no high-rises here, just white sand beaches, wooden piers, and colorful beach cottages that move at an easy pace.
Anna Maria Island is a barrier island about 11 km long. Its three small towns have kept the low-rise beach cottage character of "Old Florida," with no high-rise hotels and no chain shopping malls. Highlights include the Anna Maria City Pier and Bean Point Beach at the north end, Manatee Public Beach in the middle, and Coquina Beach and the Bradenton Beach Pier at the south end. A free trolley runs north to south along the island, and the island is well suited to cycling or walking. In the evening, eat stone crab at a seafood restaurant and watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. The drive from Sarasota takes about 40 to 50 minutes via the Longboat Key coastal road, so a day trip is easy. Note that parking on the island is limited and often paid, and traffic on summer weekends is heavy.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
- Sarasota Jungle Gardens
- Lido Key Beach
- St. Armands Circle
- Bayfront Park & Unconditional Surrender
- Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
- Lido Key Mangrove Tunnels
- Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA)