After crossing the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, rated one of the top 10 bridges in the world, my beach road trip through Florida took me past Bradenton on to Anna Maria Island. This place was everything I want from a beach destination: beautiful beaches, laid back atmosphere, cute little beach shops,… No high risers, just charming bungalows. Definitely a place I would like to come back to to spend some more time. I can see why this is a relaxing spot for a vacation.
What to see?
As this is a slow pace and quaint beach place, I felt comfortable with just exploring the beach and browsing the boutiques at Pine Avenue, known as “The Greenest little Main Street in America”. Take a drive past the old fishing piers like Anna Maria City Pier and Rod `n Reel Pier.
An insider`s tip is to go to Bean Point at the northern tip of Anna Maria Island for beautiful views. You`ll have to look for the “entrance”, as it is a little path in between trees.
Where to eat?
We went for dinner at the Beach House, a lovely place right at the beach and with great food. No wonder the locals love it here. There was even live music when we were there to add that extra touch.
Where to stay?
Bungalow Beach Resort. This was probably my favorite place we`ve stayed along this beach road trip. It was right on the beach and the interior of the bungalow was how I would see me decorating a dream beach cottage. You can read my full review of the Bungalow Beach Resort.
If you`re looking for a beach escape where you can just relax, eat ice cream, ride a bike, have a snoop in some lovely shops or go out for a lovely meal. This is it. Definitely a favorite of mine!
If you want to read up on Florida, then check out my other stops on this beach trip: Pensacola, Panama City Beach, Apalachicola, Cedar Key, St Augustine and St Pete/Clearwater.
*Prices were accurate at time of publishing.
This trip was made possible with the support of Visit Florida. Special thanks to Bradenton Gulf Islands.
4 Responses to “Things to Do at Anna Maria Island”