When your friends hear about your vacation destination, they’ll envy all the fun things to do in Anna Maria Island, Florida. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the island is about 21 miles north of Sarasota, nine miles west of Bradenton.
If you only want to visit Anna Maria Island attractions, you don’t need a rental car. You can use the free trolley or rent a golf cart or bike to cruise around the island. Plus, there are tons of hot spots for singles, couples, and families. We’re sharing our top five vacation ideas!
1. Beach Lovers Paradise
Every Florida vacation includes at least one trip to the beach. Why stop there when Anna Maria Island gives you one for each day of the week?
- Bayfront Park Beach: views of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Egmont Key
- Bean Point Beach: low crowds
- Bradenton Beach: a popular spot for sea shell picking
- Coquina Beach: low crowds, surf, and small shells
- Cortez Beach: about 2,000 feet of white sand beach
- Holmes Beach: three miles of white beach
- Manatee Public Beach: cabanas, restrooms, and showers
If you can’t resist grabbing a few seashells, the best selection is at Bradenton Beach and Coquina Beach.
2. Coquina Baywalk
This less-than-mile-long attraction is among the most popular Anna Maria Island spots for families. Stroll through mangroves on the wooden boardwalk in Leffis Key Preserve. Observation platforms overlook Sarasota Bay.
3. Island Piers
Visit piers to reel in fish and enjoy spectacular views. The 350-foot-long Rod and Reel Pier offers excellent angling. Satisfy your appetite at the Rod and Reel Pier Restaurant, serving fresh seafood.
The 700-foot-long Anna Maria City Pier, built in the early 1900s, is a landmark and popular viewing spot for the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at sunrise and sunset.
Built in the 1920s, Bridge Steet Pier is home to the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, an island hot spot.
4. Sunsets, Snorkeling, and Dolphins
Enjoy nature in motion by booking at least one Passage Key Dolphin Tour. These private, maximum-six-person tours navigate to the best viewing spots for manatees, bald eagles, ospreys, and dolphins.
Splash down on a snorkeling tour with beginner-level low waters or advanced snorkeling at Egmont Key and Fort Dade’s historical ruins.
Sunset tours take your private group of six or less on a two-hour narrated excursion featuring a majestic Gulf of Mexico sunset.
5. Private Accommodations
Don’t get bogged down in a hotel when staying in Anna Maria Island. You can enjoy a beach watch condo that sleeps four and has large windows offering views from the living, dining, kitchen, porch, and private beach.
Step up to the two-bedroom, two-bath condos at Anna Maria Island Beach Sands, offering heated pools and private beaches.
The Anna Maria Island Beach Waves accommodates up to six people in a two-bedroom, two-bath condo with a private beach, access to Bradenton Beach, and two balconies overlooking the pool.
Top Pick of Things to Do in Anna Maria Island, Florida
When selecting vacation islands, the things to do in Anna Maria Island, Florida, make choosing easy. The best way to experience the flow of nature is by booking one or more Key Dolphin Tours.
Our 2020 Regal 26 OXB luxury bowrider with a shaded lounge, restroom, and swim platform makes every private excursion a lap of luxury. Check our tour options and book your tours today!